The UK must act now to cut harmful air pollutants
The UK must act now to cut harmful air pollutants and not wait the best part of a decade to save lives, the Chief Executive of greentech firm SulNOx Group said today.
Ben Richardson was speaking ahead of the National Air Quality Conference, which will take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 10 November.
The 2018 National Emission Ceilings Regulations set legally binding emission reduction targets for 2030 on a number of harmful air pollutants.
But there have already been warnings that the UK is set to miss these 2030 targets for four out of the five emissions – sulphur dioxide (SO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ammonia, and nitrous oxides.
SulNOx will be exhibiting at the Air Quality Conference, whose guests include Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, co-founder of the Ella Roberta Family Foundation and mother of Ella Kissi-Debrah, the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed on their death certificate as a cause of death.
Other speakers include Baroness Finlay a doctor, professor of palliative medicine, and a crossbench member of the House of Lords, who is chair of the CO Research Trust, a charity aiming to reduce the incidents of death and serious injury caused by carbon monoxide poisoning; Larissa Lockwood, Director of Clean Air at charity Global Action Plan and Felicity Aston MBE, Antarctic scientist, who is leading an all-female team skiing to the North Pole to collect data on black carbon and microplastic pollution.
Mr Richardson said: ‘The UK has been set stringent targets for reducing emissions by 2030 and it is clear that meeting these targets will be an enormous challenge.
‘2030 may feel some way off yet, but it really isn’t, and that is why it is vital everybody in the UK – Governments, councils, businesses and individuals – takes what action they can to reduce emissions and improve the quality of the air we breathe.
‘There are small things that people can do which add up to a huge contribution.’
SulNOx Group specialises in providing responsible solutions towards the decarbonisation of liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Its fuel additives reduce the production of harmful, environmentally damaging emissions whilst also offering significant cost savings.
Mr Richardson said: ‘By taking what is a relatively simple step, such as adding SulNOx to your fuel when you fill up, you could make a significant difference.
‘The amount of each ‘emission’ depends on the quality of combustion. When too little oxygen is available there is inefficient burn, causing greenhouse gases and increased particulate matter to be produced. SulNOx, amongst other things, increases the amount of oxygen available to the fuel promoting cleaner combustion and optimal energy output – meaning less fuel is also consumed – typically 8-10%’
The range of SulNOx Group’s green products includes the revolutionary SulNOxEco™ Fuel Conditioners, which improve combustion in light fuels including gasoline, regular diesel, marine diesel oil (MDO), marine gas oil (MGO), biofuels including hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO) and kerosene. Industries currently benefiting from using SulNOx include haulage,
van fleets, shipping, oil companies, fuel storage and distribution, waste/reclamation, mining, generators, agriculture and construction.
Mr Richardson said: ‘Our business strategy is underpinned by an urgent need to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases. It has never been more important for everyone to do their part.’