By Paul Lewis

CLEAN air campaigners are celebrating after the UK lost its bid for extra time to clean up atmospheric pollution in Port Talbot.

The request for an extension to meet European air quality standards was opposed by Friends of the Earth lawyers who have been acting for affected communities in Wales.

Port Talbot is one of eight urban 'hot spots' in the UK breaching air quality limits for PM10s in recent years.

PM10s are very small particulate matter linked to respiratory and cardiovascular illness, reduced life expectancy as well as other ill-health effects.

Friends of the Earth Cymru director Gordon James said: "Air pollution mainly affects people from poorer communities. This ruling is an important step in protecting their health.

"The Government should put its efforts into meeting air quality standards rather than trying to avoid them."

Under European law the UK has to ensure it meets strict limits for PM10s in the atmosphere.

It should have met those limits by January 1, 2005. However, earlier this year the UK applied to the Commission for a further two years to meet its PM10 limits including Port Talbot and London.

That application has now been thrown out by the European Commission.

Last month an independent report commission by the Welsh Assembly Government found that Corus was the "most likely" source of PM10 pollution in Port Talbot.

The report called for further work to identify specific sources, and provides suggestions on how to tackle the problem.

At the time, Assembly Environment Minister Jane Davidson said: "Recent figures into pollution in Wales showed our air is cleaner in overall terms than at any time since the industrial revolution.

"However, we recognise there is a particular issue in Port Talbot and following this study we will continue to work with Corus, Neath Port Talbot Council and Environment Agency Wales to improve the situation."

Friends of the Earth said lawyers at its Rights and Justice Centre had been working with Port Talbot residents to ensure air quality standards near the steelworks were met.

Last year, it said, those lawyers succeeded in forcing the Welsh Assembly Government to produce a legally required Air Quality Action Plan to bring local air quality within legal limits.

Friends of the Earth solicitor Laura Gyte has represented Port Talbot residents.

She said: "The UK has known about these limits for years. We are delighted the EU has rejected the Government's bid to carry on polluting.

"All relevant public bodies must now urgently get on with the important job of ensuring that UK air quality standards designed to protect health and the environment are met."

paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk