A coroner has called for a changes to air pollution laws after the death of a nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah.
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who lived near the South Circular Road in Lewisham, south-east London, died in 2013. Air pollution made a ‘material contribution’ into her passing, an inquest has ruled.
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Coroner Phillip Barlow said there is low public awareness of sources of information about national and local pollution levels and greater awareness would help people reduce their exposure to air pollution. Adverse effects of air pollution on health are also not being sufficiently communicated to patients and their carers by medical and nursing professionals, he added.
Read more: The air pollution crisis in the UK
Mr Barlow added that legally binding targets for particulate matter pollution should be looked at by the government, to prevent similar cases from occurring in the future.
Read more: The lungs and beyond
After the report's publication, Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, Ella’s mother, said she would have to always ‘live with the regret’ of not being armed with knowledge of the harmful effects of air pollution. She called on the government to act on its recommendations, warning ‘children are dying unnecessarily because the government is not doing enough to combat air pollution’.