LEVELS of lead in Scotland’s air have fallen by 99 per cent since 1990, according to a new report on atmospheric pollution.
Other major pollutants in our air have fallen dramatically during the period from 1990 to 2015, the latest year for which statistics are available.
However, environmental campaigners are still warning of dangerous levels of pollutants at “hot spots” across the country.
The drop in lead in Scotland’s air is almost entirely down to the removal of lead from petrol, according to the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory for 2015.
The report states that “emissions, prior to 1999 arose primarily from the combustion of leaded petrol”.
From 1987, sales of unleaded petrol increased, particularly as a result of the increased use of cars fitted with three-way catalysts. Leaded petrol was then phased out from general sale at the end of 1999.
The report states: “These changes have caused a significant decline in total Pb (lead) emissions across the UK between 1990 and 2000.
“The UK-wide emissions of Pb are now dominated by combustion sources (mainly of solid fuels, biomass and lubricants in industrial and domestic sectors), and from metal production processes at foundries and iron and steel works.”
The second largest drop in emissions over the same period was a 92 per cent decrease in sulphur dioxide followed by an 83 per cent fall in carbon monoxide.
Nitrogen oxide levels are down 71 per cent over the 25 years; a group of chemicals called non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) which include benzene, ethanol and formaldehyde, have dropped 66 per cent; and the level of tiny particles of pollutants known as particulates (PM10) has fallen by 63 per cent.
Ammonia has fallen the least, with just a 10 per cent decrease, while the gas in fact increased from 36 to 37 kilotonnes (kt) between 2014 and 2015.
Carbon monoxide dropped from 113kt to 112kt and nitrogen oxides fell by 4kt to 84kt, driven by improvements in the energy industries.
Both lead and PM10 remained the same at 3kt and 12kt, respectively.
Sulphur dioxide showed the largest change year-on-year, falling from 30kt to 23kt, also due to a decrease in emissions in energy industries.
NMVOCs rose 3kt to 140kt, mainly due to a rise in emissions from industrial processes including the whisky industry, which contributes around 42 per cent of total Scottish emissions. The report also revealed the increasing use of wood-burning stoves in homes is leading to a rise in carbon monoxide and PM10 in the residential and other combustion category.
Statisticians point out the uncertainties around the estimates for any given year are “considerable” and trends over time are likely to be more reliable.
The uncertainty rating is high for ammonia, carbon monoxide and PM10, moderate for NMVOCs and lead, and low for nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide.
Environmental campaigners welcomed the drop in air pollution since 1990 but raised concerns over current pollution hot spots.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Air Pollution campaigner Emilia Hanna backed calls for low emission zones.
She said: “These results look at pollution in terms of overall tonnage across the country, which is very important, but what really matters to people’s lives and health are the acute concentrations of pollution that people are exposed to.
“The report makes it clear that nitrous oxides are concentrated along roads, particularly in urban areas.
“These elevated concentrations of pollutants are illegally high and are causing a public health crisis.
“Air pollution, at levels we continue to see on Scottish streets, has been linked with cancers, heart attacks, strokes, and reduced foetal development.”
Scottish Greens environment spokesman Mark Ruskell said: “The long-term trend is downward but we have a rising number of pollution hot spots breaching legal limits with 38 town and city centres now affected across Scotland.
“It’s a public health crisis that successive governments have ignored. Ministers need to step up funding and support for low emissions zones and back my proposal for a 20mph default speed limit in urban areas, as together these measures will save lives.”
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