Vow to press ahead with biomass plans (From Daily Echo)

• "Southampton and South Hampshire Health and Air Pollution:
  
  The reality of poor health related to air pollution in Southampton and adjoining areas, as in many UK towns and cities, is disturbing.
  
  The city has eight Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs), introduced by Act of Parliament to monitor air quality, as in these locations it falls below even the UK’s rather low statutory standards.
  
  One AQMA stretches along Millbrook Road next to the 20 acre site where Helius aims to apply for development consent for a physically very large Power Station (though with low electrical output) mainly burning imported wood pellet.
  
  Our city also has a number of Neighbourhood Priority Areas. 110,000 people, almost half Southampton’s population, live in a Priority Area. A small part of Freemantle, right opposite the mooted power station site, is in one of these.
  
  Southampton’s June 2012 Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel report states: “Dramatic health inequalities are still a dominant feature of health in Southampton” when comparing Priority and non-priority areas.
  
  For example:
  • Lung and respiratory disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is high for all age groups. Deaths from COPD are 120.7% higher in Priority Areas than in non-priority areas.
  
  • Premature deaths, under 75, are 58.7% higher in the Priority Areas
  
  • Heart and cardiovascular disease are higher, for Southampton, than the average for England. While mortality rates from cardiovascular disease, for those aged under 75, are 69% higher than the national rate.
  
  • Southampton early deaths, for under 75s, from cancer are 42.9% higher than the national rate.
  
  • For men, life expectancy is 7.7 years shorter in the Priority Areas than in other parts of the city.
  
  COPD is especially associated with breathing in the small particulates, PM10, and PM2.5 nonoparticles that are emitted by diesel driven vehicles, plant and ships and by wood burning power stations.
  
  It is our children and elders that are particularly exposed to these health hazards, the tiny invisible particles being readily absorbed across the lung tissue.
  
  With our prevailing south west wind Southampton, Chandler’s Ford, West End and other parts of Eastleigh District are especially exposed to this invisible health hazard which would arise from Helius’ chosen wood pellet burning power station site.
  
  On health grounds alone there is very good reason for South Hampshire communities to object to Helius’ idea, now, before the current 3rd August consultation deadline."
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