The pressure to reintroduce regular monitoring of the island’s air quality was cranked up during a heated Tynwald sitting this week.

Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture Geoffrey Book MHK (Glenfaba and Peel) was forced to defend the government’s testing of air quality as members from the Keys and Legislative Council sought more regular monitoring.

Mr Boot had been asked by Ralph Peake (Douglas North) what progress had been made regarding measuring air quality.

The DEFA Minister said in July 2018 he had ’committed to biannual monitoring’.

He added that the UK had a clean air policy as efforts were made to improve air quality particularly in former industrial cities, which the island didn’t require as we were ’blessed with plenty of Irish Sea air and winds’.

The Minister reminded members of ’sweet mountain air in our national anthem’ and said that there was no cause for the island to change its air monitoring policy.

Mr Peake seemed less than impressed as he thanked the minister for ’quoting the national anthem at me, it was good of you’, which drew a chuckle from other members.

opportunity

The Douglas North MHK added: ’It [air quality] is a serious issue though and its really an opportunity for you. I’m trying to tee this up for you Minister to grasp this opportunity and show some leadership.’

Mr Peake said it was an opportunity for the evidence to drive policy and asked Mr Boot: ’When are you going to listen and take the opportunity to do these tests regularly, at least every six months’?

Mr Boot said it was a matter of opinion as to what ’regular’ testing is.

He told members that the island was ’well under EU limits’ and that rather than spend the money on testing, he would like to spend it on developing the island’s climate change strategy, which includes a move to renewable energy by 2030/35.

He asked Mr Peake: ’Why should we spend money monitoring what we already know’? Mr Boot quoted a figure of £50,000 to £100,000 to set up monitoring with the same figure needed each month to continue the work.

However, Bill Shimmins MHK (Middle) said: ’Many people would dispute the assertion from the Minister for Environment that the recent monitoring indicates that we are well under EU limits.

’The reluctance to commit to monthly or regular air monitoring, similar to other Crown Dependencies, indicates a lack of concern of poor air quality on people.’

Mr Shimmins asked the Minister to commit to meeting the Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart to discuss the impact of air pollutants.

Mr Boot responded that he accepted that poor air quality affected on people’s health but said the Isle of Man’s air quality was within EU limits.

He added that only two areas in the island suffered from poor air quality, Lord Street and the Quarterbridge roundabout, both in Douglas. He believed that was likely to be a result of when the testing was done.

MLC Kate Lord-Brennan asked the Minister how, with no regular data, he could say that Douglas schoolchildren’s health was not suffering.

Mr Boot said: ’I think the test of our air is how we perceive it.’

He added that in cities such as Glasgow, you could ’feel it’ whereas the island’s air is noticeable cleaner.

Ann Corlett MHK (Douglas Central) asked if the Minister believed that an ’individuals perception’ of air quality was good enough.

Mr Boot again stated that the island’s most recent testing had shown levels below EU limits.

He added: ’I have to say there has to be a personal perception of air quality, we all know when there is bad air quality’.

Mr Shimmins was clearly heard calling his response ’utter nonsense’ from his seat.