Almost 500 deaths in Courier Country could be linked to air pollution every year, it has been claimed.
A report from Public Health England said air pollution has been linked to 2,094 estimated deaths across Scotland annually.
The report said Fife had the highest number of estimated deaths by local authority area, with 161. Dundee had 69 and Angus 42.
Friends of the Earth Scotland said the figures confirmed that air pollution was the leading environmental health risk in Scotland, claiming 10 times more people were dying from exposure to air pollution than from obesity.
Andrew Llanwarne, convener of Friends of the Earth Tayside, said: “We’re delighted by the recent news that the biomass plant application for Dundee has been withdrawn, because it would have added to the already high levels of airpollution in Dundee.
“Dundee City Council must give more attention to tackling the traffic problems which are the primary cause of this air pollution.
“We now look to the council to come up with a radical new approach to reshaping Dundee’s road traffic system, reducing traffic volumes and thereby bringing about a significant reduction in emissions of the pollutants which are damaging people’s health.
“Part of this should involve a big shift in emphasis towards infrastructure for cycling and walking. This would have a further benefit to people’s health by encouraging more active lifestyles.”
Earlier this year, Friends of the Earth Scotland published results of Scotland’s most polluted streets for 2013 and revealed that air pollution in Seagate, Meadowside and Lochee Road in Dundee, Atholl Street in Perth and West High Street in Crieff had not met targets which were supposed to have been achieved in 2005 and 2010.
Public Health England’s findings are in relation to one key pollutant called fine particles or PM2.5s. These particles can travel deep into the lungs, cross into the bloodstream and cause heart and lung diseases, cancers, aggravate asthma and increase chances of premature death.
A spokeswoman for Dundee City Council said: “The most recent report on air quality in Dundee showed figures which were an improvement on the previous year.
“We continue to implement the actions and measures in our air quality action plan.
“However, we are in no way complacent and the action plan lays out a thorough and wide-ranging series of measures to continue progress.
“The council has a long track record of investing in sustainable transport methods and encouraging people to use public transport.
“The air quality measures covered in this new report are not currently monitored by the council and statistics on these are held by the Scottish Government.”