Contents
Pollution control - air
Objectives
Information about control of air quality.
The Environment Act 1995 made provision for local authorities to assess the air quality in their area and compare it with national objectives for certain pollutants. If necessary local authorities must declare air quality management areas and prepare action plans to aim to meet the government's objectives (See table below). The Draft 3rd Stage Review and Assessment report can be viewed on this website, or a hard copy can be purchased by using the contact us form linked on the right.
The Council is currently monitoring air quality at a suburban background site using a mobile air quality station and at various road side sites through out the borough using passive diffusion tubes. Data from the monitoring is held at the council house.
Some pollutant emissions are controlled using the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. However, enforcement of the legislation requires an in-depth knowledge of the processes by which pollution can be reduced or eliminated. Smoke emissions from chimneys (but not bonfires) are controlled through the borough's Smoke Control Areas.
See information on smoke from Bonfires.
The Saftey and Pollution team operates monitoring programmes for a range of pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, particulates and sulphur dioxide at various sites across the Borough.
As well as recording meteorological data, the stations are equipped to monitor for;
- Fine Particles (PM10)
- Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx)
- Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
In May 1997 the Government produced the National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS). The strategy represents a comprehensive approach to maintaining and improving the quality of ambient air in the United Kingdom.
Outlined in the strategy are the air quality objectives for the 8 pollutants the Government feels are of most concern at present and the dates it feels these targets should be met. These objectives are shown in the table below
Summary of objectives of the UK Air Quality Strategy
| Pollutant | Objectives | measured as | To be achieved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzene | 16.25µg/m3 (5ppb) | running annual mean | 31 December 2003 |
| 1,3-Butadiene | 2.25µg/m3 (1ppb) | running annual mean | 31 December 2003 |
| Carbon monoxide | 11.6 mg/m3 (10 ppm) | running 8 hour mean | 31 December 2003 |
| Lead | 0.5 µg/m3 | annual mean | 31 December 2004 |
| 0.25 µg/m3 | annual mean | 31 December 2008 | |
| Nitrogen dioxide* |
200µg/m3 (105ppb), not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year |
1 hour mean | 31 December 2005 |
| 40µg/m3 (21ppb) | annual mean | 31 December 2005 | |
| Particles (PM10) |
50µg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
24-hour mean | 31 December 2004 |
| 40µg/m3 | annual mean | 31 December 2004 | |
| Sulphur dioxide |
266µg/m3 (100ppb), not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
15 minute mean | 31 December 2005 |
|
350µg/m3 (132ppb), not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year |
1 hour mean | 31 December 2004 | |
|
125µg/m3 (47ppb), not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year |
24 hour mean | 31 December 2004 | |
|
ppm = parts per million; ppb = parts per billion; µg/m3 = microgrammes per cubic metre; mg/m3 = milligrammes per cubic metre *The objectives for nitrogen dioxide are provisional |
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