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). Information on our air quality assessment and those of other West Midlands Local Authorities can be found at http://www.wmair.org/

The Council is currently monitoring air quality 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.