Air quality

Conclusions

Information about air quality in solihull

10. Conclusions

This Review and Assessment has identified the main sources of air pollution in Solihull, presented the results of air pollution measurements across the West Midlands Conurbation, and forecast the future concentrations of key pollutants.

The West Midlands is fortunate in benefiting from an extensive monitoring network of both automatic air pollution measurements, nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube measurements and historical records of black smoke and airborne lead measurements.

There is therefore robust data against which to judge the predictions from computer modelling and the calculations of future emissions. The conclusions for Solihull are not just based on modelled predictions but are supported by extensive measurements within the West Midlands.

The Assessment has drawn the following conclusions:

Since Solihull has no industrial sources of benzene and the emissions from road traffic continue to fall, there is little risk of the benzene objective being breached.

Since Solihull has no industrial sources if 1,3 butadiene and the emissions from road traffic continue to fall, there is little risk of the 1,3 butadiene objective being breached.

Given that the carbon monoxide levels already meet their objective now, that the trend suggests a gradual improvement through 2003 and 2005, and that the pollution map for 2005 indicates compliance with the objective, then the carbon monoxide objective should also be met in 2003.

Given that ambient levels of airborne lead already meet the objective in Solihull and that the levels are unlikely to rise again, the 2004 objective should continue to be met throughout the Borough.

The model has confirmed the projections from the measured data, which indicated that the maximum hourly levels of nitrogen dioxide should not exceed the objective in 2005.

The model indicates that the annual average objective for nitrogen dioxide should be met throughout Solihull, in 2005.

Given that the levels of PM10 particles already meet their objective now and that the trend in levels suggests a continuing improvement through to 2004, the PM10 particles objective should still be met in 2004.

Given that the sulphur dioxide levels already meet their objective now and that the trend suggests a continuing improvement through to 2005, the sulphur dioxide objective should still be met in 2005.