Legislation
The Environment Act 1995 established a national framework for air quality management and required all local authorities to conduct air quality reviews of their area.
Under the Air Quality (Amendment) Regulations 2002, the Government has set specific air quality objectives for seven pollutants that must be achieved by certain dates. The pollutants and air quality objectives can be seen in the table below.
If any of the objectives are likely to be exceeded by the specified date then the local authority must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).
Pollutant | Air Quality Objectives | Date to be achieved by | |
Concentration | Measured as | ||
Benzene | 16.25 microgram/m3 5 microgram/m3 | Running annual mean Annual mean | 31.12.2003 31.12.2010 |
1,3-Butadiene | 2.25 microgram/m3 | Running annual mean | 31.12.2003 |
Carbon Monoxide | 10 mg/m3 | Maximum daily running 8-hour mean | 31.12.2003 |
Lead | 0.5 microgram/m3 0.25 microgram/m3 | Annual mean Annual mean | 31.12.2004 31.12.2008 |
Nitrogen Dioxide | 200 microgram/m3 not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year 40 microgram/m3 | 1-hour mean Annual mean | 31.12.2005 31.12.2005 |
Particles (PM10) (gravimetric) | 50 microgram/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year 40 microgram/m3 | 24-hour mean Annual mean | 31.12.2004 31.12.2004 |
Sulphur Dioxide | 350 microgram/m3 not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year 125 microgram/m3 not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year 266 microgram/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year | 1-hour mean 24-hour mean 15-minute mean | 31.12.2004 31.12.2004 31.12.2005 |
