UK Air Quality Legislation
Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 required the Government to produce a National Air Quality Strategy containing standards and objectives for improving ambient air quality in the UK. This strategy was published in January 2000 and updated in 2003 and is included within the Air Quality Regulations 2000 & (Amendment) Regulations 2002.
This strategy was set up to enable the government to review air quality and to assess whether the air quality standards and objectives it sets out are being met. The strategy uses health based standards as a framework to control the levels of seven designated air pollutants that are known to have adverse health effects. These are: Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Carbon Monoxide, Lead, Nitrogen Dioxide, Particles (PM10), and Sulphur Dioxide, to be achieved between 2003 and 2008. These levels also ensure the UK meets its responsibilities under the European Union's Air Quality Framework and Daughter Directives.
Table: 2003 UK and EU Air Quality regulations ( taken from Air Quality Management 2003)
2003 UK and EU Air Quality regulations POLLUTANT APPLIES CONCENTRATION MEASURED AS COMPLIANCE CONCENTRATION DATE Benzene All UK 16.25mg/m³ (5ppb) Running annual mean 31-Dec-03 5mg/m³ 2010 Eng and Wales 5mg/m³ (1.5ppb) Annual mean 31-Dec-10 Scotland 3.25mg/m³(1ppb) 31-Dec-10 1-3- Butadiene All UK 2.25mg/m³ (1ppb) Running annual mean 31-Dec-03 N/a N/a Carbon Monoxide All UK 10mg/m³ (8.6ppm) Maximum daily running eight hour mean 31-Dec-03 10mg/m³ 2005 Lead All UK 0.5mg/m³ Annual mean 31-Dec-04 0.5mg/m³ 2005 0.25mg/m³ Annual mean 31-Dec-08 Nitrogen Dioxide (prov) All UK 200mg/m³ (105ppb) 1 hour mean, 18 exceedences 31-Dec-05 200mg/m³ 2010 40mg/m³ (21ppb) Annual mean 31-Dec-05 40mg/m³ 2010 Particles (PM10) UK 50mg/m³ 24hr mean, 35 exceedences 31-Dec-04 50mg/m³ 2005 40mg/m³ Annual mean 31-Dec-04 40mg/m³ 2005 Scotland 50mg/m³ 24hr mean, 7 exceedences 31-Dec-10 50mg/m³ 2010 18mg/m³ Annual mean 31-Dec-10 20mg/m³ 2010 Sulphur Dioxide All UK 350mg/m³ (132ppb) 1 hr mean not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year 31-Dec-04 350mg/m³ 2005 125mg/m³ (47ppb) 24 hr mean not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year 31-Dec-04 125mg/m³ 2005 266mg/m³ (100ppb) 15 min mean not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year 31-Dec-05
Borough of Poole
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