Learn More: The Wider Picture

UK Legislation

The principal laws that currently control air pollution in the UK were introduced in the 1990s. The Environment Protection Act 1990, aims to minimise air pollution from industrial sources by establishing two pollution control systems: the local air pollution control (LAPC) system for smaller industrial sites, administered by District Councils and Unitary Authorities, and integrated pollution control (IPC) system for larger ones, administered by the Environment Agency (IPC also controls emissions to land and water).

The Clean Air Act 1993, administered by District Councils and Unitary Authorities, provides controls on emissions of smoke, grit and dust from domestic fires and other commercial and industrial processes not covered by the Environment Protection Act. The legislation also prohibits the emission of “dark” smoke from any chimney or industrial premises.

The Environment Act 1995, required the UK Government to produce a national air quality strategy containing standards and objectives and measures to achieve the objectives. It also laid the foundations for the system of local air quality management.

Local Authorities

Local authorities play a key role in improving air quality. They can do this through regulating medium and small size industrial processes and through the system of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM). Under LAQM, local authorities work towards achieving objectives laid down in the regulations for seven of the pollutants. LAQM does not cover ozone since pollutants produced outside the UK affect it. Nor does LAQM include local authorities statutory responsibility for the two objectives for protecting vegetation and ecosystems.

Local authorities are under no legal obligation to prepare an air quality strategy. All authorities, however, can contribute to improvements in local air quality, whether or not they have to designate an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and draw up an action plan for the purposes of the Environment Act 1995.

Environment Agency and Highways Agency

Some of the actions needed to improve air quality may well be outside the local authority's remit. This is the case where, for example, an industrial process regulated by the Environment Agency is contributing to air quality exceedences, or where high levels of pollutants exist as a result of motorways or trunk roads, regulated by the Highways Agency.

European Union

The European Union's Air Quality Framework and Daughter Directives prescribe limit values for certain pollutants that all member states must meet. The LAQM system has a key role to play in helping the UK to meet its objectives under these Directives.