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Local Air Quality Management: National Strategy & Objectives

The Environment Act 1995 introduced the legislative framework for local air quality management in the United Kingdom. It required the Secretary of State to produce a national air quality strategy. This was originally produced in 1997 and established the Government's agenda for air quality management in the future. The UK Strategy was revised in 2000 and updated in 2007 (The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

The 2007 Strategy re-established objectives for improvements in air quality in the United Kingdom and included new targets for PM2.5 utilising the exposure reduction method. New national policies and measures were introduced to move towards meeting the new objectives. Within the Strategy, the revised set of Air Quality Objectives was presented, some objectives were dropped (PM10 2010)as well as a few new additions (PM2.5 and O3 (Veg)) Link to UK AQ Strategy (DEFRA).


The Air Quality Human Health Objectives (for England & Wales) 2007 are shown below :

Pollutant Objective Measured as To be achieved by
Benzene

16.25 mg/m3 (5 ppb)

Running annual mean

 31 December 2003
5 mg/m3 (1.5 ppb) Annual mean 31 December 2010
1-3 Butadiene 2.25 mg/m3 (1 ppb) Running annual mean 31 December 2003
Carbon Monoxide 10 mg/m3 (8.6 ppm) Maximum daily running 8 hr mean 31 December 2003
Lead 0.5 mg/m3 Annual mean 31 December 2004
0.25 mg/m3 Annual mean 31 December 2008
Nitrogen Dioxide 200 mg/m3 (105 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year 1 hour mean 31 December 2005
and
40 mg/m3 (21 ppb) Annual mean 31 December 2005
Particles (PM10) 50 mg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year

24 hour mean

 31 December 2004
and
40 mg/m3 Annual mean 31 December 2004
Particles (PM 2.5) 25mg/m3 (target)

Annual mean (Exposure reduction - urban background)

2020
with
15% cut target   2010 - 2020
Sulphur Dioxide 350 mg/m3 (132 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year 1 hour mean 31 December 2004
and
125 mg/m3 (47 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year 24 hour mean 31 December 2004
and
266mg/m3 (100 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year 15 minute mean 31 December 2005

m/m3 means micrograms per cubic metre; mg/m3 means milligrams per cubic metre; ppb means parts per billion; ppm means parts per million; gravimetric means measured using the European gravimetric transfer sampler or equivalent.

In addition to these objectives, the strategy also included objectives for ozone, although these are to be addressed at the national level rather than by individual local authorities. Due to the nature of ozone pollution, action by one authority would be ineffective in controlling ozone concentrations. The ozone air quality objectives are shown in the table below.

Pollutant Objective Measured as To be achieved by
Ozone 100mg/m3 (50 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 10 times a year Daily maximum of running 8 hour mean 31 December 2005

 

The Air Quality Vegetation and Ecosystems Objectives (for England & Wales) 2007 are shown below :

Pollutant Objective Measured as To be achieved by
Oxides of nitrogen (NOx)

30 mg/m3

 Annual mean 31 December 2000
Sulphur Dioxide 20mg/m3 Annual mean 31 December 2000
and
20mg/m3 Winter average 31 December 2000
Ozone 18mg/m3 5yr average of summer 1hr values AOT 40 1 Jan 2010

Further detail concerning the air quality review and assessment process is given in the air authority reports page.
 

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