The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The UK Government and the devolved administrations published the latest UK Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2007.
The strategy:
- sets out a way forward for work and planning on air quality issues
- sets out the air quality standards and objectives to be achieved
- introduces a new policy framework for tackling fine particles
- identifies potential new national policy measures which modeling indicates could give further health benefits and move closer towards meeting the Strategy's objectives.
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National air quality objectives and European Directive limit and target values for the protection of human health |
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Pollutant |
Applies |
Objective |
Concentration measures as |
Date to be achieved by |
European obligations |
Date to be achieved by |
|
Particles (PM10) |
UK |
50µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
24 hour mean |
31/12/04 |
50µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
1/1/05 |
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UK |
40µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/04 |
40µgm-3 |
1/1/05 |
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Indicative 2010 objectives for PM10 (from the 2000 Strategy and 2003 Addendum) have been replaced by an exposure reduction approach for PM2.5 (except in Scotland – see below) |
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Scotland |
50µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 7 times a year |
24 hour mean |
31/12/04 |
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Scotland |
18µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/04 |
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Particles (PM2.5) Exposure Reduction |
UK(ex Scotland) |
25µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
2020 |
Target value25 µgm-3 |
2010 |
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Scotland |
12µgm-3 |
2020 |
Limit value25 µgm-3 |
2015 |
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UK urban areas |
Target of 15% reduction in concentrations at urban background |
Between 2010 and 2020 |
Target of 20% reduction in concentrations at urban background |
Between 2010 and 2020 |
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Nitrogen dioxide |
UK |
200µgm-3 note to be exceeded more than 18 times a year |
1 hour mean |
31/12/05 |
200µgm-3 note to be exceeded more than 18 times a year |
1/1/10 |
|
UK |
40µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/05 |
40µgm-3 |
1/1/10 |
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Ozone |
UK |
100µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 10 times a year |
8 hour mean |
31/12/05 |
Target of 120µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 25 times a year averaged over 3 years |
21/12/10 |
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Sulphur dioxide |
UK |
266µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
15 minute mean |
31/12/05 |
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|
UK |
350µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
1 hour mean |
31/12/04 |
350µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
1/1/05 |
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|
UK |
125µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
24 hour mean |
31/12/04 |
125µgm-3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
1/1/05 |
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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons |
UK |
0.25ngm-3 B[a]P |
As annual average |
21/12/10 |
Target of 1ngm-3 |
31/12/12 |
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Benzene |
UK |
16.25 µgm-3 |
Running annual mean |
31/12/03 |
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England and Wales |
5µgm-3 |
Annual average |
31/12/10 |
5 µgm-3 |
1/1/10 |
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Scotland |
3.25µgm-3 |
Running annual mean |
31/12/10 |
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1,3-butadiene |
UK |
2.25µgm-3 |
Running annual mean |
31/12/03 |
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Carbon monoxide |
UK |
10mgm-3 |
Maximum daily running 8 hour mean/in Scotland as running 8 hour mean |
31/12/03 |
10mgm-3 |
1/1/05 |
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Lead |
UK |
0.5µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/04 |
0.5 µgm-3 |
1/1/05 |
|
UK |
0.25µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/08 |
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National air quality objectives and European Directive limit and target values for the protection of vegetation and ecosystems |
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Pollutant |
Applies |
Objective |
Concentration measures as |
Date to be achieved by |
European obligations |
Date to be achieved by |
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Nitrogen oxides |
UK |
30 µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/00 |
30 µgm-3 |
19/7/01 |
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Sulphur dioxide |
UK |
20µgm-3 |
Annual mean |
31/12/00 |
20µgm-3 |
19/7/01 |
|
UK |
20µgm-3 |
Winter average |
31/12/00 |
20µgm-3 |
19/7/01 |
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Ozone: protection of vegetation and ecosystems |
UK |
Target value of 18,000µgm-3 to be calculated from 1 hour values from May to July and to be achieved, so far as possible, by 2010 |
Average over 5 years |
1/1/10 |
Target value of 18,000µgm-3 based on AOT40 to be calculated from 1 hour values from May to July, to be achieved, so far as possible, by 2010 |
1/1/10 |
References:
The full text of The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) web site: The Air Quality Strategy
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