Title: The EU and the UKs arrangements for Air Quality Management
1The EU and the UKs arrangements for Air Quality
Management
- Simon Eggleston
- Liaoning Integrated Environmental Programme
2This Presentation
- Introduction
- Current Arrangements
- Industrial Control
- Local Air Quality Assessment
- Monitoring
- Public Information
3History the UK
- Air Quality Management has a long history in the
UK - In 1285, King Edward I set up a commission to
deal with the foul air in London which proposed
penalties for coal burning
4 1952 Smog
- Over 4000 people died.
- TSPgt1.5 mg/m3.
- SO2gt0.75 mg/m3.
- Led to effective action.
5Action
- The 1956 and 1968 Clean Air Acts.
- Smoke Control Zones
- Trend to gas and electricity.
- Public were willing to co-operate.
- National monitoring programme established.
6However
- These mainly targeted smoke
- Trans-boundary pollution a serious problem
- A consistent approach was needed
- Other pollution issues required a more integrated
approach
7Control of Industrial Sources
8UK Control of industrial sources
- Integrated Pollution Control (IPC)
- For the most potentially polluting or technically
complex processes - Concerns releases to air, land, and water
- To use the Best Available Techniques Not
Entailing Excessive Cost - To ensure consideration of releases from
industrial processes to all media in the context
of the effect on the environment as a whole - Administered by the Environment Agency (Scottish
Environmental Protection Agency in Scotland)
9Environmental Protection Act 1990
- Regime A - This is an integrated permitting
regime. Emissions to the air, land and water of
the potentially more polluting processes are
regulated. The Environment Agency is the
regulator. - Regime B - This regime permits processes with a
lesser potential for polluting emissions. Only
emissions to the air are regulated. The Local
Authority is the regulator.
10Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC)
- Replacing IPC and LAPC
- Implements EU directive 96/61
- Being phased in between 2000 and 2007
11Pollution Prevention and Control 1999
- Regime A1 - This is an integrated permitting
regime. Emissions to the air, land and water of
potentially more polluting processes are
regulated. The Environment Agency is the
regulator. - Regime A2 - This is an integrated permitting
regime. Emissions to the air, land and water of
processes with a lesser potential to pollute are
regulated. The Local Authority is the regulator. - Regime B - This is the permitting of processes
with a lesser potential to pollute. Only
emissions to the air are regulated. The Local
Authority is the regulator.
12Air Quality Management
13Air Quality Management
- EU level
- Overall targets and approach
- National Level
- Implemented into nation legislation
- Guidance and oversight
- Local Authorities
- Air Quality Assessment and review
- Air Quality Actions Plans
14EU Directives
- Framework Directive
- National Emissions Ceiling Directive
- Also
- Emissions Reporting
- CO2 Reporting Mechanism
- Emission Regulations
- Large Combustion Plant Directives
15Framework Directive (96/62/EC)
- Defines the basic principals of a common strategy
- Objectives for AQ for health and environment
- Common approach to assess AQ
- Obtain adequate information and make it public
- Aims to maintain good AQ and improve poor AQ
16EU Directives
- Daughter Directive ( 99/30/EC)
- Establish limit and alert values for SO2, NO2,
NOx, Particulates and Lead - Assess concentrations of these pollutants
- Obtain information and make it public
- Maintain and improve levels of these pollutants
17Definitions
- Agglomeration urban area with over 250,000
inhabitants - Zone region of country
- Limit Value level not to be exceeded to prevent
damage to human health/environment - Alert Threshold level with risk to health,
action to be taken - Upper Assessment Threshold, UAT levels less
than this can be assessed with monitoring and
modelling - Lower Assessment Threshold, LAT levels less
than this can be assessed with modelling only.
18Zones Agglomerations
Slide 18
19Framework
- Set limit values and alert thresholds
- Asses ambient AQ
- Measurements in
- Agglomerations (gt250,00 inhabitants)
- Zones where levels between UAT and LAT
- Zones where levels exceed the limit values
- Combination of monitoring and modelling allowed
- Zones less than LAT modelling only acceptable
20Limits µg/m3
Number in Brackets is maximum number of
exceedances in one year
21Limits µg/m3
Number in Brackets is maximum number of
exceedances in one year
22Monitoring - Numbers of sites
23UK Approach
- UK approach based on EU Directives
- Directives represent international agreement on
best practice - Monitoring is part of assessment, proportional to
problem
24UK Approach
- National Governments
- Set Targets, AQ Strategy and oversee process
- Local Governments
- Assess Air Quality
- If necessary declare an Air Quality Action Area
and develop Action Plans
25Review and Assessment
- Phase 1 Initial Screening
- Phase 2 Review areas of highest concentration
Some modelling and monitoring possible. - Phase 3 Detailed modelling and monitoring
assessment
26Air Quality Management
- Establishing key pollutants sources
- Determining the pollutant levels
- Estimating the impacts on human health
- Identifying feasible abatement options and costs
- Estimating the impacts abatement alternatives
- Determining priorities with high benefit/cost
ratios
27Air Quality Management Areas
An Air Quality Management Area has been declared
by this Local Authority
Review completed. No Air Quality Management Area
has been declared by this Local Authority
The Local Authority has not completed the review
and assessment process
The Local Authority has completed the review and
assessment process and is evaluating the need for
an Air Quality Management Area
28Local Authority Legislation
- 1990, Environment Protection Act, Town
Country Planning Act, based on EC Framework
Directive established two pollution control
systems the Central Government (HMIP, now EA) for
large plant, and Local Authority Air Pollution
Control for smaller, local plant. - The provisions for statutory nuisance abatement
can also be used to control emissions. - Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control,
(IPPC). - UK National Air Quality Strategy, 1996 which was
Initiated under part IV of the 1995 Environment
Act.
29Local Authority Instruments
- Traffic management schemes
- Land-use planning
- Regulation of industrial emissions (EPA 1990, Pt
I) - Industrial/domestic smoke control (Clean Air
Acts, 1956, 68, 93) - Abatement of statutory nuisance (EPA, 1990, Pt
III) - Roadside vehicle emission/ testing
30UK Air Quality Issues in 2005
- PM10 Likely to be the main problem
- SO2 Only in a few places
- CO May be a problem in very heavily-trafficked
areas - Benzene/1,3 Butadiene A few specific sites
- Lead - Only a with major industrial sources
- NO2 May be a problem due to road traffic
- O3 excluded from Local Air Quality Management
process. It is hoped that Europe wide reductions
in emissions will reduce this problem.
31Monitoring in the UK
32Monitoring
- Organised Nationally with QA/QC and some funding
- Additional local authority sites funded locally
- Most monitoring performed by contractors
33Monitoring in the UK
34European Union
- Regulations on monitoring and AQ standards after
agreement of Member States - Receives monitoring data
- Standards for compatibility and comparability
35Department of Environment
- Sets aims, targets and requirements
- Awards contracts for network management and
operation - Sets policy
36Central management and Co-ordination Unit
- Establish new sties and appoint Local Site
Operators (LSOs) - Collect and distribute data within 30 minutes of
measurement - Liase with QA/QC Unit
- Training and information for LSOs
- Archive filters etc.
- Management of DETR assets
37CMCU (2)
- Contract LSOs
- Liase and oversee sites run by others
- Collect and distribute data for ratification by
QA/QC unit - Achieve data capture of minimum 90 of hourly
values
38QA/QC Unit
- Provision of manuals
- To ratify data every 3 months
- To ensure accuracy and precision meet DETR
requirements - Provision of statistics required by EU
- At least 2 inter-calibration and audits for each
site a year - accreditation to EN45001 to perform network
intercalibrations using traceable standards
provided by NPL
39Local Site Operators
- Operate sites in accordance with procedures
specified by CCMU and QA/QC Unit
40Equipment Support Unit
- To provide equipment support to sites as required
by LSO and CCMU. - To provide repair, routine maintenance and
servicing.
41Data Dissemination Unit
- To hold a database of air quality measurements
from 1972 to now - To make all these data available on the internet
- To distribute data as needed to the press,TV and
forecasters - To distribute reports and other associated
information
42Alerts Information Provided
- Time reasons for occurrence
- Forecast of future alerts
- Changes in concentrations reasons
- Area concerned
- Duration
- Type of population potentially sensitive
- Precautions to be taken
43Public Information
- To
- Public
- Environmental Organisations
- Consumer Organisations
- Organisations of Sensitive Populations
- Health-care Organisations
44Public Information
- SO2, NO2, NOx and PM10 updated daily
- Where practical SO2 and NO2 updated hourly
- Lead updated three-monthly
- Minimum requirements
- Exceedances of limits and alert thresholds
- Assessment in relation of limits and alert
thresholds - Information of effects on health
45Advantages
- Central direction so data is correct and
consistent across the network - QA/QC to highest standards
- Focus on providing inputs to Air Quality
Management and Policy Development - Cost savings by contracting network operation
46Conclusions
- The UK has developed a system of air pollution
control that aims to reduce the impacts of
pollution at minimum cost - Responsibilities are devolved to local
authorities where possible, to maximise local
input - The system implements EU and national legislation
and guidance