aqstd0306_245121

Air Quality Modelling and Assessment Unit

version date: 21/03/06 1

AIR QUALITY STANDARDS, OBJECTIVES, LIMIT AND TARGET VALUES

Note that the UK AQ objectives for lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulates and sulphur dioxide apply tolocations where people are exposed (for the relevant periods). The final decision as to where the UKAQ Objectives apply, in any given case, rests with the relevant local authority.

The various annual, daily, hourly and 15 minute means under the UK AQS for these substances applyfor the year which ends on the 31 December of the year quoted in the UK AQS Regulations which arereplicated in the tables below. For instance, the 15 minute objective for sulphur dioxide applies from1/1/05. It is a common misconception that these apply after 31 December of the year quoted .

2005 sees the status of some of the UK's AQ objectives (most of those for particulates and sulphurdioxide) being upgraded to EU limit values under the 1st AQ Daughter Directive.

The compliance dates for EU limit values apply for the year which follows the date quoted. Forinstance the 1h mean LV for sulphur dioxide applies from 1/1/05. In law, we must go beyond BAT ifnecessary, when installations we regulate contribute significantly to any exceedence of an EU limitvalue. The Agency interpretation is that the EU limit values apply anywhere outside of an installation'sboundary, whether there is exposure of people or not.

New EU rules aimed at limiting air pollution by metals entered legal force on 15 February 2005.

The fourth Daughter Directive sets targets values for arsenic, cadmium and nickel, plus polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The requirements placed on member states are not as onerous as thelimit values in previous Daughter Directives and do not require going beyond BAT. However, we needto take these target values into consideration when issuing or reviewing permits. Any issues should beraised with AQ Policy.



NITROGEN DIOXIDE

Measured as National AirQuality

Standard1

National Air Quality Strategy/Air Quality Strategy forEngland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

EU DaughterDirectives4

WHOGuidelines3

2000 Objectives1,2 2001/2003 Objectives7,9,11 Limit Value Guidelines1-hour mean 287 g/m3

150 ppb

200 g/m3105 ppb

by end of 2005 (max 18exceedences a year)

200 g/m3105 ppb


200 g/m3105 ppb

by end of 2009 (max18 exceedences a year)

200 g/m3105 ppb

Annual mean 40 g/m321 ppb

by end of 2005

40 g/m321 ppb

by end of 2005

40 g/m321 ppb

by end of 2009

40 g/m321 ppb

Annual mean forprotection of

vegetation andecosystems

*30 g/m316 ppb

as NOx by end of 2000

*30 g/m316 ppb

as NOx by end of 2000

30 g/m316 ppb

as NOx by 19 July2001

SULPHUR DIOXIDE


Standard1



WHOGuidelines3

2000 Objectives1,2 2001/2003 Objectives7,9,11 Limit Value Guidelines10-minute mean 500 g/m3

188 ppb15-minute mean 266 g/m3

100 ppb

266 g/m3100 ppb


266 g/m3100 ppb


1-hour mean 350 g/m3132 ppb


350 g/m3132 ppb


350 g/m3132 ppb

by end of 2004 (max24 exceedences a year)

24-hour mean 125 g/m347 ppb


125 g/m347 ppb


125 g/m347 ppb


125 g/m347 ppb

Annual mean 50 g/m319 ppb

Annual & winter(1 Oct. to 31

March) valuesfor protection ofvegetation and

ecosystems

*20 g/m38 ppb

by end of 2000.

*20 g/m38 ppb

by end of 2000.

20 g/m38 ppb

by 19 July 2001

* The Protection for Vegetation and Ecosystems for NOx and SO2 as per the EU Directive has been defined by the Governmentas in reference 4 below, to apply only to those parts of the UK which are more than 20 km from a conurbation of more than250,000 people; and greater than 5 km distance from industrial sources regulated under Part A of the 1990 Environment Act,motorways and built-up areas of more than 5000 people.



PARTICULATES (PM10)


Standard1


EU Daughter Directives4

2000/2003 Objectives1,2,9 a2001/2003 Objectives7,8,9,11supplement existing PM10

objectives:

Limit Value

Running 24-hourmean

50 g/m3

50 g/m3by end of 2010

(max 7 exceedences a year)

24-hour mean 50 g/m3by end of 2004


London:



50 g/m3by end of 2004 (max 35 exceedences a

year)by 1st January 2010 (max 7 exceedences a

year)


Annual mean 40 g/m3by end of 2004

bLondon:


40 g/m3 by end of 200420 g/m3 by 1st January 2010

aNot to be included in regulations in England, for time being. Please see note 8 below.aIn Scotland: 24-hour mean objective of 50 g/m3 by end of 2010 (max 7 exceedences a year).

Annual mean objective of 18 g/m3 by end of 2010.bIn London: After 2010 Mayor and London authorities to work towards a target of 20 g/m3 with the aim of achieving

it by 2015 where cost effective and proportionate local action can be identified.

OZONE


Standard1


EU Ozone Directive6 WHOGuidelines3

2000 Objectives1 2001 Objectives7 Target Value Guidelines8-hour mean 120 g/m3

60 ppbRunning 8-hour

mean100 g/m3

50 ppb

100 g/m350 ppb

as daily maximum of running8-hr means by end of 2005


100 g/m350 ppb

as daily maximum of running8-hr means by end of 2005


120 g/m360 ppb

by 2010

(max. exceedences



BENZENE


Standard1



WHOGuidelines3

2000/2003 Objectives1,2,9 2001/2003 Objectives7,8,9,10,11 Limit Value GuidelinesRunning annual

mean16.25 g/m3

5 ppb

16.25 g/m35 ppb

by end of 2003Annual mean 5 g/m3

1.54 ppb

by end of 2010

supplements existing objectives

5 g/m31.54 ppb

by 1st January 2010

CARBON MONOXIDE


Standard1



WHOGuidelines3

2000 Objectives1,2 2001/2003 Objectives7,8,9,10,11 Limit Value Guidelines15-minute mean 100 mg/m3

85.9 ppm30-minute mean 60 mg/m3

51.5 ppm1-hour mean 30 mg/m3

25.8 ppm8-hour mean Maximum daily 8-

hour mean

10 mg/m3

8.6 ppm

by end of 2004

10 mg/m3 8.6 ppm

Running 8-hourmean

11.6 mg/m3

10 ppm

11.6 mg/m3

10 ppm

by end of 2003

10 mg/m3 daily maximum

8.6 ppm daily maximum

by end of 2003

LEAD


Standard1



WHOGuidelines3

2000 Objectives1,2 2001/2003 Objectives7,9,11 Limit Value GuidelinesAnnual mean 0.25 g/m3 0.5 g/m3

by end of 2004

0.25 g/m3by end of 2008

0.5 g/m3by end of 2004

0.25 g/m3by end of 2008

0.5 g/m3by end of 2004

0.5 g/m3



POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAH)


Standard7



WHOGuidelines3

2001/2003 Objectives7,8,9 Target Value GuidelinesAnnual mean 0.25 ng/m3

B[a] P0.25 ng/m3 benzo[a]pyrene

by end of 2010 not to be included in regulations

1 ng/m3benzo[a]pyrene

by end of 2012

For the total contentwithin the PM10

fraction

ARSENIC


Standard7



WHOGuidelines3

2001/2003 Objectives Target Valuec GuidelinesAnnual mean 6 ng/m3

by end of 2012


fraction

CADMIUM


Standard7



WHOGuidelines3


by end of 2012


fraction

5 ng/m3

NICKEL


Standard7



WHOGuidelines3


by end of 2012


fraction

cTarget Value means a concentration in the ambient air fixed with the aim of avoiding, preventing or reducing harmful effectson human health and the environment as a whole, to be obtained where possible over a given period. The Directive specifies thatmeeting the target values "would not" involve measures beyond application of best available techniques (BAT), and in particular"would not lead to the closure of installations".

CHLORINE


Standard

Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards Guidelines EU DaughterDirectives

WHOGuidelines

2006 recommendation13 Limit Value Guidelines1-hour mean 0.29 mg/m3

0.1 ppm



BROMINE


Standard

Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards Guidelines EU DaughterDirectives4

WHOGuidelines3


0.01 ppm

HYDROGEN FLUORIDE


Standard


WHOGuidelines3


0.2 ppm

HYDROGEN CHLORIDE


Standard


WHOGuidelines3


0.5 ppm

HYDROGEN BROMIDE


Standard


WHOGuidelines3


0.2 ppm

HYDROGEN IODIDE


Standard


WHOGuidelines3


0.1 ppm



1The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (Working together for Clean Air)(Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in partnership with the Scottish Executive, the NationalAssembly for Wales, and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, 2000).2The Air Quality Regulations (England) 2000, Statutory Instrument No 928 / The Air Quality Regulations (Wales) 2000,Statutory Instrument No 1940 (W. 138).3Air Quality Guidelines for Europe (WHO 1999).4First Air Quality Daughter Directive. Council Directive 1999/30/EC.5Second Air Quality Daughter Directive. Council Directive 2000/69/EC.6Air Quality Directive for Ozone. 2002/3/EC.7The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (A Consultation Document) (Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Departmentof the Environment for Northern Ireland, 2001).8DEFRA, UK: News Release 05/08/2002. The objectives for CO and Benzene will be prescribed in regulations in England.The objectives for particles and PAH will be provisional for the time being in England. The Welsh Assembly Governmentis deciding upon the objectives for Wales.9The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Addendum (Department of theEnvironment, Transport and the Regions in partnership with the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government,and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, 2003).10The Air Quality (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2002, Statutory Instrument No 3043 / The Air Quality(Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2002, Welsh Statutory Instrument 2002 No 3182 (W. 298).11The Air Quality Limit Values (Wales) Regulations 2002, Welsh Statutory Instrument 2002 No 3183 (W. 299).12Fourth Air Quality Directive. Council Directive 2004/107/EC.13Guidelines for halogens and hydrogen halides in ambient air for protecting human health against acute irritancy effects,Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards, Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish Executive,National Assembly of Wales, Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland, 2006.

aqstd0306_245121

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