The Environment Act 1995 provides the legal framework for requiring Local Authorities in England and Wales to review the air quality in their area against national objectives including for some pollutants the number of times they must not be exceeded. Where a Local Authority predicts these objectives will be exceeded then they must declare an air quality management area in those locations.
At the centre of the AQS is the use of national air quality standards to enable air quality to be measured and assessed. These also provide the means by which objectives and timescales for the achievement of objectives can be set. The objectives are detailed in the table below:
Air Quality Objective
| Pollutant | Concentration | Measured as | Date to be achieved By |
| Benzene | 16.25 µg/m3 5.00 µg/m3 |
Annual mean Annual mean |
31/12/2003 31/12/2010 |
| 1,3-Butadiene | 2.25 µg/m3 | Annual mean | 31/12/2003 |
| Carbon monoxide | 10.0 mg/m3 | 8-hour mean | 31/12/2003 |
| Lead | 0.5 µg/m3 0.25 µg/m3 |
Annual mean Annual mean |
31/12/2004 31/12/2008 |
| Nitrogen dioxide | 200 µg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year 40 µg/m3 |
1-hour mean Annual mean |
31/12/2005 31/12/2005 |
| Particles (PM10) (gravimetric) |
50 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year 40 µg/m3 |
24-hour mean Annual mean |
31/12/2004 31/12/2004 |
| Sulphur dioxide | 350 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year 125 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year 266 µg/m3, not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year |
1-hour mean 24-hour mean 15-minute mean |
31/12/2004 31/12/2004 31/12/2005 |
Specific objectives relate either to achieving the full standard or, where use has been made of a short averaging period, objectives are sometimes expressed in terms of percentile compliance. The use of percentiles means that a limited number of exceedances of the air quality standard over a particular timescale, usually a year, are permitted. This is to account for unusual meteorological conditions or particular events such as Bonfire Night, November 5th.
In addition, the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2007 have been introduced in the UK. These implement the UK limit values of pollutants in the ambient air and set out the Governments objectives.
Specifically, the 2007 Regulations transpose Directive 2004/107/EC (the Fourth Daughter Directive) relating to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the ambient air and to replace the Air Quality Limit Values Regulations 2003 in order consolidate all the Daughter Directives and the Air Quality Framework Directive.
Emissions from industry are controlled by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regime. IPPC was introduced by the European Community (EC) Directive 96/61/EC on (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control). In England and Wales the Directive is implemented by the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000
IPPC covers a wider range of industrial processes than the previous control Regulations (Part 1 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990: LAAPC) and covers a wider scale of environmental impacts. Where LAAPC covered only emissions to land, air and water, IPPC, in addition to the aforementioned emissions, also looks at resource and energy efficiency, accident prevention and minimisation of other pollutants such as noise, heat and vibrations.
IPPC has been implemented to meet the following environmental objectives:
The regulations sub-divide industries: Part A1, Part A2 and Part B.
Part A1 Permits control activities with a range of environmental impacts and are regulated by the Environment Agency. These activities include:
Part A2 Permits control a variety of industrial emission (as in Part A1 but are generally smaller-scale than the A1 processes) and Part B Permits control activities which cause emissions to air. Both Part A2 and Part B Permits are regulated by your Local Council.
Not all industrial activity requires an authorisation or permit to operate. Those that do are regulated either South Cambridgeshire District Council or the Environment Agency (EA).
Operating a prescribed activity without a permit could lead to a £50,000 fine, so if you believe an activity is being carried out or you wish to carry out an activity that may fall in the PPC Regulations, you should contact Environmental Health to discuss the application process.
Each relevant industry must apply for a Permit to the relevant regulatory Authority. In order to obtain a permit to operate an installation, the operator completes the permit application that demonstrates how they will:
In order to gain a Permit, operators must show that they have developed proposals to apply the Best Available Techniques (BAT) to pollution prevention and control and that they address other requirements, relevant to local factors.
BAT is defined by the regulations as follows:
"the most effective and advanced stage in the development of activities and their methods of operation which indicates the practical suitability of particular techniques for providing in principle the basis for emission limit values designed to prevent and, where that is not practicable, generally to reduce emissions and the impact on the environment as a whole".
IPPC applies to specified installations, including both existing and new builds, requiring each operator to obtain a permit from the appropriate regulator. The following industrial sectors are required to hold a permit:
As part of the application process, permit operating conditions are agreed with the Regulator and must include:
The operator of the activity must carry out monitoring to demonstrate compliance with the permit conditions. Regulators will also carry out monitoring and regular inspections, and have a range of enforcement powers.
Operating a prescribed activity without consideration to the requirements of a Permit could lead to enforcement action (including enforcement notices, revocation of Permits and sentencing in a criminal court. If you believe an industry is operating against the requirements of a Permit, e-mail Health and Environmental Services or call 03450 450500 to report activities and incidents.
Indoor air pollution can only be controlled by the householder, but may be improved by increasing ventilation. However, if you are concerned about radon, asbestos or other building materials contact Health and Environmental Services.
Common indoor pollutants and their health effects
| Pollutant | Source | Effect |
| Carbon monoxide | Incomplete combustion of organic materials. (Carbon containing) Wood, coal, oil, gas. Outdoors: vehicle exhausts, heating appliances. Indoors: smoking, heaters (unvented) | Reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood leading to headaches, nausea, vomiting and eventually asphyxiation and death. Long-term exposure to lower concentrations leads to an increased risk of heart disease. |
| Asbestos | Building material, wall cladding, insulation, brake linings. Exposure usually indoors during building work and car maintenance | Scarring of the lung and increased risk of lung, chest and abdominal cancer |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (e.g. Formaldehyde) |
Paints, varnishes, glues and preservatives used in wood products. Foam insulation, exposure indoors during decoration or construction and also household products (e.g. aerosols, paints and cleaning products) | Breathing difficulties, eye and skin irritation, nausea, dizziness and risk of cancer |
| Radon | Rocks contain naturally occurring radioactive material emit Radon gas | Increased risk of lung cancer |
| Cigarette Smoke: Nicotine, tar, formaldehyde, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide |
Smoking | Eye, throat and lung irritation. Increased liability to respiratory illness. Increased risk of lung cancer. Non-smokers breathing in others' smoke are also at risk |
| Micro-organisms and allergens | Biological contaminants, moulds, spores, viruses and bacteria | Pneumonia-like respiratory illnesses, allergic reactions |
One hundred properties within the National Grid square TL7035 are being monitored for indoor concentrations of radon. This action is in response to the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) mapping estimate that 1-3% of houses in this 5 kilometre square have levels of radon above the Government action level of 200Bgm -3. Results are expected later this year. Further information may be obtained from ourselves or the NRPB, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire CX1 10RQ. Tel: (0800) 614529 or e-mail. Address your correspondence 'Radon Survey'.
Further information on the work of the NRPB can be found at their website.
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