Air quality
Over-exposure to air pollution can be a health risk, so under
the 1995 Environment Act the government introduced a national 'Air
Quality Strategy', which all local authorities have to comply with.
This involves carrying out reviews and assessments of the air
quality in their area and comparing the results to air quality
objectives.
Air quality objectives are health-based and so the focus of each
review is the exposure of members of the public to potential
excessive amounts of pollution to ensure they're not at risk.
If an area within the authority was identified as being at risk of
exceeding an air quality objective, the District Council must
declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and action would need
to be taken to reduce the air pollution in that area.
Main air pollutants
The main air pollutants of concern are:
- nitrogen dioxide - associated with vehicle exhausts, combustion
processes and some industrial processes
- sulphur dioxide - mostly from the combustion of oil and solid
fuel, but also from diesel vehicles
- carbon monoxide - from vehicle exhausts and poorly operated
boiler plant particles
- very fine particles emitted from vehicle exhausts, combustion
processes and industrial sources. Usually referred to as 'PM10' -
particles less than 10 microns in diameter. A micron is a
thousandth of a millimetre.
- Benzene - an organic chemical emitted in exhausts and also
during refuelling.
- 1,3 Butadiene - another organic chemical emitted in exhausts
and also from some industrial processes
- lead - mostly from leaded petrol
- ozone
Air quality in West Lancashire
Our Environmental Protection team check the district
for the seven key pollutants detailed above, which can affect
health in the long or short term.
Updated and Screening Assessment (USA) reports for air quality
are required every 3 years. Air quality progress reports are
required during this 3 year period. Detailed assessments are also
needed when results indicate possible air quality issues.
The following documents detail the work that has recently been
carried out for West Lancashire.
Nitrogen dioxide air quality monitoring in West
Lancashire
We primarily monitor the air quality in
West Lancashire for nitrogen dioxide, which is one of the main
pollutants in the air that we breathe.
Nitrogen dioxide enters the
atmosphere mainly through traffic fumes and for this reason
monitoring has been targeted in areas where traffic flows are high
or standing traffic is predominant.
The Government has set a target limit of
40ug/m3 as an annual average for nitrogen dioxide
levels.
The method used to measure Nitrogen Dioxide
levels is through the use of diffusion tubes. These tubes work on
the principal of diffusion of high concentrations of pollutant at
the open end of the tube to low concentration at the closed end
where an absorbent chemical is located to collect the Nitrogen
Dioxide. The tubes are changed at monthly intervals and sent to a
laboratory for analysis and reporting of results.
Results for 2008 are continuing and will be updated on a monthly
basis when results are made available from the laboratory.
Air quality links
Contact us
For more information please contact Andrew Hill, Environmental
Protection Manager on 01695 585243 or email: a.hill@westlancsdc.gov.uk
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