Local Air Quality Management
The Air Quality Strategy for England, Wales and Northern Ireland sets out prescribed air quality objectives for target pollutants.
The Air Quality Objective Values Regulations (NI) 2002 is the statutory instrument that sets out Air Quality objective values.
Under Northern Ireland legislation District Councils are required to carry out reviews and assessments of air quality within the district.
In the Craigavon area air is continuously monitored for levels of the following pollutants:
- Sulphur dioxide (S02)
- Particulate Matter (PM10)
- Nitrogen Oxides (N02)
| Pollutant | Objective | Concentration Measure | Levels in Craigavon |
|
Nitrogen dioxide
|
200mg/m3 (105ppb) not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year. 40 ug/m3 (21 ppb) |
1 hour mean
Annual mean |
80 gm-3
17 gm-3 |
|
Sulphur dioxide
|
350 ug/m3 (132ppb) not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year.
125 ug/m3 (47 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year. 266 ug/m3 (100 ppb) not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year. |
1 hour mean
Daily mean 15 minute mean |
67 gm-3
20 gm-3 74 gm-3 |
|
Particulate matter (Pm10)
|
50ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year.
40 ug/m3 (21 ppb) |
24 hour mean Annual mean |
Exceeded 50 gm-3 once during December 2004
20 gm-3
|
Data was taken from 6 month monitoring period 01 November 2004 through to 30 April 2005.
Data Summary
Sulphur Dioxide (S02)
S02 concentrations remained in the DOE Northern Ireland LOW band throughout the period. The maximum 15 minute mean of 74 gm-3 was below the DOE Northern Ireland 15- minute objective value of 226 gm-3. The maximum hourly mean of 67 gm-3 was below the DOE Northern Ireland hourly objective value of 350 gm-3. The maximum daily mean of 20 gm-3 was below the DOE Northern Ireland daily objective value of 125 gm-3
Particulates (PM10)
PM10 concentrations remained in the DOE Northern Ireland LOW band throughout the period. The DOE Northern Ireland objective value of 50 gm-3 based on daily gravimetric equivalent data was exceeded on a single occasion during December 2004. The objective allows up to 35 exceedences in a year. The mean concentration of 15 gm-3, when corrected to 20 gm-3 gravimetric equivalent was below the DOE Northern Ireland annual mean objective value of 40 mg m-3.
Nitrogen Dioxide (N02)
N02 concentrations remained in the Defra LOW band throughout the monitoring period. The maximum hourly mean concentration of 80 gm-3 was below the DOE Northern Ireland hourly objective value of 200 gm-3. The mean concentration of 17 gm-3 was below the DOE Northern Ireland objective of 40 gm-3 for annual mean data..
Conclusion
Taking these standards into account, air quality in Craigavon does not exceed the DoE Northern Ireland objectives.
Contact for information:
Mr S Donaghy
Phone: 02838 312400
E-mail:
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Useful Web Sites :
National Society for Clean Air - www.environmental-protection.org.uk
Environment and Heritage Service - www.ni-environment.gov.uk
The UK National Air Quality Information Archive - www.airquality.co.uk
