The National Air Quality Strategy
In 1997 the Government established a National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) in response to requirements of the Environment Act 1995. This made it clear that good air quality was considered to be consistent with the principles of sustainable development and essential to the creation of an external environment in which individuals and communities can thrive.
An essential component of the strategy was the setting of Air Quality Standards for certain pollutants, based on the findings and recommendations of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (EPAQS). This group examined the scientific and medical evidence in relation to each pollutant in order to set a relevant health based standard. The standards were adopted by the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions (DETR) for the NAQS and thus form the context in which the review of air quality is being carried out.
The Air Quality Regulations require every district, unitary and metropolitan authority to undertake an Air Quality Review and Assessment in its locality. Where air quality objectives are unlikely to be met by 2005, Air Quality Management Areas must be declared and action plans developed in pursuit of the objectives.
In simple terms, local authorities are required to review the current levels of prescribed air pollutants and make predictions as to their expected levels by the end of the year 2005. These predictions then have to be compared with the prescribed objectives. Assessments must look at all local sources of each pollutant and examine the effects that national policy will have in reducing levels. For example, the predicted reductions in car exhaust pollutants due to increasingly more stringent exhaust emission controls on vehicles and changes in fuel specification have to be taken into account.
Air quality in the UK has generally continued to improve since 1997 when the first Air Quality Strategy was adopted. The Evaluation of the Air Quality Strategy, published in 2005, indicated that, between 1990 and 2001, policies have resulted in marked a decline in concentrations of air pollutants, with an estimated reduction of more than 4,200 premature deaths and 3,500 hospital admissions per annum. It also suggests that these policies reduced life years lost by between 39,000 and 117,000 life years in 2001. Furthermore, the Evaluation shows that these policies have been cost beneficial with an estimated £68,000m benefits generated across the UK, set against costs of £6,000m during the 1990 to 2001 period. Preliminary indications are that nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and ozone in some of our major urban areas and alongside busy roads, levels are not declining as fast as expected and trends are flattening or even reversing.
An Air Quality Strategy Review Consultation report was published in 2006. The assessment estimates that if no further measures in addition to those already agreed are implemented, man-made particulate air pollution in the UK will continue to reduce average life expectancy by up to about 5.5 months even by 2020. This health impact in 2020 is estimated to cost up to £6.6-15.4 billion p.a.
The assessments indicate that a number of additional policy measures would, if implemented, generate significant additional benefits to society, public health and the environment. These measures include: new tighter European vehicle emissions standards; packages of incentives for both the early uptake of new Euro-standards and low emission vehicles; a national road pricing scheme; reductions in emissions from small combustion plants; reductions in emissions from ships; improved sustainable distribution of freight; a range of local “smarter choices”; and a number of combinations of these measures.
Options for new objectives for particulate matter are considered, including an exposure reduction approach and the introduction of PM2.5 into the policy framework.
The Air Quality Strategy Review Consultation also considers the impact on ecosystems, the relationship between air pollution and climate change, and sets an agenda for longer term actions to improve our understanding of air pollutants and their impact on human health and the environment, as well as improving our understanding of influencing human behaviour.
As a footnote, Review concluded that more international co-operation – on a hemispheric or even global scale – will be required if we are to reduce levels of ozone in the UK and Europe in the longer term.
The five District Councils in Cambridgeshire are continuing to work in partnership with the County Council to carry out the assessment process in accordance with guidelines.
For information on current UK air pollution levels
- CEEFAX pages 410-417
- Teletext page 106
- Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) Freephone Air Pollution Information Service (0800) 556677
- www.airquality.co.uk
For further information regarding air quality monitoring in Cambridge
Environmental Services
Mandela House
4 Regent Street
Cambridge
CB2 1BY
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4.30pm
Location:
Environmental Services, 1st Floor Mandela House, 4 Regent Street in the centre of the City.
Tel: 01223 457890
Email: env.health@cambridge.gov.uk