The UK National Air Quality Strategy aims to ensure that air quality in public spaces poses no significant risk to human health and quality of life.
To implement the strategy we review and assess air quality and produces daily and annual air quality reports. If in any area air quality fails to meet national pollution objectives we are legally obliged to declare "Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs)" and to develop, in partnership with local communities, "Action Plans", for each area, to improve air quality.
The Strategy
The Air Quality Strategy intends to provide a clear framework for improving air quality through:
- a clear and simple policy framework;
- realistic but challenging objectives;
- regulation and financial incentives to help achieve the objectives;
- analysis of costs and benefits;
- monitoring and research to increase our understanding;
- information to raise public awareness.
The Air Quality Strategy proposals aim to protect health and the environment without imposing unacceptable economic or social costs. They form an essential part of the Government's strategy for sustainable development, which has four main aims:
- social progress which meets the needs of everyone;
- effective protection of the environment;
- prudent use of natural resources; and ;
- maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.
The fundamental aim of the Government is to render polluting emissions harmless. It is necessary, therefore, to firstly define a level of harmlessness, and then to establish a policy towards the achievement of the levels by means of objectives as costs and benefits dictate.
Ongoing review and assessment of air quality within Dudley has indicated that concentrations of lead, sulphur dioxide, PM10, benzene, 1, 3 -butadiene and carbon monoxide all meet the present government objectives. However, exceedences of the annual mean nitrogen dioxide objective of 40µg/m3 have been detected at numerous locations, mainly due to high volume, slow moving traffic.
Nitrogen Dioxide
Nitrogen Dioxide is formed through the high temperature burning of fuel, principally from road traffic. This means that concentrations are greatest in urban areas where traffic levels are the highest. Other significant sources are power plants, heating plants and industrial processes.
Nitrogen dioxide can potentially impact on health by irritating the lungs and lowering resistance to respiratory infections. It can also lead to ozone formation by reacting with VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in sunlight – ozone can irritate the airways of the lungs and impair lung function.
There are also environmental consequences of nitrogen dioxide formation. Acid deposition can occur as a result of the conversion of nitrogen dioxide to nitric acid in the atmosphere, which then falls to the ground as "acid rain" or a dry deposit for instance. Acid rain can cause damage to forests and freshwater lakes. Because nitrogen dioxide has a role in ground level ozone formation, it indirectly contributes to the effects of ozone pollution, which include a reduction in crop yields and damage to trees.
Particulate Matter (PM10)
Particulate matter refers to very small solid and liquid particles present in the atmosphere. The principal source of particulate matter in the UK is road traffic emissions, from petrol and diesel engines. Particulates are also released as a result of industrial processes and have natural sources such as dust storms and volcanoes.
PM10 refers to fine particles with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres (µm). These particles are of particular concern for health as they can be carried deep into the lungs where they can cause inflammation and worsening of lung and heart conditions. They can thicken blood and lead to an increased risk of strokes. Particulates may also carry surface-absorbed carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds into the lungs.
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide is an acidic gas which combines with water vapour in the atmosphere to produce acid rain. The principal source of sulphur dioxide is power stations burning fossil fuels containing sulphur. Significant problems now only tend to occur in cities where coal is still widely used in domestic heating, industry and power stations. Thus, sulphur dioxide pollution is not a major problem in most cities in the UK.
Health effects of sulphur dioxide occur very quickly and can include a reduction in lung function in asthmatics, while tightness of the chest and coughing occur at high levels.
Both dry deposition and wet deposition as sulphuric acid ("acid rain") have environmental effects. Such effects include freshwater acidification, damage and destruction of vegetation, degradation of soils and damage to historic monuments and buildings.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Carbon monoxide is formed when fuels containing carbon are burned without enough oxygen present, or when they are burned at too high a temperature. It is produced almost entirely from road traffic emissions in European urban areas.
By preventing the normal transport of oxygen to the blood, carbon monoxide leads to reduction in the supply of oxygen to the heart, particularly in people suffering from heart disease.
Lead
Sources of lead include fossil fuel combustion, metal processing industries, waste incineration and the manufacture of batteries. Lead was also used as an additive in petrol but increased use of unleaded petrol has meant a decline in recent years.
Lead can be harmful in small amounts, especially to young children and infants. Exposure to lead has been associated with impaired mental function and neurological damage in children.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Volatile Organic Compounds are organic chemicals that easily vaporise at room temperature. The group of VOCs known as hydrocarbons include benzene and 1,3-butadiene. The main sources of benzene in Europe are the distribution and combustion of petrol. The principal source of 1,3-butadiene is from fuel combustion of petrol and diesel vehicles, and a further source is industrial processes such as the manufacture of synthetic rubber.
Some VOCs can be quite harmful to human health, potentially contributing to central nervous system disorders, kidney damage, reproductive disorders and birth defects. Both benzene and 1,3-butadiene are known carcinogens (cancer causing agents).
Ground level Ozone (O3)
In the upper atmosphere or stratosphere, the presence of ozone is necessary in order to protect the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. However, at ground level (in the troposphere), ozone can have harmful effects on both humans and the environment. Ozone can irritate the airways of the lungs and impair lung function, and asthmatics may be more sensitive to such effects. Vegetation effects include a reduction in crop yields and damage to trees.
Ozone is a secondary pollutant formed in the presence of sunlight by the reaction of VOCs such as benzene and 1,3-butadiene with nitrogen oxides (nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide). People indirectly influence ozone levels through fossil fuel combustion, industrial processes and solvent usage for instance. Traffic emissions of nitrogen dioxide and VOCs will also indirectly influence ozone levels.
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations govern the standards to which new motor vehicles must be manufactured, including standards for exhaust emissions.
An idling engine can produce up to twice as many exhaust emissions as an engine in motion. Exhaust emissions contain a range of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. These can effect the air quality of the surrounding environment and the air we breathe.
All plants and trees give off pollen and the seasons vary during the year depending on the species. Most people are affected by grass pollen and this is typically a problem during June and July.
Hay Fever
If you suffer with hay fever it is important for you to know how much pollen is in the air so you can make arrangements to minimise the impact. You may be allergic to one or to several types of pollen with grass pollen being the most frequent cause – about 90 per cent of all sufferers.
Other pollen allergens include those from trees such as birch, alder and hazel and weeds such as docks and nettles.
How to help yourself
If you regularly check the pollen forecast then there are two main ways to minimise the symptoms of hay fever:
- avoid the allergens
- control with medication such as antihistamines and corticosteroids
A few handy hints
- if possible avoid going out at peak pollen times usually the morning from 7am to 10 am and late afternoon 4pm to 7pm
- change clothes and wash hair etc after being out
- avoid drying washing outside on high pollen count days
- cover bed and desks when not in use and carefully remove covers when you want to use the area
- wear sunglasses and a broad brimmed hat
- Brush or wash your pets to rid their fur of pollen
- Drive with the windows closed, service your car air filter regularly where possible drive a car with a good pollen filter
- talk to you GP or pharmacist about treatments and remedies
- for some respite, close the windows and doors of a room. Sit still and in about 25 minutes most of the pollen in the room will have settled so you will be breathing pollen free air
Biomass boilers are very similar to conventional gas boilers, providing heating and hot water for the entire home, but instead of using gas (or oil) to produce the heat, they combust sustainably sourced wood pellets.
It's illegal to dispose of commercial waste in a commercial bonfire, and you should consider energy efficiency and recycling waste. However, householders may have garden bonfires but you should consider recycling your waste.
Smoke from chimneys is generally controlled by Smoke Control Orders, which restrict the types of fuels and fireplaces so that visible smoke is not persistently emitted from the chimney. This is commonly referred to as a "smokeless zone".
