Unit 6:  Current Legislation Affecting UK Industry: Atmosphere

6.2.13 Other Air Pollutants

Apart from black smoke covered above, there are also other air pollutants that cause poor air quality. These are mainly:

  • Oxides of sulphur.
  • Oxides of nitrogen.
  • Volatile organic compounds.
  • Methane.
  • Dioxins.
  • Heavy metal vapours.
  • Particulate matter from vehicle exhausts.
  • Odours, dust and other forms of statutory nuisance.
  • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) and other ozone depleting substances.
A Series of EC Directives dating back to 1980 provides the legislative background for all other pollutants affecting air quality. These directives give limit values for concentrations of smoke or suspended particulate sulphur dioxide, lead and nitrogen dioxide in ambient air within the EU. The directives have been implemented within the UK by the Air Quality Standards Regulations 1989 and in Part I of EPA 1990: The IPC provisions (for SO2 emissions).

As has been briefly mentioned earlier, the Environment Act 1995 provides for the setting up of a national air quality strategy, which will fully implement the EU legislation and international agreements and protocols. Since 1 April 1997, local authorities have needed to meet the defined air quality objectives within their areas. Should they not be able to meet their objectives the area must be made an air quality management area and a plan be devised in order to meet the objectives. This has a direct effect on industry in the area, as there will be increasingly more pressure placed upon companies to decrease their emissions to air, and thus needs to be taken into consideration when a company begins to look at managing its environmental effects.

Currently, there are many air quality-monitoring sites within the UK, which are set up as a national network. Sites give measurements of CO, SO2, NOx, O3 and PM10 particulates. The data can be found on CEEFAX, Teletext, by telephone (free of charge) and the Internet. An Air Quality Management Working Group is also in existence, which serves to advise local authorities on implementing their air quality management regimes. An Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards has also been set up by the government in order to provide advice on air quality standards for particular pollutants.

The Clean Air Act 1993 controls smoke emissions from chimneys and also smoke grit, dust and fumes from any furnace or boiler, (not domestic boilers). Part II of the Act provides for such controls.

The controls on the various forms of statutory nuisance (such as noise, steam, dust, and odours) are provided for by Part III of EPA 1990, which are regarded as harmful to health or nuisance. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also covers any uncontrolled releases of chemicals to air. Such legislation is very broad and led to other regulations such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 1994, which is used to control many substances such as solvents.

The UK is also bound by international agreements and protocols, the main ones here being the Montreal protocol 1987 which deals with ozone depleting substances and the United National Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) which covers a broad range of air pollutants.


Further Reading
It is recommended that you read the DETR's summary of the applicable legislation and also consult the summary list of applicable legislation.