Local Air Quality Management

As established by the Environment Act 1995 Part IV, all local authorities in the UK are under a statutory duty to undertake an air quality assessment within their area and determine whether they are likely to meet the air quality objectives for a number of pollutants. The process of review and assessment of air quality undertaken by local authorities is set out under the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) regime.

Where the results of the review and assessment process highlight that problems in the attainment of health-based objectives for air quality will arise, the authority is required to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). Following the declaration of an AQMA, the local authority is then required to produce an Air Quality Action Plan which sets out measures that the local authority, and any other key stakeholders, will implement to work towards achieving the air quality objective levels for the pollutants that have exceeded the objectives levels.

Air Quality Objective levels

The air quality objectives applicable to LAQM in Scotland are set out in the Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (SSI No 97), the Air Quality (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (SSI No 297), and the Air Quality (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016 (SSI No 162).

The following table lists the air quality objectives for each pollutant in units of micrograms per cubic metre, ug/m3 (milligrams per cubic metre, mg/m3 for carbon monoxide), as well as the number of exceedences in each year that is permitted (where applicable).

**Table of Air Quality objective levels (Scotland)**
Pollutant	Air Quality Objective		Date to be achieved by
Pollutant	Concentration	Measured as	Date to be achieved by
Benzene	16.25 ug/m3 3.25 ug/m3	running annual mean running annual mean	31.12.2003 31.12.2010
1,3 Butadiene	2.25 ug/m3	running annual mean	31.12.2003
Carbon monoxide	10.0 mg/m3	running 8-hour mean	31.12.2003
Lead	0.5 ug/m3 0.25 ug/m3	annual mean annual mean	31.12.2004 31.12.2008
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)	200 ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year 40 ug/m3	1 hour mean annual mean	31.12.2005 31.12.2005
Particles (PM10) (gravimetric)	50 ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year 40 ug/m3 50 ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 7 times a year 18 ug/m3	24 hour mean annual mean 24 hour mean annual mean	31.12.2004 31.12.2004 31.12.2010 31.12.2010
Particles (PM2.5)	10ug/m3	annual mean	31.12.2020
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)	350 ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year 125 ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year 266 ug/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year	1 hour mean 24 hour mean 15 minute mean	31.12.2004 31.12.2004 31.12.2005

Contact

Email: pollution.control@dundeecity.gov.uk
Tel: 01382 433710

Table of Air Quality objective levels (Scotland)

Pollutant

Air Quality Objective

Date to beachieved by

Concentration

Measured as

Benzene

1,3 Butadiene

Carbon monoxide

Lead

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Particles (PM10) (gravimetric)

Particles (PM2.5)

Sulphur dioxide (SO2)

Dundee City Council

Date to be
achieved by