Air Quality - Air Quality Bulletin 01

What is the council up to?

Residents of the borough are concerned about air quality and air pollution.
So what is the council doing?

The Environmental Health Section is responsible for air quality management within the borough.

Many Air Quality actions are in progress including:

Monitoring Air Quality
The council carries out air quality monitoring at 28 sites across the borough. Several air pollutants are monitored that generally come from industrial and traffic sources.

Examples of Air Pollutants
Sulphur dioxide - from combustion processes.
Nitrogen dioxide - from fuel combustion in vehicles and industrial processes.
Ozone - formed in the air by sunlight reacting with other air pollutants.
Airborne particles - from vehicles, industry and many other sources.
Benzene - present in vehicle exhausts.

Air Quality Review
The council is finding out if the local air quality meets the National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) objectives. The NAQS has target limits for air pollution to be achieved by 2005. So far the local review suggests that these targets will be achieved locally.

Industrial Emissions
The council together with the Environment Agency regulates and limits industrial air pollution. It actively encourages industry to reduce air pollution through this regulatory role.

Inventory of Emissions
The council (together in partnership with other local councils in Cheshire) now has an inventory of all the air pollution emissions from the Cheshire region. This includes emissions from industry, road traffic, railways, shipping and domestic sources.

Regional Air Quality Strategy
Air pollution is moved by the wind and crosses the council boundary. The council is active with its neighbours to ensure that the regional air quality effects are fully considered.

Predicting Future Air Quality
The council is developing a borough wide computer simulation of the local air quality. With this we can predict how new roads, industrial processes and buildings would affect air quality. This will make consideration of air quality an important part of future council policies.

Air Quality Forum -
The council has been active in forming the Air Quality Forum. The Forum consists of local community representatives, the Environmental Agency, local industry and health groups as well as borough council representatives. All are committed to improving local air quality.

For further information please contact either:-

The Air Quality Officer Tel: 0151 356 6713
or
The Air Quality Co-ordinator Tel: 0151 356 6631

Fax: 0151 356 6432

E-mail: environmental.protection@epnbc.gov.uk

or write to:

Environmental Health Service
Council Offices
4, Civic Way
Ellesmere Port
Cheshire
CH65 0BE

Air Quality Bulletins are designed as a series of regular information leaflets aimed at answering your questions on local air quality in simple understandable language. If you have an air quality question then please ask us and we will answer in a new Bulletin.

This project is part funded by the Epicentre Partnership.