AIR QUALITY MONITORING RESULTS FROM AROUND THE BOROUGH

  1. RESULTS FROM THE LOUGHBOROUGH AIR QUALITY MONITORING STATION

If you require any further information contact a member of the Environmental Protection Team on 01509 634636 or

The Loughborough Air Quality Monitoring Station takes readings of air quality every 15 minutes using the most accurate technology currently available. Its purpose is to identify short-term changes to allow comparisons against statutory standards and to improve our predictions of future changes in air quality. The monitoring technology used is considered accurate to within 10%.

The monitoring station is located near to the DishleyIsland on the A6 on the northern edge of Loughborough. As well as providing air quality for the local vicinity, results from the site are also used in computer modeling to predict air quality levels in other areas of the Borough.

The results below are the maximum-recorded levels of the three main airborne pollutants compared against levels considered by medical experts to have a direct impact on health.

Please note that in line with the National Air Quality Strategy all pollutant concentrations in this report are in g/m3 = microgrammes of pollutant per cubic metre of air

SUMMARY OF RESULTS JAN –DEC2011

SULPHUR DIOXIDE

Nationally Accepted Health Standards
/ Maximum Local levels
266g/m3 over 15 minutes
(This level must not be exceeded more than 35 times a year) / 106.4µg/m3 on 12/1/11 at 10.45
No recorded exceedences in 2011
125g/m3 over 24 hours
(This level must not be exceeded more than 3 times a year) / 7.98µg/m3 on 22/7/11 & 26/7/11
No recorded exceedences in 2011
350µg/m3 over 1 hour
(This level must not be exceeded more that 24 times a year) / 37.2µg/m3 on 12/1/11 at 11.00 & 11/4/11 at 09.00
No recorded exceedences in 2011
20g/m3 over a year to protect ecosystems / 0µg/m3 (average between 01/01/201131/12/2011)

NITROGEN DIOXIDE

Nationally Accepted Health Standards
/ Maximum Local Levels
200g/m3 over 1 hour
(This level must not be exceeded more than 18 times a year) / 114.6µg/m3 at 9.00 on 21/1/2011
No recorded exceedences in 2011
40g/m3 over a year / 24.83µg/m3(average between 01/01/201131/12/2011)

PM10 (Respirable dust)

Nationally Accepted Health Standards
/ Maximum Local levels
50g/m3 over 24 hours
(This level must not be exceeded more than 35 times a year) / 41.6g/m3 on 21/4/2011
No recorded exceedences in 2011
40g/m3 over a year / 18.2µg/m3 (average between 01/01/201131/12/2011)

COMMENTS ON LATEST RESULTS

No exceedences of the air quality objectives for nitrogen dioxide have occurred and only one exceedence of the sulphur dioxide occurred in 2009 (the only previous one was in the spring of 2001). There had been 1exceedence of the particulates objective (PM10) in 2010. Usually problems are associated with generally stable atmospheric conditions (wind speeds of less than 1m/s) and indeed the breaches occurred with very still, weather.

HISTORICAL RESULTS
Sulphur dioxide
/ 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007 / 2006
15 minute average / 0
exceedences / 1 exceedence / 0
exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences
24 hour average / 0
exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0
exceedences / 0 exceedences
Annual average / 0µg/m3 / 0µg/m3 / 0µg/m3 / 2.7µg/m3 / 2.7µg/m3
Data Capture / 94.8% / 95% / 63.4%* / 86.9% / 89.4%
Sulphur
dioxide
/ 2005 / 2004 / 2003 / 2002 / 2001
15 minute average / 0 exceedences / 0
exceedences / 0
exceedences / 0
exceedences / 1
exceedence
24 hour average / 0 exceedences / 0
exceedences / 0
exceedences / 0
exceedences / 0
exceedences
Annual average / 4.0g/m3 / 3.7g/m3 / 5.4g/m3 / 5.7g/m3 / 7.4g/m3
Data Capture / 66% *

* data capture - insufficient for data to be reliable

Sulphur dioxide readings from this station have been subjected to a correction factor of 2.86 when converting from ppb into µg/m3 up to the end of 2005. In future an updated correction factor of 2.66 will be used.

Nitrogen dioxide / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007 / 2006
1 hour average / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences
Annual average / 28.7 / 28.7µg/m3 / 26.7µg/m3 / 30.6µg/m3 / 26.7µg/m3
Data capture / 92.9% / 97.7% / 97.6% / 93.2% / 91.9%
2005 / 2004 / 2003 / 2002 / 2001
1 hour average / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences / 0 exceedences
Annual average / 33.0µg/m3 / 29.7g/m3 / 34.9g/m3 / 32.6g/m3 / 31.2g/m3
Data capture / 66% * / n/a / n/a / n/a / n/a

* data capture - insufficient for data to be reliable

Nitrogen dioxide readings from this station have been subjected to a correction factor of 2.05 when converting from ppb into µg/m3 up to the end of 2005. In future an updated correction factor of 1.91 will be used.

PM10 / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007 / 2006
24 hour average / 1 exceedence ∞ / 4 exceedences / 1 exceedence / 8 exceedences / 5 exceedences
Annual average / ∞18.2µg/m3 / 18.2µg/m3 / 16.9µg/m3 / 19.5µg/m3 / 20.8µg/m3
Data capture / 94.8% ∞ / 94.9% / 95% / 90.2% / 92.5%

∞ provisional data

2005
* / 2004 / 2003 / 2002 / 2001
24 hour
average / 4 exceedences / 2 exceedences / 20 exceedences / 5 exceedences / 7 exceedences
Annual average / 21.6µg/m3 / 20.4g/m3 / 24.4 g/m3 / 22.5g/m3 / 22.6g/m3
Data capture / 66. % * / 68.7% * / 99% / 99.9% / 99.5%

NB the PM10 objective must not be exceeded more than 35 times a year

* data capture only approx 66% - insufficient for data to be reliable

2RESULTS FROM AUTOMATIC MONITORING STATIONS BAXTERGATE LOUGHBOROUGH AND MELTON ROAD SYSTON

Two automatic monitoring stations were installed in 2007 in Loughborough and Syston which measure levels ofnitrogen dioxide in the air and give readings every 15 minutes The stations are sited on the A6 and The Melton Road respectively. They are located next to two very busy roads both in Air Quality Management Areas. They became operational in November 2007. The results from 2008 – 2010 are available below.

MELTON ROAD SYSTON

Results of Automatic Monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide: Comparison with Annual Mean Objective(40g/m3 )
2008
/
2009
/
2010
Annual Mean Concentration (g/m3)
/
34.4
/
32.5
/
34.4
Data Capture for full calendar year (%)
/
97.2
/
97.2
/
97.6
Results of Automatic Monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide: Comparison with 1-hour Mean Objective
2008
/
2009
/

2010

Number of exceedences of hourly mean (200 g/m3)

/

6

/

0

/

0

Data Capture for full calendar year (%)

/

97.2

/

97.2

/

100

BAXTER GATE, LOUGHBOROUGH

Results of Automatic Monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide: Comparison with Annual Mean Objective(40g/m3 )

2008

/

2009

/

2010

Annual Mean Concentration (g/m3)

/

47.8

/

42

/

51.6

Data Capture for full calendar year (%)

/

97.6

/

82.9*

/

97.5

* data capture insufficient to be reliable

Results of Automatic Monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide: Comparison with 1-hour Mean Objective

2008

/

2009

/

2010

Number of exceedences of hourly mean (200 g/m3)

/

0

/

0

/

0

Data Capture for full calendar year (%)

/

97.6

/

82.9*

/

99.9

* data capture insufficient to be reliable

3. RESULTS FROM THE DIFFUSION TUBE MONITORING PROGRAMME – LOUGHBOROUGH AND VILLAGES IN CHARNWOOD

Diffusion tubes record average air pollution levels over each month. They are a relatively inexpensive and reliable means of tracing long-term trends in air quality, although the accuracy of the results can be +/- 25%.

Nitrogen dioxide

MONITORING LIMITS

  • A European Community Directive prescribes an hourly limit value and an annual average that must not be exceeded. These limits are legally binding in the UK under the Air Quality Regulations 2000.

Averaging time / Air quality standard / Compliance date
1 hour / 200g/m-3 not to be exceeded more than 18 times in a year / 31 December 2005
Annual mean / 40g/m-3 / 31 December 2005

MONITORING SITES

Monitoring sites are chosen according to the following categories

Site Categories

/

Description

Roadside Sites / Sites where maximum concentrations of nitrogen dioxide might expect to be found. Typically next to busy roads, or on less busy roads with tall buildings on either side giving a ‘street canyon’ effect.
Urban Background Sites / Locations more than 50m from any busy road, where concentrations will have been diluted to a local background level.

The following graphs show the annual average results for nitrogen dioxide over the last few years.

Loughborough Background Sites Annual Average NO2 Results

Loughborough Roadside Sites Annual Average NO2 Results

Loughborough Roadside Sites (2) Annual Average NO2 results

LoughboroughTown Centre Annual Average NO2 Results

Syston,Birstall & Thurmaston Roadside Sites Annual Average NO2 results

Shepshed & Hathern Sites NO2 Annual Averages

* The readings for 2008-2010 at Ashby Road Central and 2009-2010 Hathern have been adjusted to the levels at nearest receptors. The previous years are those at the kerbside.

BENZENE

MONITORINGLIMITS
  • An Air Quality Standard of 16.25g/m-3 running annual mean has been stated in the Air Quality Regulations. This is to be achieved by 31st December 2003. The longer-term aim of the Government was to reduce concentrations of benzene as far as practicable to a level of 3.24 g/m-3 by 2005.
MONITORING SITES
  • Survey sites in Charnwoodwere located along three busy road sites in Loughborough, and one in the Market Place Loughborough, which is a pedestrian only area.

.

Due to the consistent low levels that have been recorded since 1999; a decision to suspend allfuture benzene monitoring within the Borough was made at the end of 2008. The following table gives the annual mean concentrations for the last three years in which monitoring took place. The survey sites were located along three busy road sites in Loughborough and one in the Market Place which is a pedestrian only area.

Annual Mean Benzene Results, expressed in micrograms per cubic metre

Data capture / 2006 / 2007 / 2008
Ratcliffe Road, Loughborough / 100% / 1.59 / 1.65 / 1.47
Shelthorpe Road Loughborough / 100% / 1.29 / 1.36 / 1.26
High Street Loughborough / 100% / 2.08 / 2.06 / 1.63
Market Place Lougborough / 100% / 0.89 / 1.09 / 0.94

OZONE

MONITORING LIMITS
  • The European Community Directive on ozone obliges Member States to establish ozone-monitoring networks and inform the public when ozone thresholds are exceeded.
  • An Air Quality Standard for ozone in the United Kingdom of 100g/m-3 as a running 8-hour average was proposed in the Government’s National Air Quality Strategy. This standard has not been made legally binding under the Air Quality Regulations 2000 because most ozone affecting the UK comes in from abroad. To ensure that the 100g/m-3 level is reached will require coordinated action by all European Community member states.

MONITORING SITES

The highest levels of ozone in the UK are typically found in rural areas, so diffusion tube survey sites were located in four villages throughout the Borough, with a comparison site in the pedestrian area in the centre of Loughborough. However a decision to suspend monitoring for Ozone was made at the end of 2008, as several years of monitoring results had been obtained.

The following table shows the latest monthly average results for ozone which cannot be directly compared to the air quality standard 8 hour average.

Annual Mean Ozone Results, expressed in micrograms per cubic metre

Site / Data capture / 2006 / 2007 / 2008
MarketPlace, Loughborough / 2006 91.6%
2007-8 100% / 60.4 / 52.8 / 61.5
Wymeswold / 100% / 65.5 / 59.4 / 72.1
South Croxton / 2006-7 100%
2008 91.6% / 64.9 / 61.9 / 74.0
Shepshed / 2006-7 100%
2008 91.6% / 72.3 / 63.9 / 74.1
Thurcaston / 2006-7 100%
2008 91.6% / 64.6 / 60.3 / 68.9

SULPHUR DIOXIDE

MONITORING LIMITS

The UK is also under a legal obligation to achieve the limit values contained in the European Union Air Quality Daughter Directive (AQDD), and these have also been included as Air Quality Objectives in the Air Quality Regulations (2000).

Averaging Period / Objective / To be achieved by
1 hour mean / 350g/m3 (132ppb), not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year / 31 Dec 2004
Daily mean / 125g/m3 (47ppb), not to be exceeded more than 3 times year / 31 Dec 2004
15 minute mean / 266g/m3 (100ppb), not to be exceeded more than 24 times a year / 31 Dec 2005

MONITORINGSITES

Two diffusion tubes were used to monitor levels at Durham Road and the Market Place, Loughborough. Diffusion tubes were able to monitor monthly average results and so cannot directly be compared the air quality standards.

A decision to suspend future monitoring of sulphur dioxide at these locations at the end of 2008 was made due to the consistently low results since 1999.

Annual Mean Sulphur Dioxide results, expressed in micrograms per cubic metres

Data capture / 2006 / 2007 / 2008
Market Place Loughborough / 100% / 3.4 / 3.72 / 4.00
Durham Road Loughborough / 100% / 3.11 / 3.11 / 4.2

If you require any further information contact a member of the Environmental Protection Team on 01509 634636 or contact