Tough stance on air quality derogations

European Commission objects to vast majority of requests for more time to comply with EU air quality legislation.

In December, three new decisions were taken by the European Commission concerning requests from Bulgaria, Poland and the United Kingdom for additional time to comply with EU legislation on air quality.

Temporary exemptions from the binding limit values for particulate matter (PM₁₀) – that should have been met back in 2005 – had been requested for 97 zones in the three countries, and from the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limit value in one zone in Poland. The Commission approved time extensions for PM₁₀ in five air quality zones in Poland but objected to all other requests.

In the remaining zones in Poland, as well as all zones in Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, the Commission considered that the conditions have not been met. In many cases, this is because insufficient data has been provided or because the measures outlined in the submitted air quality plans do not demonstrate that the standards will be met when the exemption period expires.

In some cases the Commission’s assessment showed that exemptions will not be necessary since compliance with the limit values has already been achieved. This was said to be the case for the United Kingdom, where all air quality zones except the Greater London zone were in compliance in 2008. However, the air quality plan for the Greater London area did not meet the conditions for a time extension, the Commission explained.

On 1 February the Commission rejected eleven out of twelve new Italian requests for more time to meet the PM10 limit values. Most of Italy’s earlier request for derogations had already been rejected last year. This time, however, an extension was approved for one zone in the region of Campania.

EU air quality legislation sets binding limit values and/or indicative target values for the maximum permitted concentrations of certain air pollutants. Action to reduce pollution through an air quality plan is required where there is a risk of these standards being exceeded.

There are two air quality limit values for particulate matter (PM₁₀) based on daily average concentrations (50 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³), not to be exceeded more than 35 times in a calendar year) and annual average concentrations (40 µg/m³). These entered into force on 1 January 2005.

Two limit values for nitrogen dioxide based on hourly and annual average concentrations entered into force on 1 January 2010. The hourly limit value is 200 µg/m³, not to be exceeded more than 18 times in a calendar year, and the annual average limit is 40 µg/m³.

The 2008 air quality directive allows member states to notify time extensions for meeting the air quality standards for PM10 (until 11 June 2011) and NO₂ and benzene (until 2015 at the latest). During the time extension period, limit values continue to apply plus a margin of tolerance.

So far, twenty-one decisions on time extensions concerning 18 member states have been adopted, and according to the Commission conditions for an exemption from the PM₁₀ limit values were satisfied in 49 air quality zones in Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. (See also Acid News No. 3, 2009.) In these cases, the Commission was satisfied that compliance will be achieved at the expiry of the time extension period through comprehensive air quality plans.

The conditions for a postponement of the NO₂ limit values have also been accepted for nine zones in the Netherlands.

Legal proceedings are ongoing against ten member states for failing to comply with the PM₁₀ limit values. In those countries the PM₁₀ limit values continue to be exceeded, and either they have not submitted notifications or the Commission has already objected to requested time extensions.

Christer Ågren

For more information on time extensions: ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/legislation/time_extensions.htm

For more information on limit values for pollutants: ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/standards.htm

In this issue

Asian emissions increase ozone over North America

Increases in tropospheric ozone levels above western North America during springtime are due to eastward air flows across the Pacific Ocean, with the largest increases associated with air that comes from South and East Asia, according to a recent study.

Air quality benefits from climate policy

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will help to avert dangerous climate change, but it will also bring other benefits, such as cuts in health-damaging air pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide.

Rapid action to abate methane needed

Rapid reductions in emissions of methane and other short-lived greenhouse gases are needed to slow down global warming, especially in the Arctic region.

Ozone pollution could kill millions

Ozone pollution could cause hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of damage to human health and result in millions of premature deaths around the world by 2050.

Solar power from Sahara for fossil-free Europe

Solar electricity from the Sahara could supply Europe with 15 per cent of its electricity by 2050, at a price tag of 400 billion euros.

Supergrid paves the way for wind power expansion

A supergrid connecting Scandinavia and large parts of western Europe may pave the way for an even faster expansion of off-shore windpower.

IMO urged to take action on black carbon emissions

Three countries – Norway, Sweden and the United States – are asking the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to take action to reduce shipping emissions of black carbon (BC).

Copenhagen failure on aviation and shipping

The outcome of the Copenhagen summit proved extremely disappointing as regards international aviation and shipping emissions.

Greenhouse gas reductions will benefit human health

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will have major direct health benefits, especially in low-income countries.

New air quality standards in India

For the first time in 15 years India has revised its air quality standards. The new standards were notified by the environment ministry in November, and have lowered maximum limits for health damaging pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM₁₀, and introduced new limits for pollutants left out earlier, including ozone, PM_2.5, arsenic, nickel, benzene and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (as benzo(a)pyrene).

Great health benefits from new US air quality standards

New air quality standards announced by the EPA are estimated to yield health benefits in the USA of between 13 and 100 billion dollars.

Parliament debate on IPPC revision

The second reading debate on the proposed revision of the industrial pollution directive (IPPC) is about to take place.

New EU sulphur regulations in ports

From 1 January 2010, ships using ports within the EU are not allowed to use marine fuels with a sulphur content exceeding 0.1% while at berth. Moreover, marine gas oils with a sulphur content higher than 0.1% are not allowed to be marketed in any EU member state.

Review of the VOC paints directive underway

An EU consultancy report published in December recommends extending the 2004 directive on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paints and varnishes to other products such as hairsprays, solvent-based adhesives, window cleaning products and wood coatings.

Tough stance on air quality derogations

European Commission objects to vast majority of requests for more time to comply with EU air quality legislation.

Air pollution abatement - success and failures

The convention on long range air pollution has helped to clear the skies over Europe and North America over the last three decades - but a few countries are still notorious in failing to fulfil their committments.

Renewable energy can power the world by 2030

Renewable energy sources could produce all the energy the world needs in as little as 20 years from now and at a lower cost than the present energy mix, two American experts claim.

Cutting NOx emissions - the Norwegian way

Through an agreement between the Norwegian government and business organisations, a tax was transformed into a fund for investments - and emissions began to decrease rapidly.

Editorial: Clear the air

Everyone has the right to breathe clean air. In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) released revised guidelines for four outdoor air pollutants: particulate matter (PM), ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. For some pollutants, such as PM, no threshold value for harmful effects could be determined, and WHO therefore decided to set values, which if achieved, would be expected to result in significantly reduced rates of adverse health effects.

Main menu

Tough stance on air quality derogations

In this issue

Asian emissions increase ozone over North America

Air quality benefits from climate policy

Rapid action to abate methane needed

Ozone pollution could kill millions

Solar power from Sahara for fossil-free Europe

Supergrid paves the way for wind power expansion

IMO urged to take action on black carbon emissions

Copenhagen failure on aviation and shipping

Greenhouse gas reductions will benefit human health

New air quality standards in India

Great health benefits from new US air quality standards

Parliament debate on IPPC revision

New EU sulphur regulations in ports

Review of the VOC paints directive underway

Tough stance on air quality derogations

Air pollution abatement - success and failures

Renewable energy can power the world by 2030

Cutting NOx emissions - the Norwegian way

Editorial: Clear the air

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Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

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Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

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Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

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