LAQM: monitoring objectives

Under Local Air Quality Management (LAQM), local authorities have to consider the present and future quality of

air and assess whether prescribed air quality objectives are likely

to be achieved by specified deadlines. This involves a review of emissions from industry and other pollutant sources within a local authority’s area. It is achieved

by carrying out a three-stage process of emissions review and assessment, with each progressive stage requiring more detail than the one before.

Stage 1 of the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process

provides an initial screening

of pollutant sources within an area. Emissions from both Part

A and Part B industrial processes are assessed. Initially, the industrial processes within an area

are screened on a checklist basis which identifies those that

are potentially significant sources of specific pollutants. Where these processes are identified as “potentially significant”, more detailed assessment is carried out at Stage 2, either through simple modelling or basic monitoring. Where Stage 2 indicates that exceedance of

an air quality objective is likely, the local authority is required

to undertake Stage 3 review

and assessment, involving detailed modelling and monitoring.

This assessment will accurately indicate the likelihood and

extent of exceedance, so it is imperative that monitoring data supplied to local authorities is

representative and up-to-date. Where exceedance is demonstrated by Stage 3, the local authority is required to designate an

Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

LAQM, however, has many benefits to industry and should be approached positively by all

sectors. It provides an assessment of the air quality impacts of a process and, where identified

as potentially significant, these

are assessed in detail at

no expense to the operator. Sophisticated atmospheric dispersion modelling and validation monitoring are usually relatively expensive exercises – often requested by government bodies. Although in some local authority areas the larger processes may

be asked to contribute to the

funding of the work, local authorities are under an obligation

to carry out this work to the best of their financial means, regardless of funding from industry. However, where industry decides to

contribute funding to these assessments, good PR is likely to result and demonstrates a forward thinking company. The review and assessment may also provide

evidence to turn around a negative public perception, as was found with a large-scale air quality

monitoring project in Barry,

South Wales, which Stanger

carried out over the period

1997-1999.

The Barry Industrial Complex (pictured above) lies approximately 10 miles west of Cardiff

in South Wales. The companies located at the complex include AES, Blagden Cellobond, Cabot, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, EVC, National Power, Inspec

and Zeon. The pollutants monitored included the majority

of those outlined in the National Air Quality Strategy plus many others. In total, 24 different

pollutants where monitored which were based on the processes within the complex. These included both inorganic and organic

pollutants plus different size fractions of particulate.

The results from the monitoring were found to be very encouraging and demonstrated that all pollutants set-out in the National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) were below their respective criteria at all four sites when compared with the most recent air quality objectives. Other pollutants not covered by the NAQS were compared with Environmental Assessment Levels. Formaldehyde was the only pollutant that showed higher than expected concentrations, but further work revealed that these were comparable to those measured in Cardiff City Centre.

The monitoring programme has proven to the local community that air quality surrounding the site is not the hazard that was originally perceived. The joint funding of this programme between the industries within

the Responsible Care Group

and the Environment Agency

has resulted in good PR for the companies at little cost. It has also provided re-assurance to the both the local residents and the companies involved that air quality impacts on the surrounding area are minimal.

Significant disparity

“We are extremely encouraged by the results of the first year’s report, says Andrew Littlewood, chairman of the Responsible

Care Group. “As an industrial complex we are committed

to working to the highest possible environmental standards. The Responsible Care Group very much hopes that the report will

be welcomed by the local community as a positive sign that

the complex is operating to very high standards.”

SSE has also recently completed Stage 2 Review and Assessment of air quality on behalf of Newport County Borough Council. The area has more than 20 Part

A processes within its boundaries, and some of these have been

identified as potentially significant sources of nitrogen dioxide,

sulphur dioxide and PM10

(particulate matter). More detailed assessment will shortly be carried out using similar methods to

those used for the Barry monitoring programme in order to accurately assess the likelihood

of achieving the air quality

objectives for each of these pollutants. Stanger’s work for

the Newport air quality review

and assessment has been selected by the DETR as an example

of Best Practice.

There appears, however, to be significant disparity between companies in their willingness to supply data for the purposes of LAQM – it should be in their interest to assess the impacts of their activities in sensitive areas. Besides, LAQM offers the most cost-effective method of assessing air quality impacts.