This forms the background to the air quality management process. The principle behind it is to:
- Protect human health and the environment; and
- Ensure that pollutant emissions into the atmosphere are not at a level that would seriously damage our health or the environment.
Part IV of the 1995 Environment Act sets out the principles of local air quality management. It includes the Air Quality Strategy, which defines the air quality policies, structures and roles of stakeholders. The Act includes specific duties given to local authorities to undertake a process of review and assessment of their local air quality measured against national air quality objectives. These health based objectives for certain air pollutants have to be met by specific dates.
European Air Quality Directives act as a foundation for the UK Air Quality Strategy health based objectives to which the UK Government must meet.
Please look at the ‘Related Links’ for further information on this legislation.
- Environment Act
- National Air Quality Strategy,
- Air Quality (England) Regulations 2000
- Department of the Environment, Food and the Regions (DEFRA)
- Europa website
