Under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 every local authority is required to regularly review and assess the air quality in its area to determine whether the Government’s air quality objectives will be met. To this effect the government requires each authority to produce an Annual Status Report (ASR) in relation to air quality within its borough.
The Council is required to designate as an air quality management area (AQMA) in any area which does not meet or is not likely to meet one or more of the objectives. To date (August 2021) no air quality management areas have been designated within the Borough of Burnley.
Burnley currently monitors for the pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at 29 sites throughout the borough and currently has no annual exceedences in relation to current sites. The current annual maximum mean for NO2 is 40 microgrammes per metre cubed.
Nitrogen dioxide is one of a number of nitrogen oxides, which are formed during high temperature combustion processes. Road traffic is the main source, accounting for approximately 50% of all European emissions. Therefore, concentrations tend to be highest in urban environments with high traffic levels. Large industrial sources can also have a significant impact.
Burnley ASR Reports may be viewed below.
