establish limit values and, as appropriate, alert thresholds for concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air intended to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole, assess concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air on the basis of common methods and criteria, obtain adequate information on concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air and ensure that it is made available to the public, maintain ambient-air quality where it is good and improve it in other cases with respect to sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead.
Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air
Modified by
- Commission Decisionof 17 October 2001amending Annex V to Council Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air(notified under document number C(2001) 3091)(Text with EEA relevance)(2001/744/EC), 32001D0744, October 23, 2001
- Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 21 May 2008on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, 32008L0050, June 11, 2008
1. "ambient air" shall mean outdoor air in the troposphere, excluding work places; 2. "pollutant" shall mean any substance introduced directly or indirectly by man into the ambient air and likely to have harmful effects on human health and/or the environment as a whole; 3. "level" shall mean the concentration of a pollutant in ambient air or the deposition thereof on surfaces in a given time; 4. "assessment" shall mean any method used to measure, calculate, predict or estimate the level of a pollutant in the ambient air; 5. "limit value" shall mean a level fixed on the basis of scientific knowledge, with the aim of avoiding, preventing or reducing harmful effects on human health and/or the environment as a whole, to be attained within a given period and not to be exceeded once attained; 6. "alert threshold" shall mean a level beyond which there is a risk to human health from brief exposure and at which immediate steps shall be taken by the Member States as laid down in Directive 96/62/EC; 7. "margin of tolerance" shall mean the percentage of the limit value by which this value may be exceeded subject to the conditions laid down in Directive 96/62/EC; 8. "zone" shall mean part of their territory delimited by the Member States; 9. "agglomeration" shall mean a zone with a population concentration in excess of 250000 inhabitants or, where the population concentration is250000 inhabitants or less, a population density per km2 which for the Member States justifies the need for ambient air quality to be assessed and managed;10. "oxides of nitrogen" shall mean the sum of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide added as parts per billion and expressed as nitrogen dioxide in micrograms per cubic meter; 11. "PM 10 " shall mean particulate matter which passes through a size-selective inlet with a 50 % efficiency cut-off at 10 μm aerodynamic diameter;12. "PM 2,5 " shall mean particulate matter which passes through a size-selective inlet with a 50 % efficiency cut-off at 2,5μm aerodynamic diameter;13. "upper assessment threshold" shall mean a level specified in Annex V, below which a combination of measurements and modelling techniques may be used to assess ambient-air quality, in accordance with Article 6(3) of Directive 96/62/EC; 14. "lower assessment threshold" shall mean a level specified in Annex V, below which modelling or objective-estimation techniques alone may be used to assess ambient-air quality in accordance with Article 6(4) of Directive 96/62/EC; 15. "natural events" shall mean volcanic eruptions, seismic activities, geothermal activities, wild-land fires, high-wind events or the atmospheric resuspension or transport of natural particles from dry regions; 16. "fixed measurements" shall mean measurements taken in accordance with Article 6(5) of Directive 96/62/EC.
| Averaging period | Limit value | Margin of tolerance | Date by which limit value is to be met | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 350 μg/m | 150 μg/m | 1 January 2005 | |
| 24 hours | 125 μg/m | None | 1 January 2005 | |
| Calendar year and winter (1 October to 31 March) | 20 μg/m | None | 19 July 2001 |
the date, hour and place of the occurrence and the reasons for the occurrence, where known; any forecasts of: changes in concentrations (improvement, stabilisation, or deterioration), together with the reasons for those changes, the geographical area concerned, the duration of the occurence;
the type of population potentially sensitive to the occurrence; the precautions to be taken by the sensitive population concerned.
| Averaging period | Limit value | Margin of tolerance | Date by which limit value is to be met | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 200 μg/m | 50 % on the entry into force of this Directive, reducing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2010 | 1 January 2010 | |
| Calendar year | 40 μg/m | 50 % on the entry into force of this Directive, reducing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2010 | 1 January 2010 | |
| Calendar year | 30 μg/m | None | 19 July 2001 |
the date, hour and place of the occurrence and the reasons for the occurrence, where known; any forecasts of: changes in concentrations (improvement, stabilisation, or deterioration), together with the reasons for those changes, the geographical area concerned, the duration of the occurrence;
the type of population potentially sensitive to the occurrence; the precautions to be taken by the sensitive population concerned.
| Averaging period | Limit value | Margin of tolerance | Date by which limit value is to be met | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | 50 μg/m | 50 % on the entry into force of this Directive, reducing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2005 | 1 January 2005 | |
| Calendar year | 40 μg/m | 20 % on the entry into force of this Directive, reducing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2005 | 1 January 2005 | |
| 24 hours | 50 μg/m | To be derived from data and to be equivalent to the Stage 1 limit value | 1 January 2010 | |
| Calendar year | 20 μg/m | 50 % on 1 January 2005 reducing every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2010 | 1 January 2010 |
| Averaging period | Limit value | Margin of tolerance | Date by which limit value is to be met | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual limit value for the protection of human health | Calendar year | 0,5 μg/m | 100 % on the entry into force of this Directive, reducing on 1 January 2001 and every 12 months thereafter by equal annual percentages to reach 0 % by 1 January 2005, or by 1 January 2010 in the immediate vicinity of specific point sources, of which the Commission must be notified. | 1 January 2005, or 1 January 2010 in the immediate vicinity of specific industrial sources situated on sites contaminated by decades of industrial activities. The Commission must be notified of those sources by 19 July 2001 |
(a) SULPHUR DIOXIDE Health protection Ecosystem protection Upper assessment threshold 60 % of 24-hour limit value (75 μg/m 3 , not to be exceeded more than 3 times in any calender year)60 % of winter limit value (12 μg/m 3 )Lower assessment threshold 40 % of 24-hour limit value (50 μg/m 3 , not to be exceeded more than 3 times in any calender year)40 % of winter limit value (8 μg/m 3 )(b) NITROGEN DIOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN Hourly limit value for the protection of human health (NO 2 )Annual limit value for the protection of human health (NO 2 )Annual limit value for the protection of vegetation (NO x )Upper assessment threshold 70 % of limit value (140 μg/m 3 , not to be exceeded more than 18 times in any calender year)80 % of limit value (32 μg/m 3 )80 % of limit value (24 μg/m 3 )Lower assessment threshold 50 % of limit value (100 μg/m 3 , not to be exceeded more than 18 times in any calender year)65 % of limit value (26 μg/m 3 )65 % of limit value (19,5 μg/m 3 )(c) PARTICULATE MATTER The upper and lower assessment thresholds for PM 10 are based on the indicative limit values for 1 January 2010.24-hour average Annual average Upper assessment threshold 60 % of limit value (30 μg/m 3 , not to be exceeded more than seven times in any calender year)70 % of limit value (14 μg/m 3 )Lower assessment threshold 40 % of limit value (20 μg/m 3 , not to be exceeded more than seven times in any calender year)50 % of limit value (10 μg/m 3 )(d) LEAD Annual average Upper assessment threshold 70 % of limit value (0,35 μg/m 3 )Lower assessment threshold 50 % of limit value (0,25 μg/m 3 )
(i) to provide data on the areas within zones and agglomerations where the highest concentrations occur to which the population is likely to be directly or indirectly exposed for a period which is significant in relation to the averaging period of the limit value(s); (ii) to provide data on levels in other areas within the zones and agglomerations which are representative of the exposure of the general population.
the flow around the inlet sampling probe should be unrestricted without any obstructions affecting the airflow in the vicinity of the sampler (normally some metres away from buildings, balconies, trees, and other obstacles and at least 0,5 m from the nearest building in the case of sampling points representing air quality at the building line); in general, the inlet sampling point should be between 1,5 m (the breathing zone) and 4 m above the ground. Higher positions (up to 8 m) may be necessary in some circumstances. Higher siting may also be appropriate if the station is representative of a large area; the inlet probe should not be positioned in the immediate vicinity of sources in order to avoid the direct intake of emissions unmixed with ambient air; the sampler's exhaust outlet should be positioned so that recirculation of exhaust air to the sampler inlet is avoided; location of traffic-orientated samplers: for all pollutants, such sampling points should be at least 25 m from the edge of major junctions and at least 4 m from the centre of the nearest traffic lane, for nitrogen dioxide, inlets should be no more than 5 m from the kerbside, for particulate matter and lead, inlets should be sited so as to be representative of air quality near to the building line.
interfering sources; security; access; availability of electrical power and telephone communications; visibility of the site in relation to its surroundings; safety of public and operators; the desirability of co-locating sampling points for different pollutants; planning requirements.
| Population of agglomeration or zone (thousands) | If concentrations exceed the upper assessment threshold | If maximum concentrations are between the upper and lower assessment thresholds | For SO |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-250 | not applicable | ||
| 250-499 | |||
| 500-749 | |||
| 750-999 | |||
| > | |||
| For NO |
| If maximum concentrations exceed the upper assessment threshold | If maximum concentrations are between the upper and lower assessment thresholds |
|---|---|
| 1 station every | 1 station every |
| Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen | Particulate matter and lead | |
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | 15 % | 25 % |
| Minimum data capture | 90 % | 90 % |
| Accuracy | 25 % | 50 % |
| Minimum data capture | 90 % | 90 % |
| Minimum time coverage | 14 % (One measurement a week at random, evenly distributed over the year, or eight weeks evenly distributed over the year.) | 14 % (One measurement a week at random, evenly distributed over the year, or eight weeks evenly distributed over the year.) |
| 50 %-60 %50 %30 % | Not defined at present |
| Accuracy: | 75 % | 100 % |
a description of assessment activities carried out; the specific methods used, with references to descriptions of the method; the sources of data and information; a description of results, including accuracies and, in particular, the extent of any area or, if relevant, the length of road within the zone or agglomeration over which concentrations exceed limit value(s) or, as may be, limit value(s) plus applicable margin(s) of tolerance and of any area within which concentrations exceed the upper assessment threshold or the lower assessment threshold; for limit values the object of which is the protection of human health, the population potentially exposed to concentrations in excess of the limit value.