STEP Conference 2019 - Local Air Quality Success Stories
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Local authorities in Scotland are required to monitor air quality and designate Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) if air pollutants exceed health-based standards. Many AQMAs have been designated due to traffic emissions of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Case studies show that local actions such as connecting homes to the gas network, traffic management changes, and industrial emission reductions have helped improve air quality and revoke some AQMAs. Looking ahead, all local authorities with AQMAs will need to assess low emission zones by 2023 to reduce traffic pollution under Scotland's air quality plan.
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STEP Conference 2019 - Local Air Quality Success Stories
- 1. Local Air Quality Management – Success Stories
- 2. State of Air Quality in Scotland
- 3. What is Local Air Quality Management (LAQM)? Under the Environment Act 1995 (Part IV) local authorities must: Detailed Assessment Air Quality Action Planning (AQAP) Areas which are not, or are unlikely to meet, the standards and objectives Designate those areas as Air Quality Management Areas Determine measures to address air quality problem(s) Report on air quality in the local authority area and progress on meeting objectives AQMAs Annual Progress Reporting (APR) REVOCATION
- 4. LAQM 2015 Review • Revamped LAQM system launched in April 2016: • World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline value for PM2.5 introduced into Scottish legislation. Single Annual Progress Report Revised Guidance STREAMLINED REPORTING
- 6. Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) Place image here Width 13cm Height 15.3cn Or Width 369pxs Height 434pxs @72dpi Scottish local authorities with AQMAs Actual coverage of AQMAs
- 7. The majority of AQMAs are due to emissions from transport Most AQMAs are due to NO2, with some joint NO2/PM10 (all traffic) NO2 PM10 SO2 The majority of people live in local authorities that have AQMAs Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs)
- 8. Case Study: Pathhead, Midlothian Issue • PM10 • Domestic burning Solution • Cross-LA and residents engagement • Identification of funding • Mains gas grid connection Result • Reduction in emissions/compliance • Revocation of AQMA • Tackled fuel poverty
- 9. Case Study: Bonnygate, Cupar, Fife Issue • PM10 & NO2 • Transport Solution • Traffic management • Reduction of ‘canyon effect’ Result • Overall decreasing emissions trend • Compliance
- 11. Case Study: Grangemouth, Falkirk Issue • SO2 • Industrial sources Solution • Improved monitoring • Tail gas treatment (TGT) Result • Substantial reduction in SO2 • Compliance since 2013
- 12. LAQM Moving Forward – Low Emission Zones • 2017/18 PfG commitment: “working with local authorities to introduce LEZs into our four biggest cities by 2020 and to all Air Quality Management Areas by 2023 where the National Low Emissions Framework (NLEF) shows this to be the most effective mitigation” • LAs with AQMAs need to conduct NLEF assessment in 2020. Reported through APR as part of LAQM system.
- 13. LAQM Moving Forward Cleaner Air for Scotland Example review recommendations: • Streamlining Air Quality Action Plans • Standardised format • Timescales for delivery of actions Changes in Legislation • PM monitoring and WHO guideline value Revocations • Continue robust monitoring • Target funding
- 14. 2020 • CAFS Redraft • NLEF Screening • EU Compliance • PM2.5 objective introduction Summary 2023 • LEZs by 2023 • LAQM has achieved good outcomes for air quality • Must work alongside national strategies and remain flexible to evolve as understanding develops
- 15. Tanith Allinson LAQM specialist (East) tanith.allinson@sepa.org.uk Chris Connor LAQM specialist (West) chris.connor@sepa.org.uk Eleanor Pratt Senior Policy Officer eleanor.pratt@sepa.org.uk Contact details
Editor's Notes
- We’ve had lots of reflection on CAFS and LEZs this morning, and we thought we should also take the opportunity to reflect on the longer term work carried out via the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) regime over the last 20 years which has helped contribute to reductions in air pollutants in Scotland, and then have a bit of a look ahead to what LAQM’s role in managing AQ in Scotland will look like in the future. Very aware that a large portion of the audience is already intimately familiar with the LAQM process, so with apologies to them if I cover things you already know, hopefully this is a useful refresher of how local authorities and LAQM form a key mechanism for improving air quality in Scotland.
- Most of us have seen this one before! Serves to illustrate that there have been significant reductions in air quality pollutants in Scotland since 1990. Much of this is due to tighter regulation for industry power generation, but still more to do to get us down to really low levels of pollution, particularly that resulting from unregulated sources of emissions such as transport and domestic combustion. LAQM is one of the only regulatory systems that tackles transport emissions beyond those covering fuel and engine standards, so will continue to have an important role as we try to get down to those really low levels, which are still levels where we know air pollution is having a health impact. NOx/PM10 – Lower emissions from transport and power generation SO2 – Lower emissions from power generation and lower sulphur content in fuels Pb – Phase-out of leaded petrol and lower emissions from coal combustion CO – Vehicle emissions control (e.g. catalytic converters) and higher diesel use NMVOCs – Reduced fugitive emissions from oil production/refining, offset by increase in food and drink industries (e.g. whisky) PM2.5 – Emissions static, reductions offset by increases in domestic combustion NAEI report % reduction in pollutants.
- The Environment Act 1995 and subsequent regulations require local authorities to assess compliance with air quality standards in their area in terms of the Air Quality (Scotland) Regulations 2000 and Air Quality (Scotland)(Amendment) Regulations 2002. This process is known as Local Air Quality Management (LAQM). In AQMAs the ‘air quality standard’ is being breached beyond the number of times the ‘air quality objective’ allows it. In case anyone wasn’t aware SEPA is the appropriate authority for making sure LAs comply with their LAQM duties, and provide assistance for them to do so. APR = local authorities have to report on progress on air quality in their areas, using monitoring data, looking at new sources of air pollution, etc. Detailed = conduct detailed assessments in areas which are not compliant - source apportionment, modelling, determining geographic boundaries of exceedances AQMAs = then declare those areas as ‘air quality management areas’ AQAP = before putting in place an action plan containing measures to address those issues.
- A review of LAQM was a key action in the first iteration of Cleaner Air for Scotland when it was published in 2015. Review and assessment process 20 years old by that point. LAs had assessed the main emissions sources in their areas through 20 years of review and assessment. Therefore no need to keep reassessing the same sources, focus needed to be on reporting on action planning, monitoring and new sources. In 2016 single APR introduced to replace separate update/screening/assessment reports, with a standardised template to use. This was accompanied by revised policy and technical guidance Outcome = stream-lining of reporting. Other significant chance that year was Scottish Government introduced a new, more stringent PM2.5 objective (10µg/m3 as annual average) – Scotland first country in Europe to do so.
- Key result of streamlining reporting and standardising the annual progress report template was that it made it easier for LAs to report, with a significant reduction in the submission of overdue progress reports. This was also helped along by a series of reminder letters from SEPA.
- Bit more detail about air quality management areas – 38 in total, declared by 14 of Scotland’s local authorities. Majority of AQMAs only cover very small geographic areas within those authorities. Come in lots of different shapes and sizes from individual junctions (Chapelhall) to whole town centres(Paisley) to entire local authority areas (Dundee City) . This range of approaches means where a LA’s air quality issue is very confined to an individual hotspot area, actions can be targeted at that area, but where there are more numerous or wider ranging sources or issues, LAs can choose to take strategic approach by declaring for a larger geographic area. This also reduces the risk of displacing pollutants from one area to another.
- 38 total - 35 for transport, 3 for non traffic sources (e.g. industrial/domestic combustion sources) Majority declared for NO2 exceedances, some for PM, or joint NO2/PM. AQMAs – most people live in a LA area with an AQMA – so not necessarily in the AQMA itself, but likely to have to pass through it, or quite possibly be contributing to its declaration if they are driving through it for example.
- Now going to look at 3 case studies of LAQM successes. There have been many more than 3, but felt these provide a good cross-section of examples where LAQM has addressed issues from domestic combustion, industry and transport soures. Pathhead AQMA declared for predicted exceedances of PM10 in 2008. LAs source apportionment process (key part of LAQM) established main source = domestic burning of coal as a source of heating, as there was no gas mains supply available in the village. There was engagement across various local authority departments – so EH, Housing, Legal, Properties Facilities etc. as well as consultation with residents. A successful funding application to lay a gas main to Pathhead village was then made to the Scottish Government’s Universal Home Insulation scheme. Completion of this project in 2011 resulted in the reduction of PM10 emissions to a point where compliance was reached, and the AQMA was able to be revoked in 2014. There was also a significant corresponding decrease in SO2 levels. In addition, under the Home Insulation scheme all social housing in the area was connected to the grid for free, while private properties were just connected at cost, helping reduce costs for residents and tackle fuel poverty, gas being cheaper to burn than coal. So all in all a really good example of the LAQM system identifying an area of exceedance, identified main source, putting a meaningful intervention in place and improving air quality for people of Pathhead. This will be the first AQMA in Scotland, and one of very few in the UK, to be revoked on the basis of introduced measures…’ .
- AQMA declared in the Bonnygate area of Cupar in 2008 NO2 and PM10 exceedences as a result of road traffic emissions. A significant cause of that was traffic queuing through this area, with buildings on either side creating a ‘street canyon’ effect, causing emissions to become trapped, increasing explore for motorists and pedestrians using the street. Working along with Transportation colleagues an innovative “traffic queue relocation” system was introduced in the Bonnygate. A co-ordinated system of traffic lights & pedestrian crossing that moved the traffic queue westwards and outside the street canyon into the wider environment allowing for more rapid dispersion of pollutants and also improving traffic flow. Result = reduction in emissions and compliance
- Grangemouth AQMA declared 2005 due to exceedances for sulphur dioxide from industrial processes. LAQM process resulted in a more extensive and robust monitoring regime (which provided better data for both SEPA and the site), together with a new text alert system for the operator, SEPA, LA and health board. Tailgas treatment on the sulphur recovery unit led to a decrease in SO2 emissions. In this instance the LA didn’t have regulatory power to address the issue – needed to work with SEPA and industry to do so. SEPA/Petro Ineos and council steering group considering and agreeing a range of possible actions together – good example of where multiple agencies working together achieves a good outcome. Declaration of the AQMA raised public and industry awareness of the issue and was the driver for industry implementing this significant tech improvement. Result = substantial reduction in SO2, and compliance since 2013 2013 = TGT added, 2016 TGT failure - shows what SO2 levels could still be like, had LAQM process not resulted in the improvements that it did. Great example of council, industry and SEPA working together to improve air quality.
- PfG commitment to LEZs, these are part of the LAQM process (NLEF, APR, AQAP). LAs with AQMAs need to go through NLEF in 2020. Reported through APR as part of LAQM system. LEZs will only follow in other town/cities where the NLEF assessment shows their use would be effective (so not all AQMAs) (therefore LAQM still needed!)
- The system is evolving. CAFS review made a number of recommendations for LAQM improvements which will be considered by Scottish Government. They are completely neutral on those recommendations at the moment, but please do note there’s a call out for comments on the recommendations – link will be circulated. Examples included the stream lining AQAP, similar to what was done for APRs. Make them more live documents with actions that have timescales for implementation and funding, allowing AQAPs to be linked to other wider policies e.g. SEAPs, travel plans, etc. Change in legislation - LAs now required to consider PM 10 and 2.5, led to significant increase in monitoring of these pollutants across Scotland. Local authorities assessing PM2.5 as part of the LAQM system since 2016. SG will align PM10 annual mean to WHO standard (20), once PM2.5 concentrations have been assessed. This will lead to most PM10 AQMAs being revoked (but all AQMAs apart from one compliant for PM10 anyway Similarly in areas where monitoring shows compliance, AQMAs can be revoked or amended to reflect current state of play. SEPA is looking to work with LAs which may be in a position to revoke AQMAs to make sure robust monitoring continues, or perhaps changes to monitoring made where required to reflect more up to date sources/receptors. There are also opportunities to explore ways to continue to fund air quality actions that are not directly linked to AQMAs e.g. schools, Clean Air Day actions etc. that it’s difficult for LAs who don’t have AQMAs to get funded…CHECK WITH ANDREW making sure funding is distributed in the most effective way. ). All this an illustration that LAQM system is flexible enough to evolve to take account of new research as new pollutants, sources and impacts emerge. Objective level and pollutants and processes can change as our knowledge and priorities develop. System needs to evolve rather than stagnate and take account of new receptors/sources etc.
- Summary – highlighting important dates – CAFS review dates, NLEF screening, compliance date EU (2020), PM2.5 compliance date (2020 once objective comes into force). LAs that think PM2.5 is an issue – in 2020 will become a failure of an objective). LEZs in other areas by 2023. Other factors…Air quality is fully devolved to Scottish Government so we can continue to set our own domestic objectives, have our own strategies/policies in place SG have committed to maintaining EU standards for AQ after EU Exit. LAQM has achieved good outcomes for AQ; concentrations are improving as a result; LAQM will continue to be main route (along with wider CAFS measures), with elements on LEZs being incorporated, and process being made more robust by making sure AQAPs deliver and are live documents which can be integrated with wider policies and processes on climate change, transport etc… allows local air quality issues to be tackled at a local scale, but this is only going to be long term effective alongside national strategies such as CAFS. LAQM monitoring provides long term data trends as to whether those CAFS policies are working. Good opportunities with the redraft of CAFS to really make sure LAQM continues to evolve to help deliver further AQ improvement.
- Amended AQMAs Glasgow City Centre – PM10 (retained NO2 annual and hourly? SAQD requires update). Falkirk Town Centre – NO2 hourly (retained NO2 annual and PM10 annual) Aberdeen city centre – NO2 hourly (retained NO2 annual, PM10 annual and daily) Anderson drive – PM10 daily (retained NO2 annual and PM10 annual) Revoked AQMAs Pathhead AQMA – PM10 Harthill AQMA – PM10 Moodiesburn AQMA Compliant AQMAs > 3 years Grangemouth – SO2 Haggs – NO2 Banknock – PM10 Appin Crescent – NO2, PM10 Cupar (2019 data needed as peak in 2016 (41))) – NO2, PM10 Broxburn – NO2, PM10 Linlithgow – NO2, PM10 Newton – PM10