Environmental Quality Standards and Objectives
The principal laws dealing with EQSs and EQOs are outlined below:
Air Quality Standards Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/317) - as amended by SI 1995/3146
Made under the European Communities Act 1972, these regulations implement EU Directives setting air quality limit, guide values and standards for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates (Directive 80/779/EEC), lead (Directive 82/884/EEC) and nitrogen dioxide (Directive 85/203/EEC).
Air Quality Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/3043) as amended by SI 2000/928
These Regulations implement the requirements for Local Authorities to review and assess air quality, under the UK National Air Quality Strategy. The Air Quality (England) Regulations 2000 revoke the 1997 Regulations as far as they apply to England.
Air Quality Limit Values Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/2315) as amended by 2002/3117 and 2002/3183
(Wales)
Implement in the UK Directive 96/62/EC on ambient air quality assessment and management and Directive 1999/30/EC setting limit values for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates and lead in ambient air. The 2002 Regulations implement Directive 2000/69/EC relating to limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air.
Environment Act 1995 (EA 95) - Part IV
Establishes the framework for an air quality regime in the UK. Section 87 of EA95 enables regulations to be introduced to prescribe air quality standards and objectives, including those adopted by the EU, or those to which the UK is committed through international agreement.
The new Air Quality Strategy (CMD Paper No7169) was published in July 2007. It sets out a way forward for work and planning on air quality issues, sets out details of the objectives to be achieved and introduces a new policy framework for tackling fine particles, similar to the approach being proposed in the new European air quality directive, which is currently under negotiation. It builds on the previous strategy and sets out the proposed air quality standards (AQSs) and objectives (AQOs) for ten atmospheric pollutants.
Water Resources Act 1991 -Part III
Deals with the control of pollution of water resources. Section 82 enables the introduction of regulations to establish a system of classifying the quality of ‘controlled’ waters (refer to the section of this Register that deals with water pollution). This classification will set out specific requirements - for example, concerning the concentration of substances present in that type of controlled water or for certain parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen, pH). Section 83 provides for Statutory Water Quality Objectives (SWQOs) to be established for particular waters. SWQOs will incorporate the requirements of the relevant classification and set a date by which such requirements are to be achieved.
Also refer to the section in this Register on Water Pollution which provides more details on this and other legislation dealing with effluent discharges.
Surface Waters (Dangerous Substances) (Classification) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/2286) - amended by SI 1992/337
The 1992 regulations were made under the Water Resources Act 1991, and together with the 1989 regulations, they establish quality standards by setting limits on concentrations of certain dangerous substances in controlled waters. They implement a number of EU Directives dealing with environmental quality standards for inputs of List I (‘Black List’) substances (refer to Appendix 10 regarding the EU ‘Black List’).
Surface Waters (Dangerous Substances) (Classification) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/2560) - amended by
SI 1998/389
Statutory water quality objectives for 20 EC List II (Grey List) substances are laid out in these Regulations.
Surface Waters (River Ecosystems) (Classification) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/1057)
Introduce a system of classifying inland rivers and other watercourses. Standards covering eight quality parameters are used to determine five classes of river ecosystem quality. This is to be used as the basis of establishing Statutory Water Quality Objectives for individual stretches of river.
Refer also to the sections concerning Air pollution and Water pollution.