Clean Air and Environmental Protection

198 Pages·1999·21.1 MB·English

January / February 1999
te
S
&
o\
m
iS
2
&
‘S
hme
3w
ws
a.
3
iS
v
§
S
=
>
G
As)
<
S
=
<
&
5
S
S
Yo
>
bn
=
)
a)
w
baScon!
©
2
S
2
Y
=
Nemes
°
PSe
=
AS)
ey
>
bra=l
©
°
e Environmental Considerations in &
=
Urban Regeneration
=)
XM
3
e Non-Continuous Gravimetric Sampling
e NSCA Policy Committee Priorities
clean air
nsca
1999
NSCA Pollution Handbook
The essential guide to UK and European pollution control legislation
Advance telephone orders accepted with Master Card, Visa, Amex and Diners Club
Your card account will not be debited until your order has been despatched
Available February 1999
A5, c 525 pages, soft covers, ISBN 0 903474 42 5
Price: £32.00 inclusive of postage and packing
25% discount for orders of 10 or more copies to one address
National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection
136 North Street - Bighton BN1 1RG
Tel: [phone] EMail: [email protected] Fax: [phone]
DON'T FORGET THE
ENVIRONMENT
A guide for incorporating environmental assessment into your project
This is the first of two books from the Environmental Analysis Co-operative (EAC), a group of
about 50 organisations including the UK Environmental Agencies. Both are edited by Rod
Perriman, formerly Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Pollution and later in corporate
environmental management with ICI and Zeneca.
The guide explains how managers of projects large and small can integrate planning with
pollution control in their project development programmes.
£14.99
December 1998/40 pages/A4 softback/ISBN 0 85295 422 0/IChemE
Available from
National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection
136 North Street - Brighton BN1 1RG
Tel: [phone] EMail: [email protected] Fax: [phone]
cover ii Vol, 30 No. 1
clean air Contents
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1999 as a
ISSN 0300-5734 2 : |
Publishing Director:
Richard Mills CONTENTS
Secretary General, NSCA
Editorial 3
Deputy Secretary, Finance &
Administration: Peter Mitchell j
NSCA News and Views
Deputy Secretary, Policy& - NSCA Policy Committee Priorities 1998-99 4
D : Tim B Peg habe kat 8 '
weapariak ss ee - Acidification in the UK: a Review of
Editor: Environmental Damage and Recovery Prospects 6
Loveday Murley - Local Environmental Management Systems within
i Local Authorities 6
Advertising (rates on i bee
request): Sally May - Low Emission Zones 7,
- National Noise Awareness Day 1999 7
CLEAN AIR is the official x, Aviation Noise 7
journal of the Society but the ;
articles are not necessarily
endorsed by the Society. Rep orts
CLEAN AIR is issued free to - Environmental Considerations in Urban
Members and Representatives of Regeneration: Christopher J. Donovan 9
SALLE - The Mass Concentration and Size Distribution
CLEAN AIR subscription: of Particles in Central London using Non-Continuous
1999 -£ 30.00 Gravimetric Sampling Techniques 14
Abstraction and quotation of
matter are permitted, except where Update 21
stated, provided that due
acknowledgements are made. Members News 231
CLEAN AIR is printed and published
in England by the Books and Reports 26
National Society for Clean Air
and Environmental Protection
136 North Street, Brighton BN1 1RG Future Events 27
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Website:
http://www3.mistral.co.uk/cleanair
The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection produces information, organises conferences and
training events, and campaigns on air pollution, noise and environmental protection issues. Founded in 1899, the Society’s
work on smoke control led to the Clean Air Acts. More recently NSCA has been influential in developing thinking on
integrated pollution control, noise legislation, and air quality management.
NSCA’s membership is largely made up of organisations with a direct involvement in environmental protection: industry,
local authorities, universities and colleges, professional institutions, environmental consultancies and regulatory
agencies. Individual membership is also available to environmental specialists within industry, local authorities, central
government, technical, academic and institutional bodies.
Members benefit from joining a unique network of individuals who share an interest in a realistic approach to
environmental protection policy; from access to up-to-date and relevant information; from reduced fees at NSCA
conferences and training events. They contribute to NSCA’s regional and national activities; to environmental policy
development; to translating policy into practice; to the Society’s wide-ranging educational programmes.
1
Vol. 29 No. 1
clean air
NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CLEAN AIR
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(Founded 1899)
Registered Charity, Number 221026
PRESIDENT
Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG, KCVO
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Professor Dame Barbara Clayton DBE
VICE-PRESIDENTS
Mr. A. Bennett MP; Mr. K. Collins MEP; Earl of Cranbrook DSc, DL; Dr. R.N. Crossett;
Mr W. David MEP; Mr. J. Edmonds; Dr. C. Jackson MEP;Air Commodore J. Langston CBE;
Professor The Lord Lewis KT, FRS;Professor R. Macrory;
Sir John Mason CB, DSc, FRS; Lord Nathan; Mr. S. Norris; Mr. D. Osborn;
Mr. L. Poole BEM, JP; Sir Hugh Rossi; Mr. J. Speirs; Mr. G. Wardell
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mr. P. Cooney
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Cllr. K. Leyden
CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
Alderman Mrs L. Solkhon
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
Cllr. J. Carr
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
Mr. K. Horton
HONORARY TREASURER
Mr. A. Rees
SECRETARY GENERAL
Mr. R. Mills
Honorary Secretaries of NSCA Divisions
Scottish Division: Tom McDonald - Telephone: [phone]
c/o Glasgow City Council, Environmental Services Dept, House 2, Floor 9, 20 India Street, Glasgow G2 4PF
Northern Ireland Division: Mervyn Fleming - Telephone: [phone]
67 Kilwarlin Road, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6EA
Northern Division: Keith Atkinson - Telephone: [phone]
4 Berriedale Drive, Darlington, Co. Durham DL1 3TD
North West Division: Neil Turner - Telephone: [phone]
45 Down Green Road, Harwood, Bolton BL2 3QD
Yorkshire Division: Frank Price - Telephone: [phone]
Environmental Manager, Sheffield City Council, 2-10 Carbrook Hall Road, Sheffield $9 2DB
West Midlands Division: John Sweetland - Telephone: [phone]
Consumer Services, Telford & Wrekin Council, Civic Offices, PO Box 214, Telford TF3 4LE
East Midlands Division: Dr. Bill Pearce - Telephone: [phone], ext. 3139
Environmental Health Services, Mansfield DC, Civic Centre, Chesterfield Road South, Mansfield, Notts NG19 7BH
South East Division: Joe Beagle - Telephone: [phone]
19 Oxgate Gardens, Brent, London NW2 6EA
South West Division: David Muir - Telephone: [phone]
Health & Environmental Services, Bristol City Council, Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol BS1 6XN
Wales Division: Robert West - Telephone: [phone]
1 Glynn Collen, Llandbradach, Caerphilly, Glamorgan CF83 3PP
2 Vol. 29 No. 1
TENA RY
1 = >|
(ge9n W8, ee5ee1ee9 OQ9OO9O
199 @@.
LE
Royal Congratulations
for NSCA’s Centenary
Over three hundred members and the Centenary of a very special
friends of NSCA gathered at the organisation indeed - dare | say it,
Banqueting House in Whitehall for a almost the father or mother of all those
reception to mark the Society’s great names | have mentioned. And it is
Centenary on 10 December. HRH The quite a claim to be, what is widely
Prince of Wales attended the event believed to be, the oldest national
and was introduced to many environmental body working for the
members by NSCA President Sir control of pollution in the World.
Crispin Tickell. Prince Charles spoke So | do congratulate the Society on
warmly of the NSCA’s “trailblazing” this occasion.
role in the environmental movement:
The National Society for Clean Air is
“l really am delighted to be able to join an example to us all, and it has
|! am even old enough to remember
achieved remarkable successes by
you here this evening for a very special
London smogs when | was a child, and
bringing people together from different
occasion in the life of the Society, and |
also | remember every evening having
do think that it is a sign of the maturity walks of life, by making practical use of
filthy dirty collars to my shirt and
innovative techniques, and by working
of the environmental movement that
filthy dirty cuffs. So now to find that
with real determination over very long
there are now significant anniversaries
isn’t the case is really quite remarkable,
periods. Now | particularly admire
to celebrate.
but my children have no idea what
the Society’s ability to look to the
| have recently played some part future and think in the long term. The they’re missing!
cy 33 8 .. continued on centre pages
in the anniversary of the Inter- problem of smoke in Victorian cities
national Institute for Environmental must have seemed as intractable a At a glance...
Development, which Sir Crispin knows problem as traffic congestion in our
CENTENARY
only too well, the 50th anniversary of own. But the lesson of your first 100
Centenary report: centre pages
the Soil Association, and the 70th years is surely that these things can be
anniversary of the Council for the tackled if we go about them in the right POLICY
Protection of Rural England. But way, and with sufficient determination Response to NSCA policy agenda: this page
Air quality strategy review: back page
tonight we are here to celebrate and stamina.
National noise strategy: back page
EVENTS
Minister responds to NSCA policy agenda Cleaner fuels conference: back page
Spring workshop: back page
INFORMATION
Michael Meacher has written to Welcoming the Society’s contribution Consumers and the environment:
NSCA Council Chairman Lis Solkhon to the debate on environmental back page
in response to a number of policy policy, Mr Meacher outlines new Parliamentary issues: back page
concerns raised by the Society. The developments on air quality, including PUBLICATIONS
Environment Minister confirms the proposals for objectives for the Centenary book and posters: centre pages
Government’s intention to legislate protection of vegetation and
for a new duty for local authorities ecosystems, and possibly for PM,, and
to promote the economic, social PAHs. He also encourages NSCA to NSCA WEBSITE
and environmental wellbeing of continue developing its own proposals The NSCA website provides instant access to
their areas. for a national noise strategy. all information material, the texts of
factsheets and leaflets. Publications, future
NSCA now intends to campaign for a events, recent press releases and policy
“sustainability clause” to be added to More information from information are also being put online.
the current Local Government Bill, to Tim Williamson at NSCA Please visit the site at
introduce this duty (see back page). Email: [email protected] http://www3.mistral.co.uk/cleanair
clearing
|ee yt ethe Air Photographs of the Prince of Wales m
Earlier in the day, many members atte
Royal Society of Arts, entitled Prospect
Environment Minster Michael Meacher,
for Sustainable Development, DETR Cl
|| Lesae : 5S ee : P- et THHEe f NATIONAL4 00S oYciSETeAAtRy R alS F0aF+ RRP ROCTFLEEECCTTAAIINNOC N a- “AIR Beltran of the European Environmen
: . 4 AND ENVIRONMENTAL gt
Botanic Gardens, and Helena Norbu
Ecology and Culture. A special Centena
Environmental Protection will fez
ee eee ee
A historical perspective of NSCA and air pollution
The Prince of Wales cuts the NSCA Centenary
control, entitled Clearing the Air, was published
for the Centenary. Copies cost £10 and are Birthday cake
available free of charge to NSCA members.
Royal Congratulations
..continued from front page
So your sustained record’ of
achievement puts you in a strong
position, | think, to look at the
international aspects of sustainable
development. And 1! hope that your
conference earlier today will have
produced some interesting ideas. It is
obviously a serious concern that the
developing world will make some of the
same mistakes that the developed
world made only a few generations
ago. When | hear, for instance, that
bicycles are being cleared from some of
the streets in China to make more room
for cars, my heart sinks. But if anyone
can help to address these crucial issues
of urbanisation and pollution in the
many different parts of the World, let
alone this one, | know you can.
Ladies and gentlemen, this Society can Kevin Thomas (r) of the
fairly claim to be the trailblazer for NSCA Scottish Division
all environmental non-governmental celebrated his own
organisations. Where you have led, so half-centenary at
many others have followed. If |m ay say the reception.
so, | think you deserve a wonderful
celebration, and | wish you a very
happy One Hundredth Birthday, and
every possible success for the next 100
years. Many congratulations”.
‘Reception
| 8
|
ag some of the guests at the Reception.
}d a Centenary Conference, held at the
ir a Sustainable World. Speakers included
irn Stigson of the World Business Council
Scientist David Fisk, Domingo Jimenez-
fency, Sir Ghillean Prance of the Royal
lodge of the International Society for NSCA Chairman of
Hition of the NSCA journal Clean Air and Beroen ac Enian
|: highlights of these presentations. eee
The Prince
of Wales
I-r Mike Frend
(UK Petroleum
Industry
Association),
Paddy Kilmartin
(LPG Association),
Mike Schwarz
SEO | (Ford Motor
r Sir Crispin Tickell, John Speirs (NSCA Vice-President), Pee | Company).
Michael Meacher MP (Minister for the Environment),
lbpard MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Environment) One of a set of four full-colour | 3 ae, cee eg
information posters launched at the
Centenary conference. Ten NSCA
member local authorities sponsored
the poster sets:
Oxford City Council
Bristol City Council
North Somerset Council
Bath and North East Somerset Council
Darlington Borough Council
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
Mansfield District Council
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
London Borough of Greenwich
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
NSCA Divisional
l= representatives The A2 format posters are available
| Dr Mary Newlands | from NSCA at £20 +vaT per set; |
(East Midlands) £100 + vat for 10 sets. A leaflet, based | ee ae eg
F and Linda Davies on the posters is also available free |__~_-——
(South East). of charge on request. ene
tin.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Air Quality Strategy Stage. Meanwhile the Society has NSCA calls for National
Review appointed Jessie Robertson as_ its Noise Strategy
' Parliamentary Liaison Officer to help
NSCA has welcomed the Government’s monitor business in parliament and NSCA has written to Environment
Review of the National Air Quality identify opportunities to bring its Minister Michael Meacher asking the
Strategy, which tightens some concerns to parliamentary notice. government to prepare a_ national
deadlines for achieving national air strategy for the reduction of ambient
Details from Tim Williamson at NSCA
quality objectives, but expressed noise. An EU Directive on noise is likely
Email: [email protected]
concern about the relaxation of to require noise mapping and
objectives for particle pollution. “We management plans in major UK cities,
are delighted that the Government has NSCA Spring Workshop and the Society points out that the
tightened, where it can, the national current framework for noise control is
air quality objectives” said Richard Local authorities have largely piecemeal and poorly co-ordinated.
Mills, NSCA Secretary General. completed their first stage of air Details from Tim Williamson at NSCA:
“However we are concerned at the quality review and assessment, and [email protected]
frank acknowledgement that the now face a number of new challenges.
Details from Tim Williamson at NSCA
current health-based standards for The NSCA Spring Workshop will provide
Email: [email protected]
particle pollution are unlikely to be an overview of developments in air
reached by the year 2005. Particles quality management, including the
cause an estimated 8,000 early deaths implications of the Government’s Cleaner Fuels
each year, and the Government must Review of the National Air Quality
redouble its efforts to tackle pollution Strategy for undertaking second and NSCA is co-operating with the LP Gas
at source”. third stage review and assessments. The Association in a conference on
annual Workshop, which has environmental and operational aspects
The Society called on Ministers to take
established a reputation for bringing of using LPG as a motor fuel. The venue
further measures to tackle traffic
together UK opinion formers, will be is the Royal Society of Arts in London
pollution, by extending local authority
held at Milton Hill Training Centre, and the date is 24 February.
powers for congestion charging and
near Abingdon on 18 and 19 March.
parking taxation, planned for the Details from LPGA on 01425 461612.
Greater London Authority Bill, to the Full programme on request
rest of the UK; and by introducing from NSCA.
further fiscal measures to encourage Consumers and the
cleaner fuels and less polluting modes Environment
of transport. Northern Ireland: Air
Quality Management NSCA has given oral evidence to the
Environment Select Committee on
Parliamentary Issues Northern Ireland took an important reducing the environmental impact of
step towards air quality management consumer products. The Society has
With a new session of Parliament now in January with a major conference for pointed out the potential role for local
under way, NSCA is campaigning to local authorities on air quality review authorities in advising consumers
amend the Local Government Bill in and assessment, sponsored by the about environmental issues, and
order to give local authorities a duty Northern Ireland Environment encouraging local initiatives which
to promote the social, economic and Department, NSCA and the CIEH. promote more sustainable patterns
environmental wellbeing of their of consumption.
Pollution levels in the Belfast area are
areas. NSCA Council concluded that
among the most severe in the UK, and Details from Tim Brown at NSCA
this was an essential step in promoting
NSCA has been urging voluntary Email: [email protected]
sustainable development at _ local
introduction of local air quality
level. The Council endorsed the view
management ahead _ of formal
of NSCA’s Local Environmental
enactment of legislation, to parallel
Management Forum that sustainability
that already in place elsewhere in the
should be regarded as an essential
UK. NSCA warmly welcomed the
aspect of the Bill’s objectives of
economy, efficiency and effectiveness Northern Ireland Office’s initiative in NSCA News is
promoting the conference, which took
for local authorities. published with the
as its starting point a milestone report,
generous assistance
The issue has already been raised Air Quality in Northern Ireland,
successfully during the Bill’s Second prepared by the Northern Ireland of Norsk Hydro.
Reading debate, and NSCA hopes to Pollution Control Group, led by Ivan
promote an amendment at Committee Gregg of Belfast City Council.
© National Society for ¢
136 North ' , Brightor
Secretary General: Richare
Produced and printed by NSCA ¢
- Editorial
SUCCESSFUL PAST, CHALLENGING FUTURE
One of the advantages of launching a year of centenary celebrations - as NSCA just has - is
that it focuses our attention on the inevitable question: where does the Society go from here?
Our recently published history* Clearing the Air shows that we have some major
achievements behind us, but there is more to do.
At the centenary conference in December we published a statement of current policy
priorities*. One of the most important is to ensure that the current framework for assessing
and managing air quality, which the Society worked so hard to secure, is implemented
effectively. This will involve close liaison across the range of air quality management
interests, something which NSCA is uniquely placed to facilitate. We must continue to speak
authoritatively on air pollution issues as they affect different sectors - industry, transport,
domestic - and overlap with other areas of environmental policy - land use, climate change,
sustainable development, noise, and so on.
There is no doubt that the measurement, and indications of trends, in air quality will become
important in tracking the progress of sustainable development in the UK. Air pollution is one
of a small number of “headline” national indicators for sustainable development, whilst at
local level air quality will be a central theme of Local Agenda 21 Plans with direct relevance
to health, transport, biodiversity and quality of life issues. NSCA expects to deepen its
involvement in the interpretation and communication of air quality data, as part of a wider
remit to encourage a balanced approach to the management of the local environment. The
Society’s Local Environmental Management Forum is embarking on a number of specific
projects to take this forward.
NSCA’s long history also shows the benefits of a membership which includes industry, local
authorities, regulators and researchers. Industrial pollution will remain a key issue for the
Society as regulatory policies develop in the light of the EU Directive on Integrated Pollution
Prevention and Control, and the adoption of environmental management systems.
Essentially, NSCA plans to build on its expertise in areas where it already has a proven track
record: air quality, noise, transport, energy, industrial pollution. We must work these into a
coherent approach to environmental management at local, national, and - through our
worldwide contacts - international level. Linking this with a realistic framework for assessing
the economic and social benefits of environmental protection is really what sustainable
development is all about. This is the challenge for the future.
*Available on request from NSCA Head Office
3
Vol. 29 No. 1
NSCA News & Views clean air
NSCA News & Views
NSCA POLICY
to promote a framework for demand management, particularly in
COMMITTEE developing and sharing good the commercial sector.
practice in local air quality
PRIORITIES National Noise Committee
management.
It has been said that noise policy in
1998-99 The current priority for Local Air
this country is at the same position as
Quality Management sar athe
air quality was some ten years ago. The
The NSCA’s committee structure has development of partnerships, both
major task, therefore, is to accelerate
been and still is undergoing a period of within and external to the normal
progress on noise issues such that it is
reformation and change, both in terms local authority structures. The “good
seen on an equal footing with air
of the remit and operation of the practice in consultation” guide will be
quality management in the near
existing committees and in the central to this, and the Spring
future. This will require a shift in
breadth of issues covered. This paper Workshop will be dealing with these
emphasis away from specific, local
focuses principally on the short to general themes. In addition, the
issues such as domestic noise, towards
medium term priorities of the three Committee will maintain a close watch
the consideration of ambient noise
existing policy committees. It also on the Local Air Quality management
levels and the reduction’ of
covers other initiatives outside the system and be prepared to respond on
environmental noise.
main committee structure, such as the an ad hoc basis to issues as they arise.
Cleaner Fuels Forum, as well as specific The central plank of the Committee’s
The consultation paper on_ the
policy development projects already work will be the campaign to develop
proposed changes to the National Air
established or proposed in such areas a coherent UK Noise Strategy. The
Quality Strategy is due for publication
as smoke control, industrial Committee aimed to _ produce
at the end of 1998. The Committee will
regulation, cleaner technology and proposals for such a strategy in some
be developing a detailed consultation
transboundary pollution. form by the end of 1998.
response, along the same lines as its
Air Quality Committee influential responses to the draft The development and, ultimately, the
strategy and to the Pollutant Specific implementation of the EU Directive on
Recent years have seen a massive
Guidance. Noise will also be a key priority. The
amount of policy development and
Directive is likely to come into force,
legislation in air quality areas, such The Committee regards training and
at least in part, in 2002 but there will
that we now have a_ complete education as vital and there is a full
be a role in gearing up UK local
statutory framework for assessing and commitment to the _ further
authorities to the implication of the
addressing air quality problems. While development of teaching resources for
Directive and in lobbying the
some gaps in the detail, still remain, schools from the base _ already
Government on issues of concern to
particularly in the provision § of established by the Transport Emissions
the Committee which arise both from
legislative tools to deal with air quality Assessment for Schools (TEAS) pack. A
negotiations on the content of the
problems, the next few years are likely new resource, to be produced in
Directive and from the working groups
to see a period of consolidation while partnership with a firm of professional
with the Commission’s DG XI. The
the system is implemented. The main publishers of educational material, is
likely content of the Directive is
elements of the Committee’s work will timetabled for the Don’t Choke Britain
already apparent and there is now an
therefore be: Campaign in 1999 and will form part of
Opportunity to explore the options for
the Centenary Celebrations.
# to monitor and contribute to the the reduction of environmental noise
review of the Strategy, helping Implementation of the Transport prior to implementation.
to ensure that it makes the best White Paper will become increasingly
Local Environmental
practical contribution to important. The implementation of
Management Forum
improving air quality; traffic planning measures will, to a
large extent, determine the rate of Despite having been established only a
e to develop and promote new
local air quality improvements relatively short time, the Forum has
policy instruments to help local
towards 2005. The Committee will moved rapidly forward on the three
authorities in particular achieve
therefore need to become more project areas it set out earlier in the
their targets under the strategy;
involved with the business of year. In addition to the continued
and
transport change both at a policy level development of these, the Forum will
@ through the wide range of and in the provision of advice and Operate as a means of formulating
Organisations and_ interests training on specific issues, such as policies to ensure good environmental
represented on the Committee, school travel plans and transport
Vol. 29 No. 1