The Environment Act 1995 (Part IV) requires Suffolk Coastal to
carry out periodic reviews of current and likely future air quality
in its area under
the Local Air Quality Management (new window)
regime. These reviews follow Government guidance issued in 2000
and 2002 that set health-based air quality objectives for seven
key pollutants and target dates for their achievement.
Local review and assessment
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
has set out a phased approach to local review and assessment that
becomes increasingly more detailed. At the end of the review and
assessment, if any of the objectives are not likely to be achieved
by the target dates, the Council must declare the location as an
Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and prepare an action plan to
make improvements.
All air quality reports produced by Suffolk
Coastal since 1999 are available on this website for you to
view or download.
First round of review and assessment
The first round of review and assessment for Suffolk Coastal was
completed in 2001 and consisted of three stages. The findings of
the first round were that the air quality objectives for all seven
pollutants would be met within the Suffolk Coastal district and no
AQMAs were declared.
Second round of review and assessment
The second round of review and assessment was completed in 2005,
the format of which followed updated guidance. An Updating and
Screening Assessment was published in 2003, a Detailed Assessment
in 2004 and a Progress Report in 2005.
The findings of the second round were that the air quality
objectives for benzene, 1,3-butadiene, lead, carbon monoxide would
be met within the Suffolk Coastal district and no further
assessment was necessary. For nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and
particulate matter the review and assessment concluded that there
was a potential risk of the air quality objectives being
exceeded.
Further investigation was required to assess emissions of
nitrogen dioxide from traffic using the junction of Lime Kiln Quay
Road, Thoroughfare, and St. John’s Street in Woodbridge (Woodbridge
junction), and emissions of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and
particulate matter from activities on and associated with the Port
of Felixstowe.
Follow this link for more information about
air quality monitoring at
the Woodbridge junction.
Third round of review and assessment
The third round of review and assessment began in 2005 and has
recently been completed.
The Updating and Screening Assessment Report was produced in
September 2006 and determined that further investigation in the
form of Detailed Assessment monitoring and computer modelling was
required to investigate emissions of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur
dioxide and particulate matter from activities on and associated
with the Port of Felixstowe, including future predictions for 2010
with the Felixstowe South Reconfiguration on-line.
Follow these links for more information about
the air quality assessment at
Felixstowe and to
give us your views on the Detailed
Assessment for Adastral Close and Ferry Road, Felixstowe.
2008 Air Quality Progress Report
Completing the third round of review and assessment, the
2008 Air Quality Progress Report (new window PDF
2.39MB) for the Suffolk Coastal district has also been
produced. This includes updates for both the
Woodbridge and
Felixstowe investigations.
Follow this link to
give us your views on the 2008 Air
Quality Progress Report..
If you would like more information or if you have any questions
about any aspect of our air quality work please contact our
Environmental Protection team on 01394 444624 or
email
environment.protection@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk