The Scottish Environment Statistics

The Scottish Environment Statistics - 1998

4. ATMOSPHERE

Table 4.19 Ambient Air Quality Guidelines for NO₂, SO₂, O₃, CO, PM10 and lead

Guideline set by Description Criteria based on Value / ppb (mgm^-3)

DETR¹
- Air Pollution Bandings

DETR¹
- UK Air Quality Strategy
LOW Air Pollution
MODERATE Air Pollution
HIGH Air Pollution
V HIGH Air Pollution

Objective
Objective
1-hour mean

1-hour mean
Annual Mean
< 150 (287)
150 - 299 (287 - 572)
300 - 399 (573 - 763)
>= 400 (764)

150 (287)
21 (40)

Expert Panel on
Air Quality Standards Health Guideline 1-hour mean 150 (287)

European Community Limit Value
Guide Value
Guide Value Calendar year of data;
98%ile of hourly means.
98%ile of hourly means.
50%ile of hourly means. 104.6 (200)
70.6 (135)
26.2 (50)

World Health Organisation
(Revised Interim Guidelines) Health Guideline
Health Guideline 1-hour mean
Annual mean 110 (200)
21-26 (40-50)

United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe Vegetation Guideline Annual mean 15 (29)

b: Sulphur Dioxide

Guideline set by Description Criteria based on Value / ppb (mgm^-3)

DETR¹
- Air Pollution Bandings

DETR¹
- UK Air Quality Strategy
LOW Air Pollution
MODERATE Air Pollution
HIGH Air Pollution
V HIGH Air Pollution

Objective
15-minute mean

99.9 %ile of
15-minute means
< 100 (266)
100 - 199 (266 - 531)
200 - 399 (532 - 1063)
>= 400 (1064)

100 (266)

Expert Panel on
Air Quality Standards Health Guideline 15-minute mean 100 (266)

European Community Limit Value
Limit Value
Limit Value³
Guide Value
Guide Value
Pollution Year
(median of daily values)
Winter (median of daily
values October -March)
Pollution Year
(98%ile of daily values)
Pollution Year
(mean of daily values)
24 Hours (daily mean value) 30 (80) if smoke² > 34
45 (120) if sm. <= 34
49 (130) if sm. > 51
68 (180) if sm. <= 51
94 (250) if sm. > 128
131 (350) if sm. <= 128
15 - 23 (40 - 60)
38 - 56 (100 - 150)

World Health Organisation
(Revised Interim Guidelines) Health Guideline
Health Guideline
Health Guideline 10-minute mean
24-hour meanAnnual Mean 175 (500)
44 (125)
17 (50)

United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe Vegetation Guideline
Vegetation Guideline Daily mean
Annual mean 26 (70)
7.5 (20)

¹ DETR = UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

² Limits for black smoke are given in 1gm^-3 for the BSI method as used in the UK.
The limits should be stated in the EC Directive relate to the OECD method, where OECD = BSI/0.85.

³ Member states must take all appropriate steps to ensure that three consecutive days do not exceed this limit value.

c: Ozone

Guideline set by Description Criteria based on Value / ppb (mgm^-3)

DETR¹
- Air Pollution Bandings

DETR¹
- UK Air Quality Strategy
LOW Air Pollution
MODERATE Air Pollution
HIGH Air Pollution
V HIGH Air Pollution

Objective
Running 8-hour mean
Running 8-hour mean
1-hour mean
1-hour mean

97th %ile of daily maximum
running 8-hour means
< 50 (100)
50 - 89 (100 - 179)
90 - 179 (180 - 359)
>= 180 (360)

50 (100)

Expert Panel on
Air Quality Standards Health Guideline Running 8-hour mean 50 (100)

European Community Population Information Threshold
Population Warning Value
Health Protection Threshold
Vegetation Protection Threshold
Vegetation Protection Threshold
1-hour mean
1-hour mean
Fixed 8-hour means
(hours 1-8, 9-16, 17-0, 13-20)
1-hour mean
24-hour mean 90 (180)
180 (360)
55 (110)
100 (200)
32 (65)

World Health Organisation
(Revised Interim Guidelines) Health Guideline Running 8-hour mean 60 (120)

United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe Vegetation Guideline
Vegetation Guideline
Vegetation Guideline Growing Season⁴ mean
1-hour mean
Running 8-hour mean 25 (50)
75 (150)
30 (60)

⁴ Growing season is defined as April to September for WHO guidelines, but is daytime (0900-1500) April to September for UNECE guidelines.

d: Carbon monoxide

e: PM10 particulate matter

Guideline set by Description Criteria based on Value / ppb (�gm^-3)

DETR¹
- Air Pollution Bandings

DETR¹
- UK Air Quality Strategy
LOW Air Pollution
MODERATE Air Pollution
HIGH Air Pollution
V HIGH Air Pollution

Objective
Running 24-hour mean

99th %ile of daily maximum
running 24-hour means
< 50
50 - 74
75 - 99
>= 100

50

Expert Panel on
Air Quality Standards Health Guideline Running 24-hour mean 50

European Community - - -

World Health Organisation
(Revised Interim Guidelines) - - -

United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe - - -

f: Lead

Expert Panel on
Air Quality Standards

Guideline set by Description Criteria based on Value / ppb (�gm^-3)

DETR¹
- Air Pollution Bandings
DETR¹
- UK Air Quality Strategy
-

Objective
-

Annual Mean
-

500

- - -

European Community - Annual Mean 2000

World Health Organisation
(Revised Interim Guidelines) - Annual Mean 500 - 1,000

United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe - - -