Air pollution

Local Authorities are required to carry out regular reviews and assessments of air quality in their areas. This involves measuring air pollution and trying to predict how it will change in the next few years. The aim of the review is to make sure that thenational air quality objectives. (opens new window) will be achieved throughout the UK by the relevant deadlines. These objectives have been put in place to protect people's health and the environment.

These arereported annually to DEFRA. If an exceedance of any objectives are likely the Local Authority is required to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and then prepare an Action Plan which outlines what must be done to meet the objectives in future. This area could be just one or two streets, or it could be much bigger.

In Breckland, we have two continuous monitoring stations: one at East Wretham, which is equipped to monitor fine particles (PM₁₀) oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and one in Swaffham that monitors oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The stations measure 15 minute averages so we can see the daily fluctuations in pollutant concentrations.

View Breckland District Council's monitoring data on the AQE website (opens new window).

We currently have a district wide nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) network of over 30 NO₂ diffusion tubes. Diffusion tubes measure monthly average pollutant concentrations and allow the annual average to be measured.

The figures from the continuous monitors and the diffusion tubes are used in the reports made to DEFRA.

Information on our AQMA can be found on theDEFRA website (opens new window).