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Search Global Air Quality Laws
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UN regional group
- African Group
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Year
Ambient Air Quality Standards
- In a legislative or legislatively empowered instrument
- In a non-binding instrument
Responsibility for air quality standards
- National government
- State/provincial government
- Local government
- Shared responsibility
Indoor Air Quality Standards
- Yes
Type of instrument
- Primary legislation
- Other primary legislation
- Secondary legislation
- Policy linked to the legislative framework
- Policy/guidance
- More than one
Nature of legal obligations
- Duty to meet AAQS (Binding legislative obligation on the state)
- Duty to take BPM to meet standard
- Escalating duty to take action (if AQ worsens)
- Duty to report to public authority
- Duty to plan for achieving AAQS
- Emergency planning requirements for dangerous AQ levels
Exceedances
- Generally allowed exceedances
- Other allowed exceedances (emergency reasons/natural events)
Compliance with WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2005)
-
PM2.5 (10 μg/m3 annual mean 25 μg/m3 24-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.
- PM10 (20 μg/m3 annual mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- PM10 (50 μg/m3 24-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- Ozone (100 μg/m3 8-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- NO2 (40 μg/m3 annual mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- NO2 (200 μg/m3 1-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- SO2 (20 μg/m3 24-hour mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- SO2 (500 μg/m3 10-minute mean)
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.- Newly acknowledged pollutants
The WHO Air quality guidelines are a set of evidence-based recommendations of limit values for specific air pollutants developed to help countries achieve air quality that protects public health. The first release of the guidelines was in 1987. Since then, several updated versions have appeared. This toolkit currently assesses countries against the 2005 guideline values (see here). The guidelines were updated more recently in 2021 (see here) and the legislation and policies presented in this toolkit will in the future be reassessed against these updated values.Legal requirement to monitor
Procedural and substantive rights
- Public right to air quality data (including general right to environmental information)
- Legal right to participate in setting AAQS in legislation
- Legal right to participate in devising air quality plans or actions in legislation
- Legal rights of access to justice (linked directly to air quality framework)
Legal coordination of policy to achieve AAQS
- Legal link between air quality standards and decision-making on projects
- Legally mandated policy coordination for air quality
Enforcement mechanisms
- Criminal
- Civil
- Administrative
- Bespoke enforcement mechanism
- Multi-level governance mechanism (eg EU Commission)
Provisions for transboundary air pollution
- Yes
Showing 71 - 80 of 122 resultsAir Pollution Control Regulations.| 2009 |Regulation
AndorraThe purpose of this text is, as per its Chapter one, to regulate the activities and situations that produce air pollution; to establish, regulate and control potentially polluting activities in the atmosphere; to define and set air quality objectives and methods for informing the public; to determine tools and mechanisms to monitor and correct air pollution situations. Air pollution is to be...
KeywordsAir pollution, Concentration-based standards, Zones, Zoning, Legislation, Air quality monitoring, Air quality, Inspection, Public health, Concentrations, Air quality standards, Particulate matter, PM10, Nitrogen monoxide, PM2.5Legislation | 2009 |National Ambient Air Quality Standards
IndiaIndia Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 National Ambient Air Quality Standards Published on 18 November 2009 Commenced [This is the version of this document from 18 November 2009.] No.B-29016/20/90/PCI-L—In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (2) (h) of section 16 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (Act No. 14 of 1981), and in super session of...Cabinet Regulation No. 1290 on Ambient Air Quality| 2009 |Regulation
LatviaThe Regulation prescribes quality standards for outdoor air in the troposphere (excluding workplaces) in the territory of Latvia, as well as deadlines for ensuring of ambient air quality standards; permissible level of air pollutants in the environment and characteristic values thereof; parameters, monitoring methods and methods which are used in order to determine exceedance of the relevant...
KeywordsConcentrations, Legislation, Air quality monitoring, Air quality, Concentration-based standards, Ambient air, Monitoring stations, Air quality standards, Ambient air quality standards, Zoning, Pollutants, Future standards, Agglomerations, Particulate matter, Zones, PM10, Air pollution, Ozone, Alert thresholds, Nitrogen dioxide, Allowed exceedances, Benzo(a)pyrene, Compliance, PM2.5, Ambient air pollution, Benzene, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Sulphur dioxide, Air quality modelling, Carbon monoxide, Data quality, Nitrogen oxides, Vulnerable groups, Access to information, Industrial sources, Nitrogen monoxide, Elemental carbon, Monitoring data, Volatile organic compoundsDécret nº 2-09-286 fixant les normes de qualité de l'air et les modalités de surveillance de l'air.| 2009 |Regulation
MoroccoLe présent décret a pour objet de fixer les normes de qualité de l'air et de définir les modalités de mise en place des réseaux de surveillance de la qualité de l'air telles que prévues aux articles 3, 4 et 24 de la loi n° 13-03. qui vise la prévention et la lutte contre les émissions de polluants atmosphériques susceptibles de porter atteinte à la santé de l'homme, à la faune, au sol, au climat...
KeywordsAir pollution, Concentrations, Agglomerations, Benzene, Nitrogen dioxide, Sulphur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Zones, Zoning, OzoneDecreto Nº 5 - Normas ambientales de emisiones de fuentes fijas.| 2009 |Regulation
PanamaEl presente Decreto tiene por objeto establecer los límites máximos permisibles de emisiones al aire producidas por fuentes fijas con el fin de proteger de la contaminación atmosférica la salud de la población, los recursos naturales y la calidad del ambiente.
KeywordsNitrogen dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur dioxide, Elemental carbon, Sulphur oxidesLegislation | 2009 |National Ambient Air Quality Standards
South AfricaSouth Africa National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 National Ambient Air Quality Standards Government Notice 1210 of 2009 Published in Government Gazette 32816 on 24 December 2009 Commenced on 24 December 2009 [This is the version of this document from 24 December 2009.] I, Buyelwa Patience Sonjica, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, in terms of section 9(1) of the Act...Clean Air Ordinance.| 2008 |Regulation
LiechtensteinThe present Ordinance implements the Environment Protection Act of 29 May 2008. In particular, the Ordinance shall protect human beings, animals, plants and their organized communities, as well as the soil against harmful and annoying air pollution. Moreover, the Ordinance shall reduce green house gas emissions. The text consists of 34 articles divided into 5 Parts as follows: General provisions...
KeywordsAir pollution, Nitrogen dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, PM10, PM2.5, Benzene, Zones, Zoning, Sulphur dioxide, Sulphur oxidesRegulation on air quality assessment and management.| 2008 |Regulation
TurkeyThis Regulation sets forth principles and objectives concerning air quality so as to avoid or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole. It lays down provisions governing the assessment of air quality on the basis of defined methods and criteria. Furthermore, it defines procedures to obtain adequate information on air quality and ensure that it is made available to the...
KeywordsConcentration-based standards, Legislation, Air quality, PM10, PM2.5, Nitrogen dioxide, Air quality modelling, Sulphur dioxide, Particulate matter, Benzo(a)pyreneAir Quality (Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air) Regulations, 2007 (P.I. 111/2007).| 2007 |Regulation
CyprusThe objectives of this Directive shall be to: (a) establish a target value for the concentration of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and benzo(a)pyrene in ambient air so as to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on human health and the environment as a whole; (b) ensure, with respect to arsenic, cadmium, nickel and polycyclic aromatic...
KeywordsPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Ambient air, Air quality, Concentrations, Legislation, Future standards, Benzo(a)pyreneEnforcement Decree of the Clean Air Conservation Act (Presidential Decree No. 20383 of 2007).| 2007 |Regulation
Republic of KoreaThis Decree implements provisions of the Clean Air Conservation Act. It provides among other things for: areas subject to air pollution alert; measures for the prevention of damage caused by yellow dust; composition of the Yellow Dust Prevention Committee; installation of emission facilities; emission of pollutants dues; the use of low-sulfur oil, clean fuel and solid fuel; regulations on volatile...
KeywordsAir pollution, Enforcement, Industrial sources, Pollutants, Concentrations, Legislation, Permitting, Volatile organic compounds, Inspection, Air quality monitoring, Concentration-based standards, Sulphur oxides, Air quality, Compliance, Ozone, PM10, PM2.5, Air quality modelling, Burning, Nitrogen oxidesPagination
- PM10 (20 μg/m3 annual mean)