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UN regional group
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Year
Ambient Air Quality Standards
- In a legislative or legislatively empowered 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
- 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 61 - 70 of 109 resultsDecreto 22 - Establece Norma de Calidad Secundaria de Aire para Anhídrido Sulfuroso (SO2).| 2010 |Regulation
ChileEl documento establece una norma secundaria de calidad de aire para el dióxido de azufre (SO2) en Chile, con el objetivo de proteger los recursos naturales y la salud pública frente a los efectos adversos de este contaminante. En el contexto de la Ley sobre Bases Generales del Medio Ambiente, se busca actualizar y mejorar la normativa existente, introduciendo criterios de percentiles para la...
KeywordsSulphur dioxideLegislation | 2010 |Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUnited Kingdom Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 Statutory Instrument 1001 of 2010 Commenced on 11 June 2010 [This is the version of this document at 1 March 2024.] The Secretary of State, having been designated M1 for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 M2 in relation to the environment, makes the following Regulations under the powers conferred by that section...Decree-Law No. 102/2010 establishing the regime for the assessment and management of ambient air quality,| 2010 |Legislation
PortugalThis Decree-Law is composed of seven chapters divided into 45 articles and 21 Annexes. It regulates air quality management and introduces in the national legislation EU Directive No. 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 21 May, and EU Directive No. 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 December on air quality. The Decree-Law thoroughly regulates air...
KeywordsAir quality, Particulate matter, PM10, Ambient air, Legislation, Nitrogen monoxide, Air quality monitoring, Air pollution, PM2.5, Concentrations, Compliance, Benzene, Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Sulphur dioxideAmbient Air Quality Regulations (L.N. 478 of 2010).| 2010 |Regulation
MaltaThese Regulations implement Directive 2004/107/EC relating to arsenic, cadmium, mercury and nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air and Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe.
KeywordsAir quality monitoring, Legislation, Ambient air, Concentrations, Monitoring stations, Air quality, Zoning, Concentration-based standards, Pollutants, Ozone, Future standards, Zones, Agglomerations, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PM2.5, PM10, Nitrogen dioxide, Allowed exceedances, Data quality, Air pollution, Air quality modelling, Benzo(a)pyrene, Compliance, Particulate matter, Alert thresholds, Benzene, Industrial sources, Sulphur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Elemental carbon, Air quality plans, Ambient air pollution, Monitoring data, Nitrogen monoxide, Organic carbon, Point source emissions, Best available techniques, Mobile point sources, Volatile organic compounds, Vulnerable groupsArrêté du Gouvernement wallon relatif à l'évaluation et la gestion de la qualité de l'air ambiant.| 2010 |Regulation
BelgiumLe présent arrêté a pour objectifs d'organiser l'évaluation et la gestion de la qualité de l'air ambiant en vue de: 1) définir et fixer des objectifs concernant la qualité de l'air ambiant afin d'éviter, de prévenir ou de réduire les effets nocifs pour la santé humaine et pour l'environnement dans son ensemble; 2) évaluer la qualité de l'air ambiant sur la base de méthodes et de critères communs...
KeywordsZoning, Zones, Concentrations, Agglomerations, PM2.5, Benzo(a)pyrene, PM10, Benzene, Air pollution, Industrial sources, Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate matter, Methane, Nitrogen monoxideCabinet 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 compoundsRegulation on Reduction and Prevention of Air Pollution.| 2009 |Regulation
AfghanistanThis Regulation is enacted to establish the goals for reduction and prevention of air pollution, prevention of damages to the human beings and environment by the high risk air pollution and prevention of spread and distribution of changing elements of the physical and chemical structure of air. The Regulation identifies the air polluting elements including automobiles and motoring vehicles...
KeywordsAir pollution, Legislation, Industrial sources, Concentration-based standardsAir 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...Legislation | 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...Pagination
- PM10 (20 μg/m3 annual mean)