Legislation Explorer | UNEP Law and Environment Assistance Platform

Search Global Air Quality Laws

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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Compliant with WHO guideline
- Weaker than WHO guideline
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.
- Yes

Showing 11 - 20 of 60 results

Regulation

| 2017 |

Finland

Government Decree on air quality (No. 79 of 2017).

The present Decree implements Directive 2008/50/EC and complements the Environmental Protection Act on matters related to air quality. Section 3 specifies the authorities' tasks in monitoring the quality of the air. Municipalities shall in their territories oversee the air quality in accordance with Section 143 of the Environmental Act. Industry, traffic and environmental centres shall have...

Keywords

Air quality, PM10, Nitrogen dioxide, Air quality monitoring, PM2.5, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur dioxide, Particulate matter, Nitrogen monoxide, Concentration-based standards, Concentrations, Ambient air, Benzene, Carbon monoxide, Ozone, Future standards, Pollutants, Elemental carbon, Organic carbon, Access to information

Regulation

| 2017 |

North Macedonia

Decree amending and supplementing the Decree on limit values for levels and types of pollutants in ambient air and alert thresholds, deadlines for reaching limit values, tolerance margins for limit value, target values and long-term goals.

This amending Regulation establishes new criteria for managing air quality, focusing on alarm and information thresholds for PM10 concentrations. It introduces a definition of "stable weather conditions," updates section titles to address thresholds and deadlines, and mandates alerts when PM10 levels exceed limits for two consecutive days during stable weather. Emphasis is placed on systematic...

Keywords

Concentration-based standards, PM10, Concentrations, Alert thresholds, Pollutants, Ambient air, Future standards, Legislation, Air quality, Air quality monitoring

Regulation

| 2017 |

Cyprus

Regulations No. 38 of 2017 on Ambient Air Quality (Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air) (Amendments).

These Regulations implementing European Commission Directive on the assessment of air quality, amend the Air Quality (Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air) Regulations, no. 111 of 2007. The amendments concern: environmental standards, focusing on chemical pollutants and their permissible limits; contaminants present in ambient air; level of...

Keywords

Ambient air, Benzo(a)pyrene, Legislation, Air quality, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Concentration-based standards, Concentrations, Pollutants, Industrial sources, Pollution abatement technologies

Regulation

| 2017 |

Cyprus

Regulations No. 37 of 2017 on the Quality of Atmospheric Air (Limit Values for Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides, Particulate Matter, Lead. Carbon Monoxide, Benzene and Ozone in Atmospheric Air) (Amendments).

These Regulations, implementing provisions of the European Commission Directive no. 2015/1480 on assessment of ambient air quality, amend Air Quality (Limit Values for Sulpur Dioxine, Nitrogen Dioxine, Nitrogen Oxides, Oxides of nitrogen, Particulate Matter, Lead, Benzene, Carbon Monoxide and Ozone in Ambient Air) Regulations, no. 327 of 2010. Amendment concerns: updating of concentration limits...

Keywords

Legislation, Concentration-based standards, Nitrogen oxides, Particulate matter, Carbon monoxide, Benzene, Ambient air, Ozone, Air quality, Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Pollutants, Air quality monitoring, Concentrations, Monitoring stations, Air pollution

Regulation

| 2017 |

Denmark

Order on assessment and management of air quality BEK no 1472 of 12/12/2017

Keywords

Air quality, PM2.5, PM10, Zones, Zoning, Nitrogen dioxide, Air quality monitoring, Particulate matter, Nitrogen oxides, Ambient air, Carbon monoxide, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen monoxide, Benzene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Best available techniques, Concentrations

Legislation

| 2017 |

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Decree on the National Environmental Standard No. 0832/MONRE, 2015

Keywords

Permitting, Pollutants, Legislation, Air quality monitoring, Nitrogen monoxide, Inspection

Regulation

| 2016 |

Belarus

Decree No. 113 of the Ministry of Public Health validating the Regulation on maximum allowable concentration limits of pollutants and relatively safe level of hazardous substances in the atmospheric air of public recreational areas.

This Decree establishes maximum allowable concentration limits of pollutants and relatively safe level of hazardous substances in the atmospheric air of public recreational areas, including emissions.

Keywords

Nitrogen monoxide, Public health, Concentrations, Legislation, Sulphur dioxide, Concentration-based standards, Pollutants, Nitrogen dioxide

Regulation

| 2016 |

Estonia

Regulation No. 75 of 2016 of Minister of the Environment of Estonia on the air quality limit values and target values, other air quality limit values and air quality assessment limits

This Regulation provides for air quality limit values; the rate of exceeding the permissible air quality limit value; air quality target values; the number of permitted exceedances of the air quality limit value and target value per calendar year; critical level of air quality; air quality alert level; the level of air quality information and the long-term objective; air quality assessment limits...

Keywords

Air quality, PM2.5, Concentration-based standards, Future standards, Legislation, Concentrations, PM10, Nitrogen dioxide, Sulphur dioxide, Benzene, Allowed exceedances, Permitting, Carbon monoxide, Ammonia, Nitrogen oxides

Legislation | 2016 |

Australia

National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure

Australia National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure Measure ENVIRONMENT-PROTECTION-AMBIENT-AIR-QUALITY of 2016 Commenced [This is the version of this document at 18 May 2021.] Part 1 – Preliminary 1 Citation This Measure may be cited as the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure. 2 Definitions (1) This section defines particular words and expressions used...

Regulation

| 2016 |

Iceland

Regulation on sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxides, benzene, carbon dioxide, particulate matter and lead in the atmosphere, the concentration of ozone at the earth's surface and on information to the public.

Keywords

Legislation, PM10, PM2.5, Sulphur dioxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Benzene, Particulate matter, Air quality monitoring, Concentrations, Ambient air, Ozone, Air quality, Nitrogen monoxide, Carbon monoxide

Search Global Air Quality Laws

Year

Ambient Air Quality Standards

Responsibility for air quality standards

Indoor Air Quality Standards

Type of instrument

Nature of legal obligations

Exceedances

Compliance with WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2005)

Legal requirement to monitor

Procedural and substantive rights

Legal coordination of policy to achieve AAQS

Enforcement mechanisms

Provisions for transboundary air pollution

Search Global Air Quality Laws

Country

UN regional group

Year

Ambient Air Quality Standards

Responsibility for air quality standards

Indoor Air Quality Standards

Type of instrument

Nature of legal obligations

Exceedances

Compliance with WHO Air Quality Guidelines (2005)

Legal requirement to monitor

Procedural and substantive rights

Legal coordination of policy to achieve AAQS

Enforcement mechanisms

Provisions for transboundary air pollution