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 261 - 270 of 279 results

Legislation | 1991 |

Republic of Korea

Clean Air Conservation Act

The purpose of this Act is to enable all people to live in a healthy and comfortable environment, by preventing air pollution which causes harm to people and the environment, and by managing and conserving the atmospheric environment in a proper and sustainable manner. The Minister of Environment shall install network measuring devices, and measure at all times the degree of air pollution in Korea...

Legislation

| 1989 |

China

Environmental Protection Law.

This Law aims to protect and improve the environment, prevent and control pollution and other public hazards, safeguard public health, enhance the construction of ecological civilization and promote sustainable economic and social development. This Law consists of 7 Chapters divided into 70 articles: General Provisions (I); Supervision and administration (II); Environment protection and...

Keywords

Air quality monitoring, Concentrations, Public health, Pollutants, Zoning, Public participation, Industrial sources, Environmental impact assessments, Air pollution, Permitting, Legislation, Zones, Inspection, Air quality standards, Compliance, Monitoring data, Monitoring stations, Stakeholders, Enforcement, Non-point sources

Constitution

| 1987 |

Suriname

Constitution of the Republic of Suriname.

Keywords

Legislation, Zones, Zoning, Concentrations, Substantive human rights, Workers, Concentration-based standards, Compliance, Inspection, Constitutional rights, Permitting

Legislation | 1985 |

Switzerland

Ordonnance sur la protection de l’air, 1985

The aforementioned ordinance aims primarily to protect the environment, human health, and ecosystems against the harmful effects of air pollution. It establishes a regulatory framework to limit emissions from stationary installations and transport infrastructure, while incorporating principles of sustainability and the preservation of ecological balance. The implementation plan for the ordinance...

Legislation | 1981 |

India

Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

An Act to provide for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution, for the establishment, with a view to carrying out the aforesaid purposes, of Boards, for conferring on and assigning to such Boards powers and functions relating thereto and for matters connected therewith. This Act, consisting of 54 sections divided into seven Chapters, and covering the whole of India, sets provisions...

Regulation

| 1980 |

Marshall Islands

Trust Territory Air Pollution Control Standards and Regulations.

These U.S.A. Standards and Regulations are made to control air quality of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The prescribe clean air quality standards (Part 3), regulate the issuing of permits to construct or operate a stationary source (Part 4), provide for monitoring of operations, record keeping and reporting (part 5), for sampling and testing (Part 6), regulate the control of fugitive...

Keywords

Air pollution, Permitting, Legislation, Industrial sources, Burning, Fixed point sources, Concentrations, Air quality, Compliance, Concentration-based standards, Zoning, Air quality standards, Monitoring stations, Particulate matter, Zones, Air quality monitoring, Mobile point sources, Pollutants, Point source emissions, Public health, Air quality modelling, Inspection, Carbon monoxide, Environmental impact assessments, Filters, Fuel burning, Pollution abatement technologies, Ambient air quality standards, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur oxides

Legislation

| 1979 |

Netherlands

Act containing provisions concerning general matters of environmental hygiene (Environment Management Act).

This Act lays down, in 18 Chapters, subdivided in articles, the general principles of environment protection in the Netherlands, creates a framework for administration, planning and decision-making at a national and subnational level, and regulates various environment protection matters in more detail. These matters include the development and establishment of environment quality standards (Chap...

Keywords

Permitting, Concentrations, Air quality standards, Enforcement

Legislation

| 1976 |

Namibia

Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Ordinance (No. 11 of 1976).

This Ordinance provides for the control of control of noxious or offensive gases (defined), atmospheric pollution by smoke, dust control, and pollution of the atmosphere by gases emitted by vehicles. it grants certain powers to the executive and in particular the Director of Health Services, an inspector or an urban local authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions...

Keywords

Legislation, Inspection, Fuel burning, Zones, Industrial sources, Air pollution, Burning, Zoning, Permitting, Ammonia, Benzene, Carbon monoxide, Particulate matter, Compliance, Monitoring stations, Concentrations, Waste burning

Miscellaneous

| 1973 |

Japan

Environmental Quality Standards in Japan

Keywords

Air quality standards, Air quality, Particulate matter, Zones, Zoning, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Sulphur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Monitoring stations, Benzene, Concentrations, Filters, PM2.5, Air quality monitoring

Legislation | 1973 |

Argentina

Ley Nº 20.284 - Ley sobre contaminación atmosférica

This Law, aimed at preventing atmospheric pollution, establishes standards applicable to all sources capable of generating atmospheric pollution located within federal jurisdiction and within the jurisdictions of provinces that adhere to the Law. The text comprises the following chapters: (I) General Provisions; (II) Quality Standards and Maximum Emission Levels; (III) Critical Situation...

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