UK Still Not On Course To Meet Nitrogen Oxide Emission Limits

Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 12 Jan 2009 - 3:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Data released by Defra2 indicates that the UK is still not on course to meet maximum limits for nitrogen oxide emissions under the European National Emission Ceilings Directive3, despite a 7% drop between 2006 and 2007.

National Emissions Ceilings are limits on the total annual amounts of certain pollutants that EU member states are allowed to emit. They exist to stop European nations polluting their neighbours, a risk shown graphically by the effects of acid rain in Sweden. Here sulphur dioxide emissions from the UK caused the acidification of rain falling in Scandinavia, causing significant damage to forests and lakes.

Emissions of the four pollutants covered (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and ammonia) have all dropped since the late 1980s, however nitrogen oxide emissions are still projected to significantly exceed the ceilings when they come into effect in 2010, mainly due to a recent rise in emissions from the power generation sector.

"The health of UK citizens and those of other European nations will continue to suffer until all members states get serious about complying with European air pollution legislation", said Ed Dearnley, Policy Officer at Environmental Protection UK, "Urgent action is needed to ensure that we meet our National Emission Ceilings, and to drive down the levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide that millions of people are exposed to every day"

Notes

1. Environmental Protection UK is the environmental protection charity supported by pollution control professionals. We have been working for a cleaner, quieter, healthier world since 1898.

2. Defra's new statistical release provided National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) updates for UK emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and ammonia. Emissions of each of the four pollutants have fallen between 2006 and 2007, with decreases of 2 per cent for NMVOCs, 3 per cent for ammonia, 7 per cent for nitrogen oxides, and 12 per cent for sulphur dioxide.

Environmental Protection UK