2020 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR)
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Derbyshire Dales District Council 2020 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) In fulfilment of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality Management June 2020 LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 Derbyshire Dales District Council Local Authority Karen Carpenter Officer Department Regulatory Services Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, Derbyshire. Address DE4 3NN Telephone 01629 761212 E-mail [email protected] Report Reference n/a number Date June 2020 LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 Derbyshire Dales District Council Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area Air Quality in Derbyshire Dales District Council Air pollution is associated with a number of adverse health impacts. It is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. There is also often a strong correlation with equalities issues, because areas with poor air quality are also often the less affluent areas1,2. The annual health cost to society of the impacts of particulate matter alone in the UK is estimated to be around £16 billion3. Derbyshire Dales is primarily a rural area with a total population in the region of 70,000. The total area of the District is approximately 780 square kilometres and half of the District is within the Peak District National Park. The District is situated within the East Midlands and is bounded by the local councils of High Peak Borough, Sheffield City, North East Derbyshire District, Amber Valley Borough, South Derbyshire District, East Staffordshire District and Staffordshire Moorlands District. There is a strong tradition of agricultural and a long history of mineral extraction. Vein minerals are still extracted today, primarily to provide fluorspar for use in the chemical and steel industries and limestone is extensively quarried for aggregate. Where the purity of calcium carbonate is high, fine powders are produced for use in industries such as glass making, foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals. Light industry has developed at a number of sites, notably the Airfield Industrial Estate in Ashbourne. During 2019 we regulated 57 installations under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016. The road network in the District is extensive with the A623, A6, A52 and A50 acting as important links between the North West and the East Midlands, although there are no 1 Environmental equity, air quality, socioeconomic status and respiratory health, 2010 2 Air quality and social deprivation in the UK: an environmental inequalities analysis, 2006 3 Defra. Abatement cost guidance for valuing changes in air quality, May 2013 LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 1 Derbyshire Dales District Council motorways. The Hope Valley railway line passes through the north of the District and local trains serve Grindleford and Hathersage, and Matlock is the terminus of a branch line from Derby. Peak Rail is a voluntary organisation that operates trains on a five kilometre section of track between Matlock and Rowsley South using steam and diesel traction. The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is operating part of the branch line between Wirksworth and Duffield. Derbyshire Dales also has a large lead smelting business in the area, H.J.Enthoven & Sons. H.J.Enthoven & Sons is an A1 process regulated by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 and is the largest single site producer of recycled lead in Europe. Lead levels have declined significantly in recent times due to work undertaken by the company. Nitrogen oxide diffusion tubes continue to be used and levels remain consistent for most sites, however, an extra 4 tubes have been deployed in August 2019 as part of undertaking a detailed assessment of air quality in the area due to exceedances obtained from a tube placed on Buxton Road. A modelling assessment and report from the results obtained from the additional Nox tubes was planned before the reporting deadline of 30 June. However, this has temporarily been put on hold due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. This has been in consultation with the DEFRA helpdesk who have advised against undertaking any modelling at present due to the under reporting effects of the pandemic. This work will now be undertaken within the 2020 reporting year. We continue to work closely with our partners in the County Council and other agencies and do this through being an active member of the local Derbyshire Pollution Officer Group, the Derbyshire Air Quality Network and local liaison groups. Actions to Improve Air Quality Air Quality in Derbyshire Dales is generally good, however, Derbyshire Dales District Council has now incorporated climate change as one of the priority objectives. This will hopefully have a positive influence on air quality in the area as associated actions are implemented. A pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030 has been agreed and a Climate Change Working Group has been set up. The focus will be on Transport, LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 2 Derbyshire Dales District Council Estates, Planning Policy and Housing Policy. A Countywide group has also been set up. LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 3 Derbyshire Dales District Council In addition, the East Midlands Air Quality Planning Guide has recently been finalised and we are working towards this being implemented through the planning system in all local authorities in the region, including Derbyshire Dales. Conclusions and Priorities In the coming year we continue to monitor 20 locations with passive diffusion tubes. Our Wirksworth tube will be re-deployed in another location as the current location is very low and the local community have requested a relocation. A detailed assessment for Buxton Road, Ashbourne, including a modelling exercise is planned to be submitted in the next reporting year. This has currently been put on hold due to the risk of under reporting following the covid-19 pandemic. We will continue to further out climate change agenda focussing on Transport, Estates, Planning Policy and Housing Policy. We are currently drafting our strategy and action plan for this policy area. Local Engagement and How to get Involved Information about air quality is available on our website at http://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/environment-and-waste/pollution-noise/air- pollution. LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 4 Derbyshire Dales District Council Buxton Road, Ashbourne LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 5 Derbyshire Dales District Council Table of Contents Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area ......................................................... 1 Air Quality in Derbyshire Dales District Council ................................................................. 1 Actions to Improve Air Quality ........................................................................................... 2 Conclusions and Priorities ................................................................................................ 4 Local Engagement and How to get Involved ..................................................................... 4 1 Local Air Quality Management ........................................................................ 8 2 Actions to Improve Air Quality ........................................................................ 9 2.1 Air Quality Management Areas .............................................................................. 9 2.2 Progress and Impact of Measures to address Air Quality in Derbyshire Dales District Council .................................................................................................................10 2.3 PM2.5 – Local Authority Approach to Reducing Emissions and/or Concentrations.................................................................................................................14 3 Air Quality Monitoring Data and Comparison with Air Quality Objectives and National Compliance .................................................................... 14 3.1 Summary of Monitoring Undertaken .....................................................................15 3.1.1 Automatic Monitoring Sites .......................................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Non-Automatic Monitoring Sites................................................................................... 15 3.2 Individual Pollutants .............................................................................................15 3.2.1 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)................................................................................................. 15 3.2.2 Particulate Matter (PM10) .............................................................................................. 16 3.2.3 Particulate Matter (PM2.5) ............................................................................................. 16 3.2.4 Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix A: Monitoring Results ........................................................................... 18 Appendix B: Full Monthly Diffusion Tube Results for 2019 ................................ 24 Appendix C: Supporting Technical Information / Air Quality Monitoring Data QA/QC ............................................................................................................. 26 Appendix D: Map(s) of Monitoring Locations and AQMAs ................................. 27 Appendix E: Summary of Air Quality Objectives