USA Template 2015 Wales V1 (4)X
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Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council 2015 Updating and Screening Assessment for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council In fulfillment of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality Management Date (November, 2015) LAQM USA 2015 1 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Local Authority Martin Hooper Officer Checked by Leah Clark Department Environment Quays Brunel Way Address Baglan Energy Park Neath SA11 2GG Telephone 01639 686517 e-mail [email protected] Report Reference E2/16/9/USA2015 number Date 3rd November 2015 LAQM USA 2015 2 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Executive Summary The Updating and Screening Assessment covering the period up to the end of 2014 has identified the need to proceed to a Detailed Assessment for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) at Victoria Gardens, Neath. Neither the long-term or short-term Air Quality Objectives for PM 10 were breached in Port Talbot. It is not considered to be appropriate to revoke or modify the AQMA at this time. Unusually, the highest number of PM 10 exceedances was measured at the Little Warren site, which is outside the AQMA. Normally the number of exceedances is greatest at monitoring stations in the central part of the AQMA i.e. Prince Street and Port Talbot Fire Station. It is possible that this may be a consequence of unusual prevailing wind directions causing emissions from the steel works to impact at a different location. The acquisition of further data will shed more light on this. There were no exceedances of Air Quality Objectives for sulphur dioxide (SO 2), lead (Pb) or carbon monoxide (CO). Fine particulates of less than 2.5 microns in size (PM 2.5 ) easily complied with the EU Target which is to be complied with by 2015. Ozone is not covered by Local Air Quality Management because trans-boundary pollution can have a significant effect upon local results. Neath Port Talbot, like other parts of the country, experiences significant numbers of exceedances of the UK air quality standard. The trend is one of gradual improvement over time. Concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons exceed the UK Air Quality Objective of 0.25 ng/m 3, but are less than the EU Target value of 1 ng/m 3. The trend line shows that concentrations are increasing over time. Arsenic and cadmium easily comply with the EU Target, both in Port Talbot and Pontardawe. Nickel concentrations comply with the EU Target at all locations in Neath, Port Talbot and Pontardawe, except Tawe Terrace and Pontardawe Leisure Centre. Nickel levels increased at these locations during 2014. The highest rates of fallout of large particles (nuisance dust) were measured in Port Talbot at Prince Street and Port Talbot Fire Station. The highest ever fallout rates were recorded at the latter location with near record levels at Prince Street. The next actions to be taken will be to: • Submit a LAQM Progress report. LAQM USA 2015 3 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council • Submit a LAQM Detailed Assessment of NO 2 at the junction of Victoria Gardens and Cimla Road in Neath. This shall be carried out in respect of the long-term Air Quality Objective. LAQM USA 2015 4 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Table of contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Description of Local Authority Area ................................................................................... 9 1.2 Purpose of Report ............................................................................................................ 10 1.3 Air Quality Objectives ...................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Summary of Previous Review and Assessments ............................................................ 11 2 New Monitoring Data ..................................................................................... 16 2.1 Summary of Monitoring Undertaken ................................................................................ 16 2.1.1 Automatic Monitoring Sites .............................................................................................. 16 2.1.2 Non-Automatic Monitoring Sites ...................................................................................... 21 2.2 Comparison of Monitoring Results with Air Quality Objectives ....................................... 38 2.2.1 Nitrogen Dioxide .............................................................................................................. 38 2.2.2 PM 10 ................................................................................................................................. 55 2.2.3 Sulphur Dioxide................................................................................................................ 61 2.2.4 Benzene ........................................................................................................................... 63 2.2.5 Other pollutants monitored .............................................................................................. 63 2.2.5.1 Lead ................................................................................................................................. 63 2.2.5.2 Carbon monoxide ............................................................................................................ 63 2.2.5.3 PM 2.5 ................................................................................................................................ 64 2.2.5.4 Ozone .............................................................................................................................. 64 2.2.5.5 Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) .................................................................................. 66 2.2.5.6 Metals monitoring ............................................................................................................ 67 2.2.5.6.1 Pontardawe Leisure Centre ......................................................................................... 68 2.2.5.6.2 Port Talbot .................................................................................................................... 69 2.2.5.6.3 Pontardawe Tawe Terrace ........................................................................................... 69 2.2.5.6.4 Brecon Road, Pontardawe ........................................................................................... 70 2.2.5.7 Grit and dust monitoring .................................................................................................. 74 2.2.5.7.1 Cil Carne Farm, Bryn, Port Talbot (Figs. 2.20 & 2.21) Low +15% ................ 76 2.2.5.7.2 Prince Street, Port Talbot (Figs. 2.22 & 2.23) Very high +12% ............................. 76 2.2.5.7.3 Port Talbot Fire Station (Figs. 2.24 & 2.25) Very high +19% ............................... 76 2.2.5.7.4 Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, Port Talbot (Figs. 2.26 & 2.27) Moderate -2% ........... 76 2.2.5.7.5 Gwaun Cae Gurwen (Figs. 2.28 & 2.29) Low -14% ...................................... 76 2.2.5.7.6 Tairgwaith (Figs. 2.30 & 2.31) Moderate +40% .................................................... 76 2.2.5.7.7 Parish Road, Cwmgwrach (Figs. 2.32 & 2.33) Low No change ................... 77 2.2.5.7.8 Llygad yr Haul, Glynneath (Figs. 2.34 & 2.35) Low +28% ............................ 77 2.2.5.7.9 Wembley Avenue, Onllwyn (Figs. 2.36 & 2.37) Low -31% ........................... 77 2.2.5.7.10 Little Warren, Port Talbot (Figs. 2.38 & 2.39) High +42% .......................... 77 LAQM USA 2015 5 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council 2.2.5.7.11 Dyffryn School, Port Talbot (Figs. 2.40 & 2.41) High -10%........................ 77 2.2.5.7.12 Cwmllynfell (Figs. 2.42 & 2.43) High -39% ................................................ 77 2.2.5.7.13 Summary .................................................................................................................. 78 2.2.6 Summary of Compliance with AQS Objectives ............................................................. 109 3 Road Traffic Sources ................................................................................... 110 3.1 Narrow Congested Streets with Residential Properties Close to the Kerb ................... 110 3.2 Busy Streets Where People May Spend 1-hour or More Close to Traffic ..................... 110 3.3 Roads with a High Flow of Buses and/or HGVs. ........................................................... 110 3.4 Junctions ........................................................................................................................ 110 3.5 New Roads Constructed or Proposed Since the Last Round of Review and Assessment ............................................................................................................................... 111 3.6 Roads with Significantly Changed Traffic Flows ............................................................ 112 3.7 Bus and Coach Stations ................................................................................................ 112 4 Other Transport Sources ............................................................................. 113 4.1 Airports ........................................................................................................................... 113 4.2 Railways (Diesel and Steam Trains) ............................................................................. 113 4.2.1 Stationary Trains ...........................................................................................................