Environmental Quality 5. Environmental Quality Improvements in the environmental quality of the Exe Estuary will lead to improvements in the quality of life for the local human and wildlife populations. ,QRUGHUWRJDLQPD[LPXPEHQH¿WIURP the Exe Estuary environmental quality must be maintained or improved, which is particularly challenging in the face of increased pressures from a larger population and the greater variety of activities taking place on or around the Estuary. Image 5a: The mouth of the Estuary Source: EEMP A new strategic approach to managing England’s Natura 2000 sites has been developed by Natural England, the Environment Agency and other key partners. The Improvement Programme for England’s Natura 2000 6LWHV ,3(16 VXSSRUWHGE\(8/,)(ZLOOSUHSDUHD6LWH,PSURYHPHQW3ODQ 6,3 IRUHDFK1DWXUDVLWH PDULQHDQGWHUUHVWULDO LQ(QJODQGE\WKHHQGRI7KHVHSODQVZLOOSURYLGHDKLJKOHYHORYHUYLHZRIWKH issues affecting the condition of the site and also, will identify the priority actions and mechanisms required WRWDFNOHWKRVHLVVXHVDQGWKHIXQGLQJVRXUFHVDYDLODEOH7KH([H(VWXDU\6SHFLDO3URWHFWHG$UHD 63$ DQG'DZOLVK:DUUHQ6SHFLDO$UHDRI&RQVHUYDWLRQ 6$& ZLOOVKDUHDVLQJOH6,3DQGLWZLOOEHGHYHORSHGLQ FROODERUDWLRQZLWKWKHRUJDQLVDWLRQ V PDQDJLQJERWKVLWHVDQGZKLFKKDYHDUROHLQGHOLYHULQJWKHDFWLRQV required to improve their condition. However, the South West European Marine Sites’ 2003 characterisation of the Exe Estuary came with several conclusions on the state of the Estuary’s environment that are still accurate. They are: The intertidal sediments and fauna of the Exe Estuary remained unchanged for much of the 20th century. An assessment of faunal diversity showed there was no adverse effect from chemical pollution, or organic enrichment from sewage and bait digging. Organic compounds are below detection limits and generally considered of little toxicological importance in WKHGHVLJQDWHGVKHOO¿VKDUHDV 7KH5LYHU([HDSSHDUVWREHWKHVRXUFHRIWKHPDMRULW\RIQXWULHQWEXLOGXSVGXHWRDJULFXOWXUDOUXQRIIDQG sewage discharges. The Exe Estuary is exhibiting symptoms of eutrophication including phytoplankton blooms. 6RXUFH/DQJVWRQHWDO _6WDWHRIWKH([H(VWXDU\ Environmental Quality 5.1 Air Quality Air quality management is necessary to bring down air pollution to levels that are safe for people to breathe and to prevent air quality from worsening in areas where it is currently acceptable. There is still a great deal of uncertainty over the health effects of air pollution and, although it is believed that the risks to individuals are relatively small, there is increasing medical evidence that air pollution damages health and can trigger asthma DQGRWKHUEUHDWKLQJLOOQHVVHV3ROOXWLRQIURPWUDI¿FFDQFDXVHOXQJGDPDJHDQGLVDVVRFLDWHGZLWKDQXPEHU of breathing illnesses, such as bronchitis and cancers. In addition, air pollution has negative impacts on our environment, both in terms of direct effects of pollutants on vegetation, and indirectly through effects on the acid and nutrient status of soils and waters. At local level, air pollution policy is focused on the potential impacts on human health, whilst at a European level the concerns extend to biodiversity and wildlife. Local Air Quality Management 7KHPRVWUHFHQW1DWLRQDO$LU4XDOLW\6WUDWHJ\ 1$46 ZDVSXEOLVKHGLQ-XO\ '()5$ 7KLV 6WUDWHJ\VHWVRXWREMHFWLYHVDQGPHDVXUHVIRUQLQH main air pollutants to further improve ambient air TXDOLW\LQWKH8.IURPWRGD\LQWRWKHORQJWHUP7KH 6WUDWHJ\¶VSULPDU\REMHFWLYHLVWRHQVXUHSROOXWLQJ HPLVVLRQVFDXVHQRVLJQL¿FDQWULVNWRKHDOWKDQG WKHHQYLURQPHQWEXWPHGLXPWHUPREMHFWLYHVDUH set for individual pollutants, expressed as maximum FRQFHQWUDWLRQVWREHDFKLHYHGE\VSHFL¿HGGDWHV7KH nine pollutants are: benzene, 1,3-butadene, carbon Image 5b: Air pollution from boat emissions monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, polycyclic aromatic Source: EEMP K\GURFDUERQV 3$+V R]RQHSDUWLFXODWHV 3010 DQG sulphur dioxide. However, not all of these pollutants are regarded as a threat for the Estuary. The main pollutants affecting human health and wildlife around the Estuary are: Nitrogen dioxide 122 LVDWR[LFSROOXWDQW,WVPDLQVRXUFHORFDOO\LVURDGWUDI¿FEXWLWLVDOVRHPLWWHG from marine diesel engines on the Estuary. This gas can irritate the airways of the lungs, increasing the V\PSWRPVRIWKRVHVXIIHULQJIURPOXQJGLVHDVHV1LWURJHQGLR[LGHFDQDOVREULQJDERXWDFLGL¿FDWLRQRI water and add to the nitrogen loading in soil. Particulates 3010 DUHSROOXWDQWSDUWLFOHVXSWRPLFURQVLQVL]H7KH\FDQKDYHDQLPSDFWRQWKH respiratory system and can carry carcinogenic compounds. In high levels, they could affect plant photosynthesis. Ozone is a powerful oxidising agent which can affect the respiratory system and can be a threat for humans and wildlife. The chemicals that react in sunlight to produce this gas are capable of travelling long distances and could come from other parts of Europe. The main chemicals involved in this reaction are nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds. The latter are released from, among other things, SDLQWVDQGYDUQLVKHVODEHOOHGDV³+LJK92&FRQWHQW´RIWHQXVHGLQERDWPDLQWHQDQFH7KHFRQFHQWUDWLRQ of ozone is greater on high ground and on still warm days, where there is very little air movement and intense sun. State of the Exe Estuary 2014 | 117 Environmental Quality Local Authorities and Air Pollution around the Exe Estuary Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 introduced the concept of Local Air Quality Management. Local Authorities are required to review and assess Air Quality in their area every three years against a range of standards and REMHFWLYHV:KHUHREMHFWLYHVDUHQRWOLNHO\WREHDFKLHYHGWKHQWKHORFDODXWKRULW\LVUHTXLUHGWRGHVLJQDWHDQ $LU4XDOLW\0DQDJHPHQW$UHD $40$ DJHRJUDSKLFDUHDGH¿QHGE\KLJKOHYHOVRISROOXWLRQDQGH[FHHGHQFHV RI1DWLRQDO$LU4XDOLW\6WUDWHJ\REMHFWLYHVDQGSUHSDUHDQ$FWLRQ3ODQWRWDFNOHWKHSUREOHPV7KHUHDUHQR AQMAs within the management boundary of the Exe Estuary Management Partnership. Although nitrogen dioxide and particulates levels are monitored by local authorities, the other important pollutant, ozone, is not currently monitored. The quality of the air around the Exe Estuary is relatively good compared to more urban locations nearby. 7KHUHDUHQRVLJQL¿FDQWLQGXVWULDOSURFHVVHVDORQJWKH(VWXDU\7KH0DUVK%DUWRQ7UDGLQJ$UHDLVWKHRQO\ potential source of industrial pollution other than unmonitored marine business and commercial transport, and therefore industrial air pollution is not really considered to be an issue for the Exe Estuary. Monitoring at the OHYHORIWKH([H(VWXDU\0DQDJHPHQW3DUWQHUVKLSERXQGDU\LVQRWVHHQDVDSULRULW\DQGGDWDLVRIWHQGLI¿FXOW WRREWDLQ'DWDFDQXVXDOO\EHREWDLQHGDWGLVWULFWOHYHOZKLFKGRHVQRWQHFHVVDULO\UHÀHFWWKHDFWXDOTXDOLW\RI air on the Exe Estuary. The following is a breakdown of air pollution management within the districts around the Exe Estuary. East Devon District Council ,Q(DVW'HYRQ'LVWULFW&RXQFLOFDUULHGRXWDIXOOUHYLHZDQGDVVHVVPHQWRIDLU quality. Monitoring of NO2 using passive diffusion tubes has shown that for 2011 there ZHUHVHYHQVLWHVZKHUHWKHDQQXDOPHDQ$LU4XDOLW\2EMHFWLYHZDVH[FHHGHG LH FDXVHIRUFRQFHUQ 2IWKHVHYHQVLWHV¿YHZHUHORFDWHGZLWKLQWKHH[LVWLQJ$40$ The two sites outside of the existing AQMA are located within Honiton. In 2013 detailed assessment of NO2HPLVVLRQVIURPURDGWUDI¿FZDVDOVRXQGHUWDNHQLQ$[PLQVWHU&O\VW St George and Sowton Lodge in order to determine if any new AQMA needs to be declared. However, the report stated that there was no requirement for an AQMA to be declared in these areas at this time. There are several large developments being undertaken in the District as part of the Exeter and East Devon Growth Plan and several air quality assessments have been undertaken for particular elements of WKHSODQ$OOFRQFOXGHWKDWWKHQHZGHYHORSPHQWVZLOOQRWOHDGWRDQ\H[FHHGHQFHVRIWKH$LU4XDOLW\2EMHFWLYHV Teignbridge District Council 7HLJQEULGJH'LVWULFW&RXQFLOKDVGHVLJQDWHGIRXU$40$VDVDUHVXOWRI DLUTXDOLW\SROOXWDQWVH[FHHGLQJWKHREMHFWLYHVDWUHVLGHQWLDOUHFHSWRUV on some roads within the district. The AQMAs were declared in 1RYHPEHULQWKHWRZQVRI1HZWRQ$EERW.LQJVNHUVZHOO 7HLJQPRXWKDQG'DZOLVK7UDI¿FHPLVVLRQVKDYHEHHQLGHQWL¿HGDV the primary source of these exceedences. In March 2009, Teignbridge has produced an Air Quality Action Plan setting out measures to be introduced to improve the air quality in the affected areas. 7KHODVW8SGDWLQJDQG6FUHHQLQJ$VVHVVPHQW 86$ ZDVLQ7KH122GLIIXVLRQWXEHVLGHQWL¿HG QXPHURXVH[FHHGHQFHVRIWKHDQQXDOPHDQREMHFWLYHZLWKLQWKHH[LVWLQJ$40$VFRQ¿UPLQJWKHQHHGRIWKHLU HVWDEOLVKPHQW7HLJQEULGJH'LVWULFW&RXQFLOVHWXSDVPDOOZRUNLQJJURXSZKLFKLQFOXGHGWUDQVSRUWSODQQHUV IURP'HYRQ&RXQW\&RXQFLODVWKHVRXUFHRIWKHSROOXWLRQKDGEHHQLGHQWL¿HGDVURDGWUDI¿F7UDQVSRUWUHODWHG schemes were discussed at these meetings and possible actions proposed. Measures aimed at relieving congestion and air quality were also included in the Local Transport Plan. 118 | State of the Exe Estuary 2014 Environmental Quality Exeter City Council ,Q)HEUXDU\([HWHU&LW\&RXQFLOGHVLJQDWHG¿YH$40$VORFDWHGRQWKH PDLQURXWHVLQWRWKHFLW\,QQHZDUHDVZHUHLGHQWL¿HGDQGLQ$SULOWKH &LW\&RXQFLORSWHGWRGHVLJQDWHDVLQJOH$40$FRYHULQJDOOWKHH[LVWLQJDQGQHZ $40$V$QDVVHVVPHQWXQGHUWDNHQLQODWHFRQ¿UPHGWKDWWKHVRXUFHRI H[FHHGHQFHVLQWKHVLQJOH$40$ZDVQLWURJHQGLR[LGHIURPURDGWUDI¿F7KH¿UVW ([HWHU$LU4XDOLW\$FWLRQ3ODQ $4$3 ZDVSXEOLVKHGLQ$XJXVWFRQWDLQLQJPHDVXUHVWKDWZHUHLQWHQGHG WRUHGXFHWKHSROOXWLRQFRQFHQWUDWLRQVZLWKLQWKH$40$$FFRUGLQJWRWKH&LW\&RXQFLOPRVWRIPHDVXUHVZHUH LPSOHPHQWHGGHVSLWHIXQGLQJDQGRWKHUFRQVWUDLQWV,Q([HWHU&LW\&RXQFLOSXEOLVKHGWKH$LU4XDOLW\ Progress Report including all the latest air quality assessments and monitoring results for 2012. The report concluded that there are no exceedences of the Government’s guideline levels, except within the existing Air 4XDOLW\0DQDJHPHQW$UHD