STRABANE DISTRICT COUNCIL Environmental Health Department Air Quality Action Plan September 2005 Contents Executive Summary 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Action Plans 1.2 Action Plan Aims & Objectives 1.3 Timescales 2.0 Further Assessment Within Air Quality Management Areas 2.1 Principal Sources Of Air Pollution 2.2 Results Of The PM 10 Modelling (Business As Usual) 2.2.1 Strabane 2.2.2 Newtownstewart 2.2.3 Castlederg 2.3 Air Quality Improvements Required 2.3.1 Magnitude of exceedence of the air quality objectives 2.4 Determination Of Sources Of Air Pollution Within The AQMA’s 2.4.1 Key Findings Of The Source Apportionment 3.0 Options considered To Improve Air Quality And The Effects Of Those Options 3.1 The Action Plan Scenarios Considered 3.1.1 The Percentage Reduction In Solid Fuel Burning Required To Produce Compliance With The PM10 Objectives In 2004 & 2010 3.1.2 The Impact On Local PM 10 Concentrations Of Only Allowing Smokeless Fuels To Be Burnt In Each Of The Six Areas 3.1.3 The Impact Of Switching All Solid Burning To Oil 4.0 Implications Of This Further Assessment For Strabane District Council 4.1 Effects Of New National Policy Developments 4.1.1 The NIHE Fuel Appliance Conversion Programme 4.1.2 Take Up Of Natural Gas 4.2 Changes To The Air Quality Management Areas As A Result Of The Further Assessment 5.0 Consideration Of Action Plan Options 6.0 Recommended Options to be Included For Implementation 7.0 Appropriateness & Proportionality Of Measures 7.1 NIHE Heating Conversion Scheme 7.2 Implementation Of Smoke Control Legislation 7.3 Increased Awareness Of The Warm Homes Scheme 7.4 Increased Awareness Of NIHE Grant Assistance 7.5 Encouraging Energy Efficiency Schemes 7.6 Introducing Guidance Relating To Bonfires 7.7 Controlling Emissions Of PM10 From New Developments 8.0 Timescales For Implementation 9.0 Impacts Of Introducing Action Plan Measures 10.0 Consultation 11.0 Conclusions Appendix 1 Air Quality Action Plan Timetable Executive Summary The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland provides a framework for air quality control through air quality management and air quality standards. These and other air quality standards and their objectives have been enacted through the Air Quality Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 in Northern Ireland. The Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 requires District Councils to undertake air quality reviews and assessments. In areas where the air quality objectives are not anticipated to be met by the specified dates, District Councils are required to establish Air Quality Management Areas as a means to improve air quality. Strabane District Council has now completed the first round of the review and assessment process and as a result have declared 3 air quality management areas affecting Strabane, Newtownstewart and Castlederg in relation to exceedences of the air quality objectives for particles (PM 10 ) which are due to be complied with by 31 December 2004. The source of the emissions is deemed to be domestic emissions from solid fuel combustion. This report considers a range of options to reduce domestic and other emissions of PM 10 and other pollutants and considers the costs involved, feasibility, other perceived benefits and a proposed timescale for introduction. The report also indicates the organisation/body responsible for implementing each of the measures proposed. 1.0 Introduction Strabane District Council published the Stage 2/3 Review And Assessment Report in May 2004. The conclusions of the report highlighted the requirement upon Strabane District Council to declare air quality management areas in Strabane, Newtownstewart and Castlederg in relation to exceedences of the air quality objectives for particles (PM 10 ). The air quality management areas were brought into effect by means of orders made by Strabane District Council and came into effect on 30 th June 2004. 1.1 Action Plans Strabane District Council are now required by Article 13(2) of the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 to prepare and submit a written action plan to the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. The action plan outlines the measures to be taken in pursuit of achieving the air quality objectives and air quality standards for PM 10 within the air quality management areas and proposes the timescale for implementing such measures. The prime responsibility for preparing and submitting the action plan rests with district councils. However there is a requirement on other relevant authorities to identify proposals in pursuit of the air quality objectives within their respective responsibilities and functions. Strabane District Council has consulted with all relevant authorities prior to submitting the completed action plan to the Department of the Environment. 1.2 Action Plan Aims & Objectives The principal aim of the air quality action plan is to minimise the effects of air pollution on human health within the Strabane District Council area using all reasonable measures, within reasonable timeframes and by working towards achieving the air quality objectives and standards for PM 10 . In order to comply with the air quality objectives it may be necessary to include measures beyond the boundaries of the air quality management areas. Some of the measures may also benefit areas not included within AQMA’s thereby improving the health of the population in those areas. 1.3 Timescales The Department of the Environment expects action plans to be completed within 12 months of the AQMA’s being designated. The Air Quality Regulations (NI) 2003 require all relevant authorities to submit their proposals to district councils within a maximum period of 3 months from receiving the draft action plan. 2.0 Further Assessment Of Air Quality Within AQMA’s Strabane District Council is required under Article 13 of the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 to assess existing and likely future air quality within AQMA’s and to assess why air quality standards and objectives are not being achieved within the AQMA’s by the relevant dates. In order to comply with this requirement, Strabane District Council commissioned NETCEN to carry out modelling of a number of scenarios with regard to different fuel usage within each of the AQMA’s. The results are included below and address the following:- • The business as usual case as at 2004; • Estimating the percentage reduction in solid fuel burning houses required in each of the grid squares to produce compliance with the objectives in 2004 and 2010; • Estimate the impact on local PM 10 concentrations of only allowing smokeless fuel to be burnt; • Estimating the impact of switching all solid fuel burning to oil. 2.1 Principal Sources Of Air Pollution The principal sources of pollution are domestic emissions, industrial emissions and transport related emissions. Domestic emissions are the major source of air pollution within the Strabane District Council area. There are no other significant sources of PM 10 likely to give rise to an exceedence of the air quality objectives for this pollutant at this time. Measures included in this action plan will primarily relate to reducing domestic emissions of PM 10 as these form the greatest proportion in terms of total emissions of this pollutant. Other measures to be included may have a beneficial effect on areas outside of the current AQMA’s. 2.2 Results Of The PM 10 Modelling (Business As Usual) 2.2.1 Strabane The results show that with the current fuel burning mix the daily mean PM 10 objective is predicted to be exceeded in a dense area of housing to the East and West of the Mourne River. However in the Melmount area the results indicate that with the current fuel burning mix, the daily mean PM 10 objective is not predicted to be exceeded in 2004. This is primarily due to the Melmount area having a low percentage of people burning coal. 2.2.2 Newtownstewart The results show that with the current fuel burning mix the daily mean 2004 PM 10 objective is predicted to be exceeded in the majority of Newtownstewart, particularly in and around Mourne Park where the highest density of housing is found. High PM 10 concentrations are predicted in this area due to the high percentage of people burning coal in this area (61%). 2.2.3 Castlederg The results show that with the current fuel burning mix, the daily mean PM 10 objective is not predicted to be exceeded in 2004. This is primarily due to the Castlederg area having a low number of residential houses. However, due to the predicted PM 10 concentrations only being marginally below the objective, it is suggested that an air quality management area is maintained in this area. 2.3 Air Quality Improvements Required Strabane District Council is required to identify the improvements needed in air quality, when there are exceedences of the UK air quality objectives. Local authorities do not need to attempt to improve air quality beyond the air quality objective that is being exceeded although improved air quality will have a beneficial effect on health. It may be prudent for administrative reasons to place the boundary of the AQMA where it may include houses where the concentrations of PM 10 are not predicted to exceed the daily mean objective of 50 µg/m 3 (with 35 exceedences). This may mean that some houses in the AQMA will experience concentrations of PM 10 lower than the daily mean PM 10 objective. 2.3.1 Magnitude of exceedence of the air quality objectives th The maximum exceedence of the 90 percentile 24 hour mean PM 10 air quality objective and the improvement required to achieve the objective in each of the areas for which AQMA’s are in place are shown in the table below.