The Air Quality Standards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Sampling points

15.—(1) Where the Department assesses concentrations of a Group A or Group B pollutant by fixed measurement it shall, except in cases falling within paragraph (2)(a), install the number of sampling points required for the zone in accordance with the relevant Part of Schedule 5.

(2) Where the Department assesses concentrations of a Group A or Group B pollutant by—

(a) fixed measurement, in cases where it obtains information from modelling techniques under regulation 14(2); or

(b) combined measurement,

it shall install the number of sampling points it determines is sufficient, taken together with the spatial resolution of the other techniques employed, for concentrations of the relevant pollutant to be established within the zone concerned.

(3) The Department shall locate all sampling points for Group A and Group B pollutants in accordance with the requirements set out in the relevant Parts of Schedule 6.

(4) Where the Department assesses concentrations of ozone by fixed measurement it shall, except where paragraphs (5) or (6) apply, install the number of sampling points required for the zone in accordance with Part 4 of Schedule 5.

(5) In the case of zones where—

(a) five years of measurement have been carried out; and

(b) during each of those years, concentrations of ozone have been below the long-term objectives,

the Department may determine the number of sampling points in accordance with Part 5 of Schedule 5.

(6) In the case of zones in which the Department supplements the information obtained from sampling points for fixed measurement with information from modelling techniques or indicative measurement in accordance with regulation 14(3)(b), it may reduce the number of sampling points for ozone provided that—

(a) it considers that the modelling techniques adopted provide an adequate level of information for the assessment of air quality with regard to—

(i) the target values;

(ii) the information threshold; and

(iii) the alert threshold;

(b) it considers that the number of sampling points to be installed and the spatial resolution of other techniques are sufficient for the concentration of ozone to be established and to enable the compilation of assessment results as specified in Part 3 of Schedule 7;

(c) the number of sampling points in each zone amounts to—

(i) at least one sampling point per two million inhabitants; or

(ii) one sampling point per 50,000km²,

whichever produces the greater number of sampling points;

(d) each zone contains at least one sampling point; and

(e) concentrations of nitrogen dioxide are assessed at all remaining sampling points except rural background stations.

(7) The Department shall ensure that—

(a) except where paragraph (6)(e) applies, concentrations of nitrogen dioxide are assessed at least at half of the number of sampling points required to be installed for ozone in accordance with Part 4 of Schedule 5; and

(b) the measurement of nitrogen dioxide taken at any sampling point is continuous, except at rural background stations where other measurement methods may be used.

(8) The Department shall locate all sampling points for ozone in accordance with the requirements set out in the relevant Parts of Schedule 6.