The Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2023

Regulation 8(2)

SCHEDULE 1 Population exposure reduction target: calculations

Initial calculations

1.  The following are to be calculated by 15th July 2023—

(a) the Population Exposure Indicator for the baseline period (“PEIbase”);

(b) the Population Exposure Indicator for each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022;

(c) the Reference Indicator for each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022;

(d) Δ for each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, where “Δ”, for a year, means the amount by which the Population Exposure Indicator for that year is greater or less than the Reference Indicator for that year.

Annual calculations

2.  The following are to be calculated for each year from 2023 onwards (“year n”), by 15th July in the following year—

(a) the Population Exposure Indicator for year n;

(b) the Reference Indicator for year n;

(c) Δ for year n;

(d) the sum of Δ for each of the years beginning with 2019 up to and including year n (“Δsum”);

(e) the cumulative total of the annual changes to the Population Exposure Indicator from the baseline period up to and including year n, expressed as a percentage of PEIbase, as determined by the calculation—

Calculation of PEIbase, Population Exposure Indicator and Reference Indicator

3.—(1) PEIbase is to be calculated by carrying out the following steps—

• step 1: the mean is calculated of the annual mean PM_2.5 level in 2016 for each baseline monitoring station which was in operation throughout that year and met the minimum annual data capture requirement in that year;

• step 2: step 1 is repeated for 2017 and 2018;

• step 3: the mean of the values calculated under steps 1 and 2 for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 is calculated to obtain PEIbase.

(2) The Population Exposure Indicator for a year (“PEIyear”)is to be calculated by carrying out the following steps—

• step 1: the mean is calculated of the annual mean PM_2.5 levels in that year for each PEI monitoring station, excluding any PEI monitoring station which did not meet the minimum annual data capture requirement in that year;

• step 2: step 1 is repeated for each of the two preceding years;

• step 3: the mean of the values calculated under steps 1 and 2 for those three years is calculated to obtain PEIyear.

(3) The Reference Indicator for a year (“RIyear”)is to be calculated by carrying out the following steps—

• step 1: the mean is calculated of the annual mean PM_2.5 levels in the preceding year for each PEI monitoring station, excluding any PEI monitoring station which did not meet the minimum annual data capture requirement in that year;

• step 2: step 1 is repeated for each of the two previous years;

• step 3: the mean of the values calculated under steps 1 and 2 for those three years is calculated to obtain RIyear.

Calculation and rounding

4.—(1) The calculations in this Schedule are to be made using PM_2.5 levels in µg/m³ measured to one decimal place.

(2) Any amount or value to be calculated under this Schedule is to be calculated to at least two decimal places, and if it is used for any subsequent calculation under this Schedule the unrounded amount or value is to be used.

(3) For the purpose of publication under paragraphs 9 to 11 of Schedule 3 (information required to be published)—

(a) PEIbase and PEIyear are to be expressed to two decimal places;

(b) the percentage calculated under paragraph 2(e) is to be rounded to the nearest whole number.

Interpretation of Schedule 1

5.—(1) In this Schedule—

“background monitoring station” means a monitoring station which is at an urban background site or a suburban background site, within the meanings given in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2, and for this purpose “monitoring station” in relation to any time before these Regulations came into force includes any AQSR monitoring station which was in operation at that time;

“baseline monitoring station” means a background monitoring station which in one or more of the years 2016, 2017 and 2018—

(a)

was in operation throughout that year; and

(b)

met the minimum annual data capture requirement in that year;

“Δ” has the meaning given in paragraph 1(d);

“PEIbase” has the meaning given in paragraph 1(a);

“PEI monitoring station”, in relation to the measurement of the Population Exposure Indicator or the Reference Indicator for a year, means a background monitoring station which—

(a)

is or was in operation throughout that year and the three preceding years; and

(b)

met the minimum annual data capture requirement in at least three of those four years.

(2) In determining whether a background monitoring station was in operation throughout a year any periods in which the station was temporarily out of operation, for example for maintenance or repair, are to be disregarded.

Regulation 12

SCHEDULE 2 Monitoring stations

Site descriptions: interpretation

1.  In this Schedule, the following descriptions of sites of monitoring stations have the following meanings—

“near-source” means a site in a location where the PM_2.5 level is likely to be elevated above the background level due to the influence of one or more sources of pollution in close proximity to the site, such as emissions from traffic from a major road or from nearby industrial sources;

“suburban background” means a site—

(a)

in a partially built-up area which is mixed with non-urbanised areas; and

(b)

where the PM_2.5 level is not significantly influenced by a source or sources of pollution in close proximity to the site, and is therefore representative of the background level of PM_2.5 to which the population is likely to be exposed across a wider area than the immediate vicinity of the site;

“urban background” means a site—

(a)

in a continuously or predominantly built-up area which is not mixed with any non-urbanised areas except for urban parks; and

(b)

where the PM_2.5 level is not significantly influenced by a source or sources of pollution in close proximity to the site, and is therefore representative of the background level of PM_2.5 to which the population is likely to be exposed across a wider area than the immediate vicinity of the site.

Location of monitoring stations

2.—(1) All monitoring stations must be located at a site which—

(a) is in, or representative of, an area to which members of the public or a section of the public have access and are likely to frequent;

(b) is not within the boundary of a factory or other industrial premises;

(c) is not on the carriageway of a road, or on a central reservation of a road to which there is not normally pedestrian access.

(2) Subject to complying with sub-paragraph (1), and to the requirements in paragraphs 4 and 5, a monitoring station may be located at a site of any description (and not only at a site of a description in paragraph 1).

Minimum numbers of monitoring stations

3.—(1) Until 31st December 2027—

(a) the total number of monitoring stations in each zone must be not less than the number of AQSR monitoring stations in that zone immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations;

(b) at least one monitoring station in each zone must be at an urban background or suburban background site.

(2) From 1st January 2028—

(a) the total number of monitoring stations in each zone, and

(b) the number of those monitoring stations which are—

(i) at urban background or suburban background sites;

(ii) at near-source sites,

must be not less than the minimum numbers specified in the following table.

Population of zone (thousands)	Minimum total number of monitoring stations	Minimum number of monitoring stations at urban background or suburban background sites	Minimum number of monitoring stations at near-source sites
≥ 6,000	15	10	5
4,750 – 5,999	11	7	4
3,750 – 4,749	10	6	4
2,750 – 3,749	9	6	3
1,000 – 2,749	6	4	2
250 – 999	3	2	1
<250	2	1	1

Siting criteria

4.—(1) Monitoring stations must be sited in accordance with the criteria in sub-paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) Monitoring stations must be sited to avoid measuring PM_2.5 levels within very small micro-environments in their immediate vicinity.

(3) Monitoring stations at near-source sites, as a group, must include stations which are sited to provide data that are representative of locations where the highest PM_2.5 concentrations are likely to occur to which the population is exposed for significant periods.

(4) Monitoring stations at near-source sites where the main nearby source of pollution is traffic emissions from a road must be—

(a) not more than 10 metres from the kerbside of the road;

(b) not less than 25 metres from the edge of any junction which interrupts the traffic flow and causes different levels of vehicular PM_2.5 emissions from the rest of the road; and

(c) representative of PM_2.5 levels in a length of the road of not less than 100 metres.

Position of monitoring equipment

5.  Equipment for measuring PM_2.5 levels at monitoring stations must be positioned in accordance with the following criteria—

(a) the flow of air around the sampling inlet must be unrestricted (free in an arc of at least 180° if the equipment is affixed or adjacent to a building or 270° otherwise);

(b) the sampling inlet must—

(i) be not less than 0.5 metres from the nearest building, tree or other obstacle; and

(ii) not be positioned in the immediate vicinity of a source of PM_2.5 emissions;

(c) the height of the inlet sampling probe must be not less than 1.5 metres and not more than 8 metres above the ground;

(d) the sampler’s exhaust outlet must be positioned so that recirculation of exhaust air to the sampler inlet is avoided.

Regulation 16

SCHEDULE 3 Information required to be published

Monitoring stations: general information

1.  In relation to each monitoring station—

(a) its zone and location;

(b) the date on which it first entered into operation for the monitoring of PM_2.5 levels;

(c) the description of site (as listed in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2), if any, at which it is located;

(d) whether PM_2.5 levels measured at the monitoring station are used for the purposes of—

(i) the annual mean concentration target and the population exposure reduction target; or

(ii) the annual mean concentration target only.

Monitoring stations: location details

2.  In relation to each monitoring station—

(a) a map of its location and photographs of the surrounding area;

(b) the precise location of the sampling inlet including its height above the ground.

3.  In relation to each monitoring station at a near-source site—

(a) a description of the predominant nearby source of PM_2.5 emissions;

(b) the distance of the monitoring station from that source.

Monitoring stations: temporary or permanent impacts

4.  In relation to each monitoring station, a description of any local influences (such as construction or roadworks) which have led to a temporary or permanent change in the extent to which PM_2.5 levels measured at the site are representative of PM_2.5 levels in the surrounding area.

Assessment methods and quality control

5.  In relation to each monitoring station, a narrative description of the method used to take fixed measurements of PM_2.5 levels.

6.  An explanation of how any equivalent methods used are equivalent to the reference method.

7.  A description of any quality assurance and quality control systems used to ensure the continued accuracy of measuring devices and the data obtained from them.

Data

8.  In relation to each monitoring station—

(a) for each period in which a fixed measurement of PM_2.5 was taken and ratified, the measured value, or the mean of the measured values if more than one measurement was taken and ratified;

(b) the annual data capture rate;

(c) the annual mean PM_2.5 level in each year.

9.  PEIbase (that is, the Population Exposure Indicator, as defined in regulation 10, for the baseline period as defined in regulation 7).

10.  The Population Exposure Indicator for the most recent year for which it has been calculated.

11.  The result of the calculation in paragraph 2(e) of Schedule 1 (that is, the percentage of PEIbase which represents the cumulative sum of annual changes to the Population Exposure Indicator since the baseline period), for the most recent year for which it has been calculated.