PART 2 Group A and Group B pollutants and ozone

CHAPTER 1 Air Quality Standards

4 Preliminary and application
1 This Part applies in respect of the following pollutants—
(a) Group A pollutants;
(b) Group B pollutants; and
(c) ozone.
2 Northern Ireland departments shall ensure that all measures taken under Chapters 2 or 3 of this Part—
(a) take into account an integrated approach to the protection of air, water and soil; and
(b) have no significant negative effects on—
(i) any other member State; or
(ii) any other part of the United Kingdom.

5 Zones and agglomerations
1 The Department shall, for the purposes of this Part, divide the territory of Northern Ireland into zones.
2 A zone shall be classified as an agglomeration for the purposes of this Part where—
(a) it has a population in excess of 250,000 inhabitants; or
(b) in any other case, the Department determines that its population density per km2 is sufficiently high to justify such a classification.
3 The Department may establish different zones for different pollutants where it considers this appropriate.

6 Air quality standards
1 Schedule 1 prescribes the following air quality standards—
(a) for Group A pollutants, the limit values set out in Part 1 of that Schedule;
(b) for Group B pollutants, the target values set out in Part 3 of that Schedule; and
(c) for ozone, the target values and long-term objectives set out in Part 4 of that Schedule.
2 Limit values—
(a) shall be attained by the attainment date specified for the limit value concerned; or
(b) apply when these Regulations come into operation, if no attainment date is specified.
3 Target values shall be attained from the attainment date specified, in so far as this is possible.
4 In the case of benzene and nitrogen dioxide, the margins of tolerance set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1 apply within the periods specified.