PART 2Group A and Group B pollutants and ozone

CHAPTER 1Air Quality Standards

Preliminary and application4

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.

Zones and agglomerations5

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.

Air quality standards6

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.