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.