New Directive New Directive 2008/50/EC2008/50/EC

on ambient air qualityon ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe and cleaner air for Europe

Aiga Kāla, Valts VilnītisAiga Kāla, Valts Vilnītis

SIA Estonian, Latvian & LithuanianSIA Estonian, Latvian & Lithuanian

EnvironmentEnvironment

February 10, 2009 

CAFE Directive

• Commission Proposal in September 2005• European Parliament 1st reading

September 2006• Adoption 21 May 2008• Entry into force: 11 June 2008

EU Air Quality Management CAFÉ Directive

• Health based limit values for concentrations of main pollutants.

• These to be applied universally: to Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and for specific requirements of Air Quality Management Framework.

• Requires identification of agglomerations/zones for detailed assessment. Population over 250,000, densely populated or industrial zone

EU Air Quality Management CAFÉ Directive

• Specifies number of ambient air quality monitors required for zone/agglomeration of given size.

• Member states must list all places where pollutants exceed limit values (plus margin of tolerance)

• Improvement ‘action’ plans and programmes required for zones of exceedence – development of these requires air quality modelling.

• Exceedence of short term thresholds (NOx, SO2)

requires immediate action – air quality forecasting

• Public information

EU Air Quality Management CAFÉ Directive - II

Attainment scheme

Limit value

Time

Attainment dateDirective comes into force

Above margine of tolerance: annual report and plans or programmes to improve air quality sent to EC

Between limit value and margin of tolerance: annual report to EC

Below limit value: annual report to EC, Good air quality maintained

Margin of tolerance

New Directive key elements

• Existing legislation merged into a single directive (except for the fourth daughter directive)

• No change to existing air quality objectives

• New air quality objectives for PM2.5 (fine particles)

• Possibility for time extensions for complying with limit values

• The possibility to discount natural sources of pollution

Air quality objectives for PM2.5

5 objectives for PM2.5

• Target and limit value– 25 μg/m3 annual average to apply everywhere .

– Target value in 2010, limit value in 2015

– Indicative limit value of 20 μg/m3 in 2020, to be confirmed at review

• Exposure (based on national average exposure indicator)– Exposure concentration obligation 20 μg/m3 in 2015

– Exposure reduction target to reduce national average measured urban background concentration 0-20% between 2010 and 2020 subject to later review where differentiated MS legal objectives to be proposed

Compliance problems (Article 22)

• Attainment date can be postponed for particular pollutants:– NO2, benzene - maximum postponement up to

2015

– PM10 – until June 2011

• Conditions – air quality plan which obligatory has to at least consider a list of measures (Annex to the Directive)

• LV in force, but at LV+MoT level

Compliance problems (Article 22) – II

• PM10

– Attainment date already passed

– All appropriate measures taken to reach compliance in 2005

– External reasons prevented compliance (transboundary, climatic conditions, dispersion

– Compliance demonstrated by new deadline

• NO2, benzene– Attainment date not yet arrived

– 2010 can not be reached (measures taken)

– Compliance demonstrated by new deadline

Addressing man-made pollution

• Existing provision to deduct natural events generalized to natural contributions– Natural sources: volcanic eruptions, seismic

activities, geothermal activities, wild-land fires, highwind events, sea sprays or the atmospheric re-suspension or transport of natural particles from dry regions

– Deduction needs to be well justified

– Further source apportionment mostly required to be able to use this provision

• Guidance in development

Addressing man-made pollutionII

• Contribution from re-suspension

• Exceedances of PM10 attributable to winter-sanding or -salting of roads

• Deduction needs to be well justified

• Reasonable measures taken, air quality plans

• Guidance in development

Where limit values apply?

• Specific list of locations where compliance with limit values related to health is not to be assessed:– On the motorway

– Where no access and no permanent habitation

Limit values apply everywhere!

Protection of vegetation and biodiversity

• Critical levels (SO2 and NOX) – Annex XIII

• “Level” – shall mean the concentration of a pollutant in ambient air or the deposition thereof on surface in a given time

• Critical loads important for the assessment under the Habitats directive