The Impact of the EU Air Quality Standards on the Planning and Authorisation of Large Scale Infrastructure Projects in the Netherlands

2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 375-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Koeman ◽  
Floor Fleurke
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Dutch Government ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe implementation of the first Daughter Directive on Air Quality had a considerable effect on decision-making concerning large scale infrastructure projects. It was the Dutch administrative court that enforced the air quality standards in the Netherlands by ruling that the limit values are absolute standards to be applied at all levels of decision-making. Faced with the consequences of this interpretation the Dutch government tried to soften the economic and social effects of the court's policy. This analysis of the debate that followed illustrates the two opposing approaches. The first approach is to interpret EC air quality standards literally, meaning that the limit values have to be applied by all competent authorities. Those supporting the second approach argue that the limit values must be attained, in the first place, by national measures dealing with the sources of pollution, making use of technical solutions. The Dutch government has shifted slightly from the first to the second approach, as is clear from the Air Quality Order of 2005. However, it remains doubtful whether this will be sufficient to lift the current deadlock on infrastructure projects and attain the environmental limit values.

scholarly journals Fine particulate matters: The impact of air quality standards on cardiovascular mortality

2018 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 364-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne E. Corrigan ◽  
Michelle M. Becker ◽  
Lucas M. Neas ◽  
Wayne E. Cascio ◽  
Ana G. Rappold
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Cardiovascular Mortality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Particulate Matters ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Fine Particulate ◽  
Fine Particulate Matters ◽  
The Impact

The Impact of Background Ozone on Compliance with Revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards

2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J Williams ◽  
William T Potter ◽  
William W Clarkson ◽  
Dee A Sanders ◽  
John E Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Background Ozone ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ambient Air Quality Standards

scholarly journals Improving air quality and health in Northern Italy: limits and perspectives

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Robotto ◽  
Secondo Barbero ◽  
Roberto Cremonini ◽  
Enrico Brizio
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Source Apportionment ◽  
Mass Concentration ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Northern Italy ◽  
Emission Reductions ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Po Valley ◽  
Depth Analysis

A better air quality has led to a significant reduction of premature deaths over the past decade in Europe, as emissions of many pollutants declined considerably in the EU-27 Member States: SOx emissions by 76%, NOx by 42%, NMVOCs by 29% and PM2.5 by 29%. The present paper reports an in-depth analysis of the reasons why the regions of the Po valley, Northern Italy, still have difficulties to comply with EU air quality standards, in particular for PM10 and NO2, in spite of strong emission reductions carried out through careful Air Quality Plans put in practice during the last 2 decades. The analysis includes a consistent comparison of emission inventories for different European regions in Italy, Germany and Poland, the measured air quality trends and PM source apportionment in these areas, and, most of all, a thorough investigation of meteorological parameters influencing atmospheric pollutant dispersion and transport. The study reports that in the colder seasons, wind speed, PBL height and atmospheric pressure occurring in the Po basin are three to five times less efficient in diluting and dispersing pollutant if compared to regions north of the Alps. Due to the extremely disadvantageous orographic and climatic configuration of the Po Valley, only radical emission reductions could bring air quality into EU limit values with a questionable cost-benefit ratio of due policies. Provided that air quality standards (particularly for PM10 and PM2.5) aim at protecting people from adverse health effects arising from air pollution, it is however necessary to also consider the toxicity of atmospheric particulate in addition to PM10/PM2.5 mass concentration as a limit value. Based on existing toxicological studies and reports, a discussion is reported about PM toxicity factor depending on toxicity scores for source-specific aerosols and PM composition determined by Source Apportionment. Provided that PM components profiles are strongly different across Europe, the obtained PM toxicity factors range from 0.3 (for areas where the main PM contribution is referable to sea salts or inorganic matter) to 3.5 (where Elemental and Organic Carbon prevail), suggesting that, even at the same mass concentration, the effects of PM10/2.5 on human health are significantly variable and limit values should take into account differential toxicity. Modern PM Source Apportionment techniques, along with reliable toxicity and epidemiological analyses, represent the right tools to overcome the shortcomings of the current regulation standard and build a new consistent health metric for ambient PM in the future, helping policy makers impose effective air quality measures to protect people health.

Application of Electron Optics to Characterization of Particulate Pollutants

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 364-365
Author(s):  
J. B. Moran ◽  
J. L. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Fuel Additives ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Emission Standards ◽  
Stationary Sources ◽  
Ambient Air Quality Standards

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 provide the basis for a dramatic change in Federal air quality programs. The Act establishes new standards for motor vehicles and requires EPA to establish national ambient air quality standards, standards of performance for new stationary sources of pollution, and standards for stationary sources emitting hazardous substances. Further, it establishes procedures which allow states to set emission standards for existing sources in order to achieve national ambient air quality standards. The Act also permits the Administrator of EPA to register fuels and fuel additives and to regulate the use of motor vehicle fuels or fuel additives which pose a hazard to public health or welfare.National air quality standards for particulate matter have been established. Asbestos, mercury, and beryllium have been designated as hazardous air pollutants for which Federal emission standards have been proposed.

scholarly journals Achieving Air Quality Standards in the European Union

1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 643-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeger Degraeve ◽  
Gert Jan Koopman
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Air Quality Standards

Air-Quality Standards

JAMA ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 243 (10) ◽  
pp. 1037
Author(s):  
Max Bader
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Air Quality Standards
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