EC Requests Compliance Information on PM10 Pollution
July 10, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The European Commission (EC) is checking up on action taken by European Union (EU) member states to comply with the EU's ambient air quality standard for dangerous airborne particles known as PM10.
The EC's action follows the entry into force on June 11 of a new EU air quality directive, which allows member states to request limited extra time to meet the PM10 standard under certain conditions.
PM10 are coarse particles, emitted by industry and traffic, which can cause asthma, cardiovascular problems, lung cancer and premature death.
"Air pollution has serious impacts on health and compliance with the standards must be our utmost priority, said Stavros Dimas, EC environment commissioner.
"The entry into force of the new directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe marks a new phase in the implementation and enforcement of air quality standards."
PM10 standard
The PM10 standard consists of two limit values:
- A concentration of 50 micrograms (µg)/m3, measured over 24 hours; this can be exceeded on no more than 35 days per year.
- A concentration of 40 µg/m3, measured over one year; no exceedance is allowed.
Time extensions
The new directive 2008/50/EC (see MEMO 07/571 and IP/08/570) establishes ambitious, cost-effective targets for improving human health and environmental quality up to 2020.
However, in recognition of the difficulty many member states face in complying with some EU air quality standards, it also allows for the possibility of limited time extensions for compliance.
In the case of PM10, for which the mandatory standard has been in force since 2005, this time extension can run until June 10, 2011. It is estimated that, on average, 40% of air quality zones in the EU currently do not comply with the PM10 standard.
Time extensions will be granted only for zones that satisfy the conditions laid down in the directive, which relate to external factors over which the member states have no direct control, such as transboundary contributions and adverse climatic conditions. Outside these areas, the air quality standards must be fully complied with.
On June 26, the EC adopted a communication (COM(2008) 403 final) providing guidance to member states wishing to request time extensions.
In assessing notifications for such requests, the EC will look specifically at the efforts undertaken by member states to comply by the initial deadline (Jan. 1, 2005 in the case of PM10). The EC must also be convinced that full compliance will be achieved at the expiry of the time extension period.
In light of this guidance, the EC has written to the 23 member states that reported exceedances of the limit value for PM10 in 2006, asking them to provide information by Sep. 30, 2008 on the steps they are taking to achieve compliance.
This concerns all member states except Ireland and Luxembourg, which reported no exceedances of the PM10 standard in 2006, and Bulgaria and Romania, which did not join the EU until 2007.
In the letters, the EC made clear that member states are expected to notify requests for time extensions by Oct. 31, 2008. Failure either to achieve compliance with the standard or to submit notifications by that date will lead to legal action against the member state concerned.
Further information:
For more information, see the EU web page on the new air quality directive and the web page showing exceedances of air quality standards by member state.
Source: European Commission.