Air Quality Targets

Fuel Cell Bus


A hydrogen fuel cell bus such as this runs on hydrogen, which is combined with oxygen to produce electricity producing only water vapour, instead of other pollutant produced from conventional vehicles. For more information see TfL's website, or the London Hydrogen Partnership.

 

EU air quality limit values



Limit Values for the protection of human health

                                                                                   
Pollutant                  Averaging period                  Limit/Target value*                                Date by which value is to be met

Benzene                  Calendar year                      5 µg/m3 (1.54 ppb)                               1 January 2010

Carbon                     8-hour, rolling basis             10 mg/m3 (8.6 ppm)                              1 January 2005
monoxide (CO)        

Lead                        Calendar year                       0.5 µg/m3                                              1 January 2005 or, in specific
                                                                                                                                           cases, 1 January 2010

Nitrogen                   1-hour                                   200 µg/m3 (105 ppb), not be                1 January 2010
dioxide (NO2)                                                        exceeded > 18 times a
                                                                              calendar year                          

                               Calendar year                        40 µg/m3 (21 ppb)                                1 January 2010

Ozone (O3)             Maximum daily                       120 µg/m3 (60 ppb), not be                 Target value for 2010
                                8-hour mean                          exceeded > 25 days a calendar
                                Target Value                          year averaged over 3 years                       

Particulate               24-hour                                  50 µg/m3, not be exceeded                1 January 2005
matter less                                                             > 35 times a calendar
than                                                                        year
10 microns             
in diameter           Calendar year                            40 µg/m3                                            1 January 2005
(PM10),           
Gravimetric*       
                           
PM2.5                     Calendar year                          25 µg/m3                                            1 January 2015
Gravimetric*          Calendar year                          20 µg/m3                                            1 January 2020
                              Exposure reduction                 20% urban background reduction     between 2010 & 2020
 
Sulphur                    1-hour                                   350 µg/m3 (132ppb), not be                1 January 2005
dioxide (SO2)                                                        exceeded > 24 times a
                                                                              calendar year                                                    

                               24-hour                                   125 µg/m3 (47ppb), not be                  1 January 2005
                                                                               exceeded > 3 times a
                                                                               calendar year                    


Limit Values for the protection of vegetation (NOx) and ecosystems (SO2)


Oxides                     Calendar year                        30 µg/m3                                                19 July 2001
of nitrogen
(NOx)                     

Sulphur                    Calendar year & winter         20 µg/m3                                                 19 July 2001
dioxide                     (1 Oct to 31 Mar)
(SO2)                                                                                   

                  
*  Limit Value is legally binding on member states, Target Value is not
** Gravimetric refers to the method of measuring PM10

 

UK national air quality objectives



Substance                   Averaging Period               Objective Levels                            Date by which                                                                                                                                               objective to be met

Benzene                      running annual mean         16.25 µg/m3 ( 5 ppb)                      31 December 2003

                                    annual mean                       5 µg/m3 (1.54 ppb)                        31 December 2010

1,3-Butadiene              running annual mean          2.25 µg/m3 (1 ppb)                        31 December 2003

Carbon monoxide        running 8-hour mean          10 mg/m3 (8.6 ppm)                       31 December 2003
(CO)                                              
                          
Lead                            annual mean                       0.5 µg/m3                                       31 December 2004

                                    annual mean                       0.25 µg/m3                                     31 December 2008

Nitrogen dioxide          1-hour mean                       200 µg/m3 (105 ppb), not be          31 December 2005
(NO2)                                                                     exceeded > 18 times a year 
                   
                                   Annual mean                      40 µg/m3 (21 ppb)                           31 December 2005

Particulate matter        24-hour mean                    50 µg/m3, not be exceeded             31 December 2004
less than 10 microns                                             > 35 times a year
in diameter (PM10),      
Gravimetric*                annual mean                      40 µg/m3                                          31 December 2004
                             
Sulphur dioxide           15-minute mean                266 µg/m3 (100 ppb), not to be        31 December 2005
(SO2)                                                                    exceeded > 35 times a year       
 
                                    1-hour mean                    350 µg/m3(132 ppb), not to be          31 December 2004
                                                                            exceeded > 24 times a year   
           
                                    24-hour mean                  125 µg/m3 (47 ppb), not to be           31 December 2004
                                                                             exceeded > 3 times a year                


Provisional national objectives for air quality, for the protection of human health

                        
Benzene                       running annual mean      3.25 µg/m3 (1 ppb)                               31 December 2010                            
Carbon                         running 8-hour mean      10 mg/m3 (8.6 ppm)                               1 January 2005
monoxide (CO)             

Polycyclic                     annual mean                 0.25 ng/m3                                              31 December 2010
aromatic
hydrocarbons
(PAH)                          

Particulate                    24-hour mean                50 µg/m3not to be exceeded                  31 December 2010
matter less than                                                > 10-14 times a year,
10 microns in                                                    for London
diameter                       annual mean                 23-25 µg/m3, for London                        31 December 2010
(PM10),
gravimetric*                  

*Gravimetric refers to the method of measuring PM10