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How we check air quality


We have a legal obligation to review and assess air quality across the county, as set out in Section 82 of the Environment Act 1995.

How air quality is reviewed and assessed

We complete an annual review and assessment to determine whether specific areas of the county meet national air quality objectives for various pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide and particulates (pollutants from road traffic emissions). A full list of pollutants which are reviewed and assessed and the National UK Air Quality Objectives is available:

PollutantObjectiveAveraging Period
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)200μg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 18 times a yearone hour mean
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)40μg/m3annual mean
Particulate Matter (PM10)50μg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year24 hour mean
Particulate Matter (PM10)50μg/m3 not to be exceeded more than seven times a year24 hour mean
Particulate Matter (PM10)40μg/m3annual mean
Particulate Matter (PM10)18μg/m3annual mean
Particulate Matter (PM2.5)Work towards reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5)annual mean
Particulate Matter (PM2.5)10μg/m3annual mean
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)266μg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year15 minute mean
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)350μg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 24 times a yearone hour mean
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)125μg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 3 times a year24 hour mean
Benzene (C6H6)16.25μg/m3running annual mean
Benzene (C6H6)5μg/m3annual mean
Benzene (C6H6)3.25μg/m3running annual mean
1,3-Butadiene (C4H6)2.25μg/m3running annual mean
Carbon Monoxide (CO)10mg/m3maximum daily running eight hour mean
Carbon Monoxide (CO)10mg/m3running eight hour mean
Lead (Pb)0.25μg/m3annual mean

Reporting air quality standards

We must carry out an air quality review and assessment and report on the status of air quality across the county to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) annually. The Annual Air Quality Status report will provide:

  • A summary of progress of the implementation of the air quality improvement measures within an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP);
  • The details of air quality monitoring data for the previous year.

Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) (PDF) [1MB]  for 2024.

All maps in these documents are reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Durham County Council.  LA 100049055. 2016.

What happens if air quality standards are exceeded

Once we are satisfied that the outcome of monitoring and detailed assessment work highlights a likely breach of an air quality objective, then we must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

Once declared, we must then work with local residents, partners and others such as transport users and providers, to agree an action plan to improve air quality in the area covered by the AQMA. The action plan is a detailed document that sets out proposals to improve air quality in a variety of ways. These may include transport planning, land use, energy management, healthy living and environmental initiatives.

You can find more information related to air quality in specific areas of the county:

Further information

We can provide further information about air quality and pollution control. Please Contact Pollution Control for:

  • paper copies, or alternative formats, of any of the electronic reports on this page
  • information on previous review and assessment reports
  • any questions or concerns about air quality in the county answered


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