§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many air quality incidents have been recorded(a) in the UK, (b) in the north-east and (c) in Teesside; and what was the cause of the most potentially dangerous of those incidents in the last 12 months. [16425]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 20 November 2001]: We usually consider a "pollution incident" as an event in which high or very high air pollution has been monitored. The Department of Health's Committee on the effects of air pollution (COMEAP) has defined levels of high air pollution. They advise that during such episodes significant effects may be noticed by sensitive individuals and action to avoid or reduce these effects may be needed (e.g. reducing exposure by spending less time in polluted areas outdoors). During episodes of very high pollution the effects on sensitive individuals described for high levels of pollution may worsen. The pollution thresholds adopted by COMEAP are shown as follows.
Across the UK there were 10 days on which pollution levels for ozone were measured as high at one or more sites. For ozone, there were no episodes of high pollution in the north-east or Teeside. Ozone episodes are caused by a combination of sunlight reacting on volatile organic compounds and nitrogen dioxide. These pollutants can be transported long distances and a proportion of the ozone measured during these episodes is likely to have originated from continental sources.
521WFor sulphur dioxide there was only one incident of high pollution recorded, at Grangemouth on 24 August. This is likely to have been caused by an industrial source. A second episode measured in London is unratified data and likely to be instrument error.
For PM10 there were 50 days on which pollution levels were high or very high at one or more sites. The highest pollution was recorded at Bexley (190 ug/m3) on 3 November. The episode arose from the combination of calm weather conditions across south-east England and bonfire night celebrations. This was one of the highest measurements of PM10 recorded in the UK since 1992 when monitoring commenced. The second highest measurement was recorded in Manchester and arose due to cutting of concrete slabs adjacent to the monitoring station; this probably did not reflect wider air pollution.
In the north-east there were 10 days of high or very high pollution at Scunthorpe (all for PM10). Local industrial sources are likely to have contributed to these episodes. In Leeds, there was one day on which pollution levels for PM10) were high. There were no episodes of high pollution for PM10 recorded at the Middlesbrough monitoring site in Teesside.
No episodes of high or very high pollution have been recorded in the UK during 2001 for carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide.