§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the key pollution indicators are within Castle Point constituency; and what the monitoring systems are for these indicators. [188434]
§ Mr. MorleyFor water quality, the General Quality Assessment scheme (GQA) is the Environment Agency's (EA's) national method for classifying rivers and canals. The scheme provides a way of comparing water quality from one river to another and for looking at changes through time. The EA assesses water quality in four separate ways; chemistry (based on water samples), biology, nutrients and aesthetics. Water samples are collected from about 8,000 monitoring sites monthly. These represent over 40,000 kilometres of rivers and canals. To each sampling site, the Agency assigns a stretch of river that the site characterises. In the Castle Point constituency there are 2 km of monitored river; the Prittle Brook watercourse.
1938WIn terms of emissions of air pollutants with reference to sources in a local neighbourhood, the Environment Agency has developed a reporting system for industrial facilities that it regulates, whereby they report emissions of key chemical compounds from their facility to air, water or sewer. Within the Castle Point Constituency, two sites currently report to the Environment Agency's Pollution Inventory; Benfleet Sewage treatment works owned by Anglian Water and Oikos Storage Ltd.'s hazardous waste treatment facility at Hold Haven Wharf, Haven Road, Canvey Island. The specific details of emissions from these sites and more detailed water quality information can be downloaded from the EA's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk
In terms of air quality, Defra monitors air pollution at two locations in the Castle Point Constituency. There is automatic continuous monitoring of ozone, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM 10), sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide at Chalkwell Park, Westcliffe-on-Sea and at London Road, Grays. These sites are included in the national Automatic and Rural Network (AURN) of air quality monitors and hourly information on concentrations of these pollutants is published on Defra's air quality website at www.airquality.co.uk. Local authorities in the constituency carry out additional assessment of air quality as part of their responsibilities under Local Air Quality Management.