§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the most recent figures are for air quality in Lancashire. [88651]
§ Alun MichaelDefra currently operates two automated, continuous air quality monitoring sites in Lancashire: one in Preston, the other in Blackpool. These sites measure carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, ozone, particulate matter (PM 10), and sulphur dioxide. Current and historic air quality information from these sites is available at Defra's air quality archive, www.airquality.co.uk. The information is updated hourly.
In 2002 all automated measurements of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide were in the 'low' category of air pollution. 'High' levels of PM10 occurred at Preston on one day in 2002, where levels peaked at 80 micrograms per cubic metre. `Moderate' levels of PM10 were recorded at Preston on three days in 2002. 'Moderate' levels of PM10 were measured at Blackpool on one day in 2002, peaking at 51 micrograms per cubic metre. 'Moderate' levels of ozone were measured in Preston on 47 separate days in 2002, peaking at 67 parts per billion. In Blackpool, `moderate' levels of ozone were measured on 62 separate days in 2002, peaking at 78 parts per billion. Data for 2002 are provisional. Definitions of low', 'moderate' and 'high' pollution levels are provided at Defra's air quality archive.