The Council carries out regular reviews and assessments of air quality in its area against standards and objectives set out by the national air quality Strategy.
The Air Quality (England) Regulations 2015 sets air quality objective levels for three main pollutants:
- nitrogen dioxide
- PM10
- sulphur dioxide
Environmental health monitors against the nitrogen dioxide objectives. Where exceedances are considered likely, the Council must declare an 'air quality management area' (AQMA) and prepare an 'air quality action plan' (AQAP) setting out the measures it intends to put in place to comply with these objectives.
There are currently five AQMAs in the Borough of Broxbourne. The main source of air pollution is traffic. The Council monitors nitrogen dioxide at 38 locations across the district using diffusion tubes.