Ambient air monitoring is the monitoring of the quality of the air in a particular area, for example in a city centre. It is not concerned with monitoring the emissions from chimney stacks. The local ambient air quality can be degraded by a number of sources such as diesel vehicles and power station emissions. The usual substances monitored include dust deposition, PM10, PM2.5, NOx and SOx. The Irish EPA and the UK Environmental Agency carry out ambient monitoring, usually, using permanent monitoring stations. This data is usually freely available.
Ambient monitoring is often necessary as a condition of an IED licence, permit, planning condition, to support licence applications or as part of an EIS. A typical example of this is dust monitoring at a quarry to ensure dust levels are below those specified in the planning conditions.
Environmental Efficiency can undertake the entire range of ambient monitoring. Our regular ambient monitoring clients include Kilsaran Concrete and Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
For more information on ambient air monitoring follow the link.