Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards

Issued jointly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish Executive, The National Assembly for Wales, and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.

Latest information

• 27 February 2006 - Guidelines for halogens and hydrogen halides in ambient air for protecting human health against acute irritancy effects - report launched

Contents

Background
Membership of EPAQS
Code of Practice for members of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (EPAQS)
Terms of reference
Work programme
Contact address
Agenda, minutes and future meetings
PM 2.5 in the West Midlands
Final reports
Supplementary papers
Annual Report
Register of interests
Press notices
Publication scheme
Links to other sites

Background

The Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (EPAQS) was set up in 1991 to provide independent advice on air quality issues, in particular the levels of pollution at which no or minimal health effects are likely to occur. Members of the Panel are primarily drawn from those eminent in the fields of health research, practice and teaching. The Panel's recommendations were adopted as the benchmark standards in the National Air Quality Strategy.

EPAQS give advice on non-occupational ambient air quality standards, with particular reference to the levels of airborne pollutants at which no or minimal effects on human health are likely to occur, taking account of the best available evidence. This is done without reference to the practicality of abatement or mitigation measures, the economic costs and economic benefits of pollution control measures or other factors pertinent to the management rather than the assessment of risk. The Panel also identifies gaps in the knowledge needed for standard setting and suggests potential priority areas for future research; for the purpose of informing the development of policy on the improvement of air quality and increasing public knowledge and understanding of air quality issues. EPAQS do not give approval for products or equipment.

Terms of reference

The revised terms of reference for the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards are:

"To advise the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish Ministers, the National Assembly for Wales and Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) as required, on non-occupational ambient air quality standards, with particular reference to the levels of airborne pollutants at which no or minimal effects on human health are likely to occur;

i. taking account of the best available evidence

• of the effects of air pollution on human health and
• of progressive development of the air quality monitoring network; but

ii. without reference to the practicality of abatement or mitigation measures, the economic costs and economic benefits of pollution control measures or other factors pertinent to the management rather than the assessment of risk;

Where appropriate, for example for pollutants where no threshold for adverse effects can be determined, the Panel may wish to recommend exposure-response relationships or other information Government might use to set policy objectives.

to identify gaps in the knowledge needed for standard setting and suggest potential priority areas for future research;

to advise on other aspects of air quality and air pollution referred to it;

for the purpose of informing the development of policy on the improvement of air quality and increasing public knowledge and understanding of air quality issues."

Work programme

The Panel will

1. Form a view on the generic approach to setting Environmental Action Limits for the Environment Agency; and
2. Consider a list of substances considered a priority by the Environmental Agency.

Contact address

EPAQS Secretariat
Defra
7/F15, Ashdown House
123 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6DE
Tel: 020 7082 8421
Fax: 020 7082 8385
Email: air.quality@defra.gsi.gov.uk

All correspondence for EPAQS should be sent through the Secretariat. Members cannot guarantee a reply on EPAQS business to any communication sent directly to them.

PM 2.5 in the West Midlands

These reports were commissioned by the Department of Health to inform the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards in its consideration of a standard for PM2.5. The first report aimed to investigate whether PM2.5 was associated with daily emergency hospital admissions for cardio-respiratory diagnoses, and to compare its effects. The second report aimed to investigate its association with daily mortality and daily hospital admissions, and concerned the analyses of daily mortality. The reports are available (in Adobe Acrobat format) as follows:

• PM 2.5 and daily hospital admissions in the West Midlands conurbation

  • Report (120 KB)

  • Annexes (600 KB)

• PM 2.5 and daily mortality in the West Midlands conurbation

  • Report (140 KB)

  • Annexes (510 KB)

Final reports

• Guidelines for halogens and hydrogen halides in ambient air for protecting human health against acute irritancy effects (February 2006 - ISBN 0-85521-169-5)
• 1,3-Butadiene - second report (February 2002 - ISBN 0 85521 010 9)
• Airborne Particles: What is the appropriate measurement on which to base a standard? (April 2001 - ISBN 011 753599 0)
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (July 1999 - ISBN 011 753503 6)
• Lead (May 1998 - ISBN 011 753447 1)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (December 1996 - ISBN 011 753352 1)
• Particles (November 1995 - ISBN 011 753199 5)
• Sulphur Dioxide (September 1995 - ISBN 011 753135 9)
• Carbon Monoxide (December 1994 - ISBN 011 753035 2)
• 1,3-Butadiene (December 1994 - ISBN 011 753034 4)
• Ozone (May 1994 - ISBN 011 752873 0)
• Benzene (February 1994 - ISBN 011 752859 5)

The Second 1,3-Butadiene report can be obtained from Defra Publications, London, SW1A 2XX, Tel: 08459 556000, Fax: 020 8957 5012, Email: defra@iforcegroup.com

The earlier reports can be obtained from The Stationery Office, National Publishing, PO Box 276, London, SW8 5DT: Telephone orders: 020 7873 9090, General enquiries: 020 7873 0011, Email: book.enquiries@theso.co.uk.

Supplementary papers and statements

• EPAQS response to CAFE draft second position paper on particulate matter (10 KB)
• EPAQS statement on the use of an interim methodology for setting guideline values for environmental assessment level
• Irritant Induced Asthma and reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (30 KB)

Annual Report

• The Report of the Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards - 1991-2000

Press notices

Press notices will be published here when available.

Publication scheme

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, the publication scheme below has been designed to summarise the material published by EPAQS and how it may be obtained

• EPAQS Publication Scheme (28 KB)

Links to other sites

• The Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Scottish Executive
• National Assembly for Wales
• Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland)
• The UK National Air Quality Information Archive
• Department of Health Air Pollution pages
• Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP)
• Air Quality Expert Group
• Cabinet Office Public Appointments Unit

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