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FOI request (FOI-76481604)
Air Quality in Hastings.
Requested Thu 24 May 2018
Responded Wed 06 June 2018As you know air quality on the south coast is affected by pollutants from several sources including diesel engine exhaust, shipping in the English Channel, industrial pollution from Northern France and manufacturing and waste plants across the South East.This pollution can be exacerbated by the South Downs trapping air, by high levels of sunshine, by low levels of wind and by high population levels in our coastal communities.To better understand and inform a strategy around the issue of air pollution in Eastbourne, we need to know what the pollution levels are across the south coast, and what other Local Authorities are measuring, recording and reporting.For this reason, we would ask that you supply us with answers to the following questions under the Freedom of Information Act of 2000:1. Do you measure both 2.5 and 10 micrometre particulates?2. If not, why not?3. If you do measure either or both, please cold you provide us the readings of both these particulate levels for the last three months and over the last 12 months.4. If you have historic measurements, year on year trends would be useful too.5. Can you also tell us precisely where your monitoring equipment is sited in your area of responsibility?6. Do you make any Pollution readings available to the public and if so, how?7. The World Health Organisation recommends that particulates of 2.5 micrometres in diameter should not exceed micrograms per cubed metre. Is this the case in your area?Whilst we are aware that the European standard is less onerous, we should all be aiming for the WHO standard to improve the health of our residents and reduce the number of deaths caused by respiration problems.On average, London and Paris regularly record levels of 15 to 19 micrograms. As we are sandwiched between the two, we would like to find out what levels are recorded in coastal towns.To do this we are requesting information from councils in Hastings, Eastbourne, Newhaven, Brighton, Hove, Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth.
Response
Q1 - Hastings Borough Council only measure in PM 10.
Q2 - PM 2.5 is not incorporated into LAQM regulations, and therefore there is no statutory requirement to review and assess.
Q3 - 6 - This information is available on our website via the following link: https://www.hastings.gov.uk/environmentalhealth/pollution/air/air_management/
Q7 - Please see answer to Q2
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