"Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution“ adopted - Regulations for PM 2,5
On September 21, 2005, the EU Commission has adopted the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution. The study shall help to get under control the problems regarding the impairment of human health by air pollution and problems through acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone.
According to the strategy EU emissions shall be abated from 2002 until 2020 for SO2 by 82 %, for NOx by 60 %, for VOC by 51 %, for ammonia by 27 % and for PM 2,5 by 59 %.
Part of the study will be implemented through a revision of the current ambient air legislation comprising:
- Streamlining of existing provisions and merging the ambient air quality framework directive, its first three daughter directives and the exchange of information decision into a single directive.
- The introduction of air quality standards for PM 2,5.
The limit values of the first three daughter directives (SO2, NO2, NOx, PM 10, Pb, Benzene, CO, Ozone) will not be changed; under certain circumstances a drogation from the deadline for meeting the values could be granted.
For PM 2,5 there will be a „concentration cap“ of 25 µg/m³ (this value is told to comply with the PM 10 value of 40 µg/m³), with a 20 % margin of tolerance to be reduced to 0 % by 2015. Further there is an “exposure reduction target” of 20 % for PM 2,5 which means that PM 2,5 concentrations have to be cut by 20 % by 2020 everywhere in the EU compared to 2010. This target, however, is not legally binding.
Further the national emission ceiling directive (NECD) will also be revised. In addition to a provided reduction of the current emission ceilings for SO2, NOx, VOC und NH3 emission ceilings for PM 2,5 will be introduced.
The NEC revision project will be launched in 2006.