The quality of the air we breathe affects everybody, poor air quality has been associated with adverse health effects especially respiratory ailments such as asthma, so it is important that we know how good or bad the air quality is in Sunderland.

To make sure that the level of air quality is acceptable, the government has set down standards for air quality known as the National Air Quality Objectives. These relate to seven specified pollutants; nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), carbon dioxide (CO), lead, fine particles (PM₁₀), benzene, and 1,3-butadiene and set down acceptable levels based on the effect of each pollutant on public health.

Sunderland City Council must measure these seven pollutants to prove that they meet the standards. They are required to do this by Part IV of the Environment Act 1995. The Environment Act also requires Sunderland to produce an Air Quality Review which is a report produced every three years on the air quality in our area.

View Air Quality Review Reports

The Air Quality Review contains details of the monitoring of air pollution that has been carried out by Sunderland. Various kinds of monitoring equipment are used to gather all this information from simple diffusion tubes to continuous monitoring stations that measure pollutants every 15 minutes. Sunderland City Council also has an Automatic Urban Rural Network site which is part of a national network of analysers.  

Sunderland City Council also has a commitment to monitor business establishments which emit substances to air as part of their process. These are known as Part B installations and have to be authorised by Sunderland City Council in order to carry out their process.

If you have any questions about air quality in Sunderland please contact us by email or telephone (0191) 553 1661.

Other sites you may find of interest include:-

DEFRA

Air Quality Archive

NSCA