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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the concentration was of (a) nitrogen dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide and (c) benzene in each (i) London borough and (ii) London ward in each of the last five years. [212379] Alun Michael: There are extensive networks of automatic and non-automatic air monitors in London. Air quality is not measured for these pollutants in each London borough and ward. Table 1 summarises the minimum (min) and maximum (max) annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and benzene across London in each of the last five years. The information is collected by Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN), the London Air Quality Network (LAQN). Historic and current data from the AURN and LAQN networks can be found at: AURN: http://www.airquality.co.uk/archive/index.php LAQN: http://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/home.asp Table 1: Range of annual mean concentrations in micrograms per metre cubed across London by year and pollutant (1997-2004) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Pollutant Benzene Nitrogen dioxide Sulphur dioxide Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum 1997 3.38 5.67 35 74 9 20 1998 2.68 12.79 32 92 7 19 1999 2.52 10.77 32 93 4 13 2000 1.58 6.29 28 121 4 15 2001 4.55 4.55 29 119 4 14 2002 -- -- 25 122 3 13 2003 3.33 3.33 28 107 24 183 2004 2.48 2.48 24 183 3 21 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: Data for 2004 are provisional. No data are available for benzene for 2002. The number of sites used in the analysis varies each year as networks change. The minimum and maximum annual mean benzene figures presented in the table are the same for 2001, 2003 and 2004 because only a single site was operational for that pollutant in London during those years. Table 2 summarises nitrogen dioxide concentrations measured by the UK nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube network in London since 1999. Average minimum and average maximum concentrations are presented for all roadside and background locations. A detailed table showing information for the London boroughs in which the diffusion tubes are located is available from the Air Quality Archive at: http://www.airquality.co.uk/archive/reports/reports. php?report id=309 . Table 2: Minimum and maximum annual mean nitrogen dioxide concentrations are in micrograms per metre cubed over London by year at both roadside and background locations _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Minimum roadside annual Maximum roadside annual Minimum background Maximum background mean mean annual mean annual mean 1999 34 80 21 64 2000 29 66 22 47 2001 31 87 20 42 2002 28 77 16 43 2003 38 101 23 67 2004 31 97 19 71 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: Data for 2004 are provisional. Data for December 2004 are not yet available.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c1921-4W;431 c1913-6W; 212379

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Air pollution Greater London Nitrogen dioxide Sulphur dioxide Benzene

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk