Air

The most common causes of air pollution are motor vehicles. The major pollutants from their engines are:

• nitrogen oxides
• carbon monoxide
• hydrocarons
• smoke (particulate matter)
• ozone
• benzene.

Shepway District Council is responsible for monitoring the quality of air across the district. The Council operates its own air quality station in Folkestone, which automatically measures all forms of air pollution 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Council also uses nitrogen dioxide diffusion tubes to monitor air quality across the district. The tubes are placed at various locations across the district, more commonly next to busy roads and industrial sites. These tubes are left at these locations for a period of time whilst the tubes absorb pollutants. The tubes are then sent to a laboratory for analysis, the results of which are then notified to Shepway District Council.

The Environmental Health team has recently completed its Air Quality Review and Assessment the results of which have suggested that the air quality across the district is usually quite good and there is no need to take action in respect of introducing any air quality management areas.

A copy of the Air Quality Review and Assessment is available for public inspection.

Monthly updated diffussion tube data can now be obtained online www.airquality.co.uk

If you require further information regarding air quality you can contact us by post, phone or email.