Ambient Air Quality and Emission

standards

Aesthetic value and visibility

 Ambient air
• Ambient air is atmospheric air in its natural state,
not contaminated by air-borne pollutants.
• Ambient air is typically,
• 78% nitrogen
• 21% oxygen
• The extra 1% is made up of a combination of
carbon, helium, methane, argon and hydrogen.
 Ambient air pollution
• WHO defines ambient air pollution is harmful pollutants
emitted by industries, households, cars, and trucks.
• fine particulate matter has the greatest effect on human health.
• Most fine particulate matter comes from fuel combustion from
vehicles, power plants, industry, households, or biomass
burning.
• fine particulate matter causes 25% of lung cancer deaths,
• 8% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths,
• 26% of respiratory infection deaths.
• 15% of ischaemic heart disease and stroke.
• 24% of stroke deaths.
• In the year 2016, ambient air pollution was responsible for 4.2
million deaths.
 Ambient air quality
• Ambient air quality refers to the condition or quality
of air surrounding us in the outdoors.
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards are the
standards for ambient air quality set by the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) that is applicable
nationwide.
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act
1981 was enacted by the Central Government with
the objective of arresting the deterioration of air
quality.
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act
1981 describes the main functions of the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as follows:
• To advise the Central Government on any matter
concerning the improvement of the quality the air and
the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution.
• To plan and cause to be executed a nation-wide
programme for the prevention, control and abatement
of air pollution.
• To provide technical assistance and guidance to the
State Pollution Control Board.
• To carry out and sponsor investigations and research
related to prevention, control and abatement of air
pollution.
• To collect, compile and publish technical and statistical
data related to air pollution; and
• To lay down the annul standards for the quality of air
 National Ambient Air Quality
Standards
Pollutant Time Weighted Average Ecologically Sensitive Area
Industrial, Residential, Rural
(notified by Central
and Other Area
Government)
Annual* 50 20
SO2, μg/m3
24 hours** 80 80

Annual* 40 30
NO2, μg/m3
24 hours** 80 80

8 hours** 100 100

O3, μg/m3
1 hour** 180 180

Annual* 0.50 0.50

Lead (Pb), μg/m3
24 hours** 1 1

8 hours** 2 2
CO, mg/m3
1 hour** 4 4

Annual* 100 100

Ammonia (NH3) μg/m3
24 hours** 400 400
 Ambient air monitoring
• Ambient air monitoring is the systematic,
long-term assessment of pollutant levels by
measuring the quantity and types of certain
pollutants in the surrounding, outdoor air.
 Emission standards
• Emission standards are the legal requirements
governing air pollutants released into
the atmosphere.
• Emission standards set quantitative limits on
the permissible amount of specific air
pollutants that may be released from specific
sources over specific timeframes.
• They are generally designed to achieve air
quality standards and to protect human life.
 Aesthetic value and visibility
• Aesthetics is defined as : a branch of
philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty,
art, taste and with the creation and
appreciation of beauty,
• Visual clarity is essential to the aesthetic
appreciation of these views.
• Air pollution has several effects on aesthetics
including visibility reduction, soiling of
materials, and destruction of vegetation.
• Visibility refers to the clarity or transparency of
the atmosphere and the associated ability to see
distant objects.
• The terms haze and smog describe the effects of
air pollution on visibility.
• Haze is defined as ‘‘an aggregation in the
atmosphere of very fine, widely dispersed, solid
or liquid particles, or both, giving the air an opal-
escent appearance that subdues colors’’
• Visual pollution is any unwanted sight that
mentally or physically affects the community or
creates any health hazard.