Environment

#TRER2110272ADecree of April 16, 2021, on the National Air Quality Monitoring System

🇫🇷France··Other·High Impact·View source ↗

AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.

🇬🇧 English

The decree from April 16, 2021, establishes a national air quality surveillance system in France. It outlines a comprehensive framework for monitoring various regulated pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and several heavy metals. The law sets specific environmental objectives, evaluation thresholds, and surveillance regimes tailored to differing levels of population density and pollution exposure.

AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.

Key Changes

  • Introduction of a comprehensive list of pollutants to be monitored
  • Establishment of air quality evaluation thresholds for different pollutants
  • Defined procedures for the location and number of air quality monitoring points

Obligations

What this law requires

high

Monitor and measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene, lead, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, and benzo[a]pyrene in all administrative surveillance zones (ZAS)

National air quality monitoring authorities, Regional environmental agencies
operational
high

Conduct preliminary air quality evaluation in each administrative surveillance zone (ZAS) to determine appropriate surveillance regime based on concentrations measured over at least five preceding years

Air quality monitoring entities responsible for each ZAS
operational
high

Use fixed measurement stations when pollutant concentrations exceed the upper evaluation threshold (SES), with optional complementary modeling or indicative measurement

National air quality monitoring authorities
operational
high

Use fixed measurement stations when pollutant concentrations fall between lower (SEI) and upper (SES) evaluation thresholds, with option to combine with modeling or indicative measurement

National air quality monitoring authorities
operational
medium

Employ modeling or objective estimation techniques (with optional fixed or indicative measurement) when pollutant concentrations remain below the lower evaluation threshold (SEI)

National air quality monitoring authorities
operational

Affected Parties

Environmental agenciesPublic health organizations+1 more…

Tags

air quality,pollution monitoring,public health