Air Quality
Ashford Borough Council is a member of the Kent and Medway Air
Quality Partnership where data and information about air quality
throughout Kent is pooled and shared.
There are essentially two methods of measuring pollutant
concentrations:
1. Diffusion tubes - small plastic tubes that absorb pollutants,
and are then sent to the laboratory for analysis. The results
obtained are monthly averages.
2. Real time analysers -
machines that accurately measure levels of pollutants in the air
constantly. The results obtained are in the form of hourly
averages.
Diffusion tube monitoring within the Borough has been carried
out for many years. The Council currently monitors at 17 locations
for nitrogen dioxide using passive diffusion tubes. You can look at
the historical results from this monitoring programme on the
Diffusion Monitoring Results webpage.
Ashford Borough Council also has one real time analyser,
measuring Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulates (PM10) located at
Ashford School. A picture of the analyser enclosure and the
analysers are shown opposite.
You can view the historical data sets from these analysers at the
KentAir website.
View the latest Continous Air Quality data.
Air Quality Management
What is the Air Quality like in Ashford
Borough?
As well as monitoring air quality the Council has a statutory
duty to periodically review and assess the air quality in the area.
This involves comparing the measured and predicted pollutant levels
to National Air Quality Standards and objectives.
The most current Annual Progress Report can be viewed below by
clicking on the appropriate download. The report identifies that
the Air Quality Objectives for both Particulates and Nitrogen
Dioxide are being achieved.
Other historical reports on Air quality are given
below:-
Related Information
This webpage was updated on 6/19/2008