Air quality
Good air quality is important for our environment. Substances we put into the air can affect the health of plants, animals and people, and can contribute to global warming.
Several organisations in England and Wales protect and improve air quality. We regulate the release of pollutants into the atmosphere from large and complex industrial processes. We also regulate emissions from some large-scale food processing factories and pig and poultry rearing activities, but many of the last type continue to be unregulated for what they emit into the air.
Emissions from major sources of pollution, such as transport, are tackled through various measures at European, national and local level. Local authorities control air pollution from smaller industrial processes.We also work with local authorities, the Highways Agency and others to deliver the Government’s Air Quality Strategy in England and Wales. The strategy sets air pollution standards to protect people’s health and the environment.
- Air quality and emissions
Find out how air quality has changed over time, and how emissions of different substances impact on the environment and health. - Air Quality Modelling and Assessment Unit (AQMAU)
AQMAU is the Environment Agency's national focus of expertise on air quality modelling and assessment, providing both leadership and operational support. - Data analysing tools
Tools to help you manipulate air quality data collected from an air quality monitoring station
