Annexes to COM(1999)125-2 - Ozone in ambient air - Main contents

Please note

This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.

dossier	COM(1999)125-2 - Ozone in ambient air.
document	COM(1999)125
date	February 12, 2002

ANNEX I

DEFINITIONS, TARGET VALUES AND LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES FOR OZONE

I. Definitions

All values are to be expressed in µg/m³. The volume must be standardised at the following conditions of temperature and pressure: 293 K and 101,3 kPa. The time is to be specified in Central European Time.

AOT40 (expressed in (µg/m³)·hours) means the sum of the difference between hourly concentrations greater than 80 µg/m³ (= 40 parts per billion) and 80 µg/m³ over a given period using only the 1 hour values measured between 8:00 and 20:00. Central European Time each day(1).

In order to be valid, the annual data on exceedances used to check compliance with the target values and long-term objectives below must meet the criteria laid down in Section II of Annex III.

II. Target values for ozone

>TABLE>

III. Long-term objectives for ozone

>TABLE>

(1) Or the appropriate time for ultra-peripheral regions.

ANNEX II

INFORMATION AND ALERT THRESHOLDS

I. Information and alert thresholds for ozone

>TABLE>

II. Minimum details to be supplied to the public when the information or alert threshold is exceeded or exceedance is predicted

Details to be supplied to the public on a sufficiently large scale as soon as possible should include:

1. information on observed exceedance(s):

- location or area of the exceedance,

- type of threshold exceeded (information or alert),

- start time and duration of the exceedance,

- highest 1-hour and 8-hour mean concentration;

2. forecast for the following afternoon/day(s):

- geographical area of expected exceedances of information and/or alert threshold,

- expected change in pollution (improvement, stabilisation or deterioration);

3. information on type of population concerned, possible health effects and recommended conduct:

- information on population groups at risk,

- description of likely symptoms,

- recommended precautions to be taken by the population concerned,

- where to find further information;

4. information on preventive action to reduce pollution and/or exposure to it:

indication of main source sectors; recommendations for action to reduce emissions.

ANNEX III

Information submitted by Member States to the Commission and criteria for aggregating data and calculating statistical parameters

I. Information to be submitted to the Commission

The following table stipulates the type and amount of data Member States are to submit to the Commission:

>TABLE>

As part of the yearly reporting, the following must also be provided, if all available hourly data for ozone, nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxides of the year in question have not already been delivered under the framework of Council Decision 97/101/EC(1):

- for ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides and the sums of ozone and nitrogen dioxide (added as parts per billion and expressed in µg/m³ ozone) the maximum, 99.9th, 98th, 50th percentile and annual average and number of valid data from hourly series,

- the maximum, 98th, 50th percentile and annual average from series of daily 8-hour ozone maxima.

Data submitted in the monthly reports are considered provisional and are to be updated, if necessary, in subsequent submissions.

II. Criteria for aggregating data and calculating statistical parameters

Percentiles are to be calculated using the method specified in Council Decision 97/101/EC.

The following criteria are to be used for checking validity when aggregating data and calculating statistical parameters:

>TABLE>

(1) OJ L 35, 5.2.1997, p. 14.

ANNEX IV

CRITERIA FOR CLASSIFYING AND LOCATING SAMPLING POINTS FOR ASSESSMENTS OF OZONE CONCENTRATIONS

The following considerations apply to fixed measurements:

I. Macroscale siting

>TABLE>

For rural and rural background stations, consideration should be given, where appropriate, to coordination with the monitoring requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1091/94(1) concerning protection of the Community's forests against atmospheric pollution.

II. Microscale siting

The following guidelines should be followed, as far as practicable:

1. The flow around the inlet sampling probe should be unrestricted (free in an arc of at least 270°) without any obstructions affecting the air flow in the vicinity of the sampler, i.e. away from buildings, balconies, trees and other obstacles by more than twice the height the obstacle protrudes above the sampler.

2. In general, the inlet sampling point should be between 1.5 m (the breathing zone) and 4 m above the ground. Higher positions are possible for urban stations in some circumstances and in wooded areas.

3. The inlet probe should be positioned well away from such sources as furnaces and incineration flues and more than 10 m from the nearest road, with distance increasing as a function of traffic intensity.

4. The sampler's exhaust outlet should be positioned so as to avoid recirculation of exhaust air to the sampler inlet.

The following factors may also be taken into account:

1. interfering sources;

2. security;

3. access;

4. availability of electrical power and telephone communications;

5. visibility of the site in relation to its surroundings;

6. safety of public and operators;

7. the desirability of colocating sampling points for different pollutants;

8. planning requirements.

III. Documentation and review of site selection

Site selection procedures should be fully documented at the classification stage by such means as compass point photographs of the surroundings and a detailed map. Sites should be reviewed at regular intervals with repeated documentation to ensure that selection criteria are still being met.

This requires proper screening and interpretation of the monitoring data in the context of the meteorological and photochemical processes affecting the ozone concentrations measured at the respective site.

(1) OJ L 125, 18.5.1994, p. 1.

ANNEX V

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF SAMPLING POINTS FOR FIXED MEASUREMENT OF CONCENTRATIONS OF OZONE

I. Minimum number of sampling points for fixed continuous measurements to assess air quality in view of compliance with the target values, long-term objectives and information and alert thresholds where continuous measurement is the sole source of information

>TABLE>

II. Minimum number of sampling points for fixed measurements for zones and agglomerations attaining the long-term objectives

The number of sampling points for ozone must, in combination with other means of supplementary assessment such as air quality modelling and colocated nitrogen dioxide measurements, be sufficient to examine the trend of ozone pollution and check compliance with the long-term objectives. The number of stations located in agglomerations and other zones may be reduced to one-third of the number specified in Section I. Where information from fixed measurement stations is the sole source of information, at least one monitoring station should be kept. If, in zones where there is supplementary assessment, the result of this is that a zone has no remaining station, coordination with the number of stations in neighbouring zones must ensure adequate assessment of ozone concentrations against long-term objectives. The number of rural background stations should be 1 per 100000 km².

ANNEX VI

MEASUREMENTS OF OZONE PRECURSOR SUBSTANCES

Objectives

The main objectives of such measurements are to analyse any trend in ozone precursors, to check the efficiency of emission reduction strategies, to check the consistency of emission inventories and to help attribute emission sources to pollution concentration.

An additional aim is to support the understanding of ozone formation and precursor dispersion processes, as well as the application of photochemical models.

Substances

Measurement of ozone precursor substances must include at least nitrogen oxides, and appropriate volatile organic compounds (VOC). A list of volatile organic compounds recommended for measurement is given below.

Ethane

Ethylene

Acetylene

Propane

Propene

n-Butane

i-Butane

1-Butene

trans-2-Butene

cis-2-Butene

1.3-Butadiene

n-Pentane

i-Pentane

1-Pentene

2-Pentene

Isoprene

n-Hexane

i-Hexane

n-Heptane

n-Octane

i-Octane

Benzene

Toluene

Ethyl benzene

m+p-Xylene

o-Xylene

1,2,4-Trimeth. benzene

1,2,3-Trimeth. benzene

1,3,5-Trimeth. benzene

Formaldehyde

Total non-methane hydrocarbons

Reference methods

The reference method specified in Directive 1999/30/CE(1) or in subsequent Community legislation will apply for nitrogen oxides.

Each Member State must inform the Commission of the methods it uses to sample and measure VOC. The Commission must carry out inter-comparison exercises as soon as possible and investigate the potential for defining reference methods for precursor sampling and measurement in order to improve the comparability and precision of measurements for the review of this Directive in accordance with Article 11.

Siting

Measurements should be taken in particular in urban and suburban areas at any monitoring site set up in accordance with the requirements of Directive 96/62/EC and considered appropriate with regard to the above monitoring objectives.

(1) OJ L 163, 29.6.1999, p. 41.

ANNEX VII

DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES AND COMPILATION OF THE RESULTS OF AIR QUALITY ASSESMENT

I. Data quality objectives

The following data quality objectives, for allowed uncertainty of assessment methods, and of minimum time coverage and of data capture of measurement are provided to guide quality-assurance programmes.

>TABLE>

The uncertainty (on a 95 % confidence interval) of the measurement methods will be evaluated in accordance with the principles of the ISO "Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement" (1993), or the methodology of ISO 5725-1 "Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results" (1994) or equivalent. The percentages for uncertainty in the table are given for individual measurements, averaged over the period for calculating target values and long-term objectives, for a 95 % confidence interval. The uncertainty for continuous fixed measurements should be interpreted as being applicable in the region of the concentration used for the appropriate threshold.

The uncertainty for modelling and objective estimation is defined as the maximum deviation of the measured and calculated concentration levels, over the period for calculating the appropriate threshold, without taking into account the timing of the events.

"Time coverage" is defined as the percentage of the time considered for setting the threshold value during which the pollutant is measured.

"Data capture" is defined as the ratio of the time for which the instrument produces valid data, to the time for which the statistical parameter or aggregated value is to be calculated.

The requirements for minimum data capture and time coverage do not include losses of data due to the regular calibration or normal maintenance of the instrumentation.

II. Results of air quality assessment

The following information should be compiled for zones or agglomerations within which sources other than measurement are employed to supplement information from measurement:

- a description of the assessment activities carried out,

- specific methods used, with references to descriptions of the method,

- sources of data and information,

- a description of results, including uncertainties and, in particular, the extent of any area within the zone or agglomeration over which concentrations exceed long-term objectives or target values,

- for long-term objectives or target values whose object is the protection of human health, the population potentially exposed to concentrations in excess of the threshold.

Where possible, Member States should compile maps showing concentration distributions within each zone and agglomeration.

III. Standardisation

For ozone the volume must be standardised at the following conditions of temperature and pressure: 293 K, 101,3 kPa. For nitrogen oxides the standardisation specified in Directive 1999/30/EC will apply.

ANNEX VIII

REFERENCE METHOD FOR ANALYSIS OF OZONE AND CALIBRATION OF OZONE INSTRUMENTS

I. Reference method for analysis of ozone and calibration of ozone instruments

- Analysis method: UV photometric method (ISO FDIS 13964),

- Calibration method: Reference UV photometer (ISO FDIS 13964, VDI 2468, B1.6).

This method is being standardised by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). Once the latter has published the relevant standard, the method and techniques described therein will constitute the reference and calibration method in this Directive.

A Member State may also use any other method which it can demonstrate gives results equivalent to the above method.

II. Reference modelling technique for ozone

Reference modelling techniques cannot be specified at present. Any amendments to adapt this point to scientific and technical progress will be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 13(2).