 |
|
|
Rotterdam
Air Quality Assessment
DCMR, the EPA for the Rijnmond area operates a monitoring network since the 1970ies.
The network has evolved over time form a industrial surveillance network to a network
that monitors popular exposure to the key pollutants. Since 2001 specific traffic
monitoring sites are part of the regular network. In addition to the regional network,
the national network operates a number of sites in and around the Rijnmond. Both
networks work in close collaboration. The past few years the network has seen substantial
changes and this is likely to continue in the near future (e.g. addition of PM2.5 monitors).
In the Netherlands air quality assessment relied to a large extend on models and monitorin
was regarded as costly and outdated. Now that models predict limit value exceedances and
exceedances hamper economic development monitoring is back in vogue. In addition to the fixed
network, temporary project monitoring is being done using a mobile station.
Pollutants monitored and number of sites (situation 2006): NOx (8), PM10 (9), PM2.5 (3),SO2 (7),
Benzene-BTX (6), Ozone (6), TSP + Fe, Pb, Cd (5), CO (2), PAH (1), Black Smoke (2).
The EPA has a responsibility in monitoring industrial emissions through it’s licensing and enforcement
tasks. In addition it collaborates with other regional and national institutions to assure a detailed
emission inventory (including traffic and shipping) for the area. Air quality assessment heavily relies
on a combination of modelling and monitoring. Most modelling is done to complete the spatial image
of the monitoring network with a very high resolution (e.g. the models compute the past year).
For policy purposes and the assessment of future economic developments, forecasts are made (2010, 2020)
and as a service to the public a real time model runs for NO2.
|
|
