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Department of the Environment (DOE)

Northern Ireland Environment Agency

Driver & Vehicle Agency

Air Quality Management Areas Declared in Northern Ireland

12 district councils have now declared a total of 21 Air Quality Management Areas, which are shown in the table below:

Council Pollutant Source Date declared Number of AQMAs
Antrim SO2 Domestic 31/10/04 1
Armagh NO2 Roads 24/11/08 1
Ballymena PM10 and NO2 Domestic and Roads

01/11/04

and 08/03/10

 3
Ballymoney PM10 Domestic 01/08/05 1
Belfast

NO2 and PM10

NO2 only

Roads & Domestic

Roads

 31/08/04

1

3
Castlereagh NO2 Roads 01/02/11 1
Derry NO2 Roads 21/02/05 1
Dungannon NO2 Roads 14/01/08 1
Limavady NO2 Roads 01/03/06 1
Newry & Mourne NO2 Roads 11/04/06 1
Newtownabbey NO2 Roads 29/01/08 3
Strabane PM10 Domestic 30/06/04 3

(PM10 is a type of particulate matter. NO2 = nitrogen dioxide. SO2 = sulphur dioxide)

In Belfast, the City Council has declared 4 AQMAs due to high levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulates. This pollution is believed to be primarily due to vehicle exhaust emissions. The Council has developed an Air Quality Action Plan in order to improve air quality. These Plans are prepared in conjunction with other relevant statutory bodies, such as Roads Service, Planning Service and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. To date 10 district councils have submitted complete plans and they have been accepted by the Department.

View the Action Plans from all district councils Opens in a new window.

Should you require further information, please feel free to contact the Air and Environmental Quality Team at:

Air and Environmental Quality Team
Department of the Environment
Goodwood House
44 - 58 May Street
Belfast BT1 4NN

E-mail: aeqteam@doeni.gov.uk
Tel.: (028) 90 254 758

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