Measuring air quality is a legal requirement in Wales, and Ceredigion County Council is pleased to announce that the county boasts one of the best results in the country.
The Welsh Government requirement involves measuring Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Airborne Particulate Matter (PM10), which are air pollutants associated with vehicle emissions.
Ceredigion County Council’s Environmental Health Team monitor the level of pollution through Diffusion Tubes which are placed on roadside lamp posts.
The annual statutory limit for NO2 is a mean of 40µg/m3. In Ceredigion, the NO2 concentrations are well below this limit.
A total of 13 locations are monitored in Ceredigion, including seven in Aberystwyth; one in Lampeter; two in Cardigan; and one in Pendam, Talybont and Llanon. They have been chosen as locations prone to experiencing high amounts of traffic congestion.
In 2023, Lampeter High Street and Talybont had the highest annual mean of NO2 at 16.3µg/m3 and 16.2µg/m3. However, this was still below the statutory limit. This could be due to periodic traffic congestion in Lampeter, and a busy trunk road running through the village of Talybont.
For PM10, data from DEFRA is used to monitor concentrations in Ceredigion. Similarly to the whole of rural Wales, Ceredigion’s showed less than 13µg/m3 in 2023, which is less than a third of the statutory limit of 40µg/m3.
Councillor Matthew Vaux, Cabinet Member for Partnerships, Housing, Legal and Governance and Public Protection, said: “This data highlights our commitment to sustaining a clean and healthy environment for our residents and visitors. Good air quality is essential for public health, reducing risks of respiratory illnesses, improving quality of life, and supporting biodiversity.”
As part of the next Air Quality Progress Report, Ceredigion will continue to monitor pollutant levels to ensure continued compliance and to maintain good air quality for the benefit of everyone in our county.
