Explanatory note

These Regulations update the Air Quality Standards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010 No.188). Those Regulations transpose Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality etc. and Directive 2004/107/EC relating to arsenic etc. in ambient air. Both Directives were amended by Commission Directive 2015/1480.

Regulation 3 amends the definition of “Directive 2008/50/EC” so that each reference to the Directive in the Regulations is a reference to the Directive as amended by Commission Directive 2015/1480. A similar change is made to the definition of “Directive 2004/107/EC”.

Regulations 4 and 5 make amendments to Schedule 1 (which concerns sampling points). Regulation 4 makes amendments to Part 3 of Schedule 1. The changes follow amendments made by Commission Directive 2015/1480 to Section C of Annex III to Directive 2008/50/EC.

Regulation 4 also corrects a drafting error in the previous Regulations relating to the distance of traffic-oriented samplers from the roadside.

Regulation 5 inserts a new Part 4 in Schedule 1. The new Part 4 concerns documentation and review of site selection. This change follows the replacement by Commission Directive 2015/1480 of Section D of Annex III to Directive 2008/50/EC.

An impact assessment has not been produced for these Regulations as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.