Control of emissions to air

The UK government, like those of other countries, has regulated air quality objectives covering various air pollutants, against which local authorities are required to measure local air quality. This chapter lists common air pollutants, describes their health effects and explains where they can be found. The hierarchy of control is a structured way to control hazards/potential harm. The order is important, with the best option considered first, i.e., to eliminate the hazard/potential cause of harm. The principle of the hierarchy of control is to address the source of the emissions into the atmosphere first. Greenhouse gases trap longwave thermal radiation, causing a warming effect upon the atmosphere. As concentrations increase, this warming effect increases to the point where there is an imbalance between incoming shortwave radiation and outgoing longwave radiation leading to net global warming of the atmosphere. The possible consequences of this warming include climate change, possible sea level rises, effects on agricultural and natural ecosystems, etc.