National Environmental Quality Standards for Ambient Air

GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN PAKISTAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY # 311, MAIN MARGALLA ROAD, F-11/3, ISLAMABAD PHONE # 051-9267621, FAX # 051-9267622 ***** The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has drafted the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) for Ambient Air. In pursuance of the statutory requirement under clause (e) of Sub-section (1) of section (6) of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997, the draft standards are being published before seeking approval of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Council. Any views / suggestions on the following draft NEQS for Ambient Air may please be forwarded to the undersigned within 30 days from the date of this publication. National Environmental Quality Standards for Ambient Air Concentration in Ambient Air Pollutants Time-weighted average Effective from 1st January 2009 Effective from 1st January 2012 Method of measurement Annual Average* 80 µg/m3 80 µg/m3 Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) 24 hours** 120 µg/m3 120 µg/m3 Ultraviolet Fluorescence method Annual Average* 40 µg/m3 40 µg/m3 Oxides of Nitrogen as (NO) 24 hours** 40 µg/m 3 40 µg/m3 Gas Phase Chemiluminescence Annual Average* 40 µg/m3 40 µg/m3 Oxides of Nitrogen as (NO2) 24 hours** 80 µg/m 3 80 µg/m3 Gas Phase Chemiluminescence O3 1 hour 180 µg/m3 130µg/m3 Non dispersive UV absorption method Annual Average* 400µg/m3 360µg/m3 Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) 24 hours** 550µg/m 3 500µg/m3 High Volume Sampling, (Average flow rate not less than 1.1 m3/minute). Annual Average* 200µg/m3 120µg/m3 Respirable Particulate Matter. PM10 24 hours** 250µg/m3 150µg/m3 β Ray absorption method Annual Average* 25µg/m3 15µg/m3 24 hours** 40µg/m3 35µg/m3 Respirable Particulate Matter. PM2.5 1 hour 25µg/m3 15µg/m3 β Ray absorption method Annual Average* 1.5µg/m3 1 µg/m3 Lead (Pb) 24 hours** 2 µg/m3 1.5µg/m3 ASS Method after sampling using EPM 2000 or equivalent Filter paper 8 hours** 5 mg/m3 5 mg/m3 Carbon Monoxide (CO) 1 hour 10 mg/m3 10 mg/m3 Non Dispersive Infra Red (NDIR) method *Annual arithmetic mean of minimum 104 measurements in a year taken twice a week 24 hourly at uniform interval. ** 24 hourly /8 hourly values should be met 98% of the in a year. 2% of the time, it may exceed but not on two consecutive days. (Asif S. Khan) Director General