|
The following tables provides a
comparison of a number of International Air Quality Standards
and Guidelines for some common air pollutants. South
Africa has no promulgated ambient air quality standards but
the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) has
a comprehensive set of guidelines as reported in the tables.
For all pollutants not mentioned in the tables below, use is
made of the threshold limit values (TLV's) as
published by the American Conference of Industrial and
Governmental hygienists. The guideline is taken as 1/50th of
the TLV for ordinary pollutants and 1/100th of the TLV
for carcinogenic or suspected carcinogens. In South Africa nobody
is allowed to carry on a sheduled process in or
on any premises unless they hold a current registration certificate authorising
them to carry on that process on those premises. The registration
certificate indicates the allowable emissions, concentrations, stack heights etc
and these become standards that the operator must comply
with.
DEAT
Guideline Values for ambient air quality
in South
Africa
| |
Concentration in Parts Per Billion (ppb) |
|
Pollutant |
Instant
Peaks |
One Hour
Average |
24 Hour
Average |
1
Monthly
Average |
Annual
Average |
|
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2
) |
600 |
300 |
100 |
50 |
30 |
| Ozone (O3 ) |
250 |
120 |
|
|
|
| Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2 ) |
500 |
200 |
100 |
80 |
50 |
| Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) |
1 400 |
800 |
400 |
300 |
200 |
| Nitrogen Oxide (NO) |
900 |
600 |
300 |
200 |
150 |
| Non-Methane
Hydrocarbons |
700 |
400 |
|
|
|
Total Suspended Particulates (high Volume
Sampler)
- 24 Hour Average = 300 micrograms
per cubic meter
- Annual Average = 100 micrograms per cubic meter
Fine Inhalable Particulate Matter
(PM10)
- 24 Hour Average = 180 micrograms
per cubic meter
- Annual Average = 60 micrograms per cubic
meter
Smoke (from CSIR Soiling index) (ug/m3 approximately
5 times soiling index)
- 24 Hour Average = 250 micrograms per cubic meter =
approx 50 S/m3
- Annual Average = 100 micrograms per cubic
meter = approx 20 S/m3
Dust
Fallout (deposition) classifications for a monthly
average
- Slight = less than 0.25 grams per
square meter per day
- Moderate = 0.25 to 0.50 grams per
square meter per day
- Heavy = 0.50 - 1.20 grams per
square meter per day
- Very heavy = greater than 1.20
grams per square meter per day
Maximum Lead (Pb)
Concentration
- Monthly average = 2.5 micrograms
per cubic meter
|
INTERNATIONAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS /
GUIDELINES
|
|
Substance
(gaseous) |
Averaging
Time
|
Ambient Air Quality Standards, in parts
per billion (ppb) |
|
|
|
WHO |
US EPA |
Thailand |
Canada |
New Zealand |
Bangkok |
Korea |
U.K. Recomm
endations |
South Africa
|
|
Carbon
Monoxide |
15
min |
87328
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
min |
52397
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
hr |
26198
|
35000
|
|
31000
|
|
30000
|
25000
|
|
|
|
|
8
hr |
8733
|
9000
|
8960
|
|
10000
|
|
9000
|
10000
|
|
|
Nitrogen
Dioxide |
1
hr |
106
|
128
|
170
|
|
300
|
170
|
150
|
150
|
200
|
|
|
annual |
21
|
53
|
|
53
|
|
|
50
|
21
|
50
|
|
Ozone |
1
hr |
|
|
102
|
82
|
|
100
|
100
|
|
120
|
|
|
8
hr |
61
|
80
|
|
|
|
|
60
|
50
|
|
|
|
24
hr |
|
|
|
|
125
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sulphur
Dioxide |
Instant
Peak |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
600
|
|
|
10
min |
191
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15
min |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
1
hr |
|
|
|
344
|
|
300
|
250
|
|
|
|
|
24
hr |
48
|
140
|
115
|
|
125
|
|
140
|
|
100
|
|
|
annual |
19
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
30
|
|
30
|
|
|
|
Substance
(in suspended particulate
matter) |
Averaging Time |
Ambient Air Quality Standards, in
micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m^3) |
|
|
Time |
WHO |
U.S. EPA |
Thailand |
Canada |
New
Zealand |
Bangkok |
Korea |
U.K. Recomm endations |
South Africa |
|
PM10 |
annual |
50
|
50
|
|
|
|
120
|
80
|
|
60
|
|
|
24
hr |
|
150
|
120
|
|
120
|
|
|
50
|
180
|
|
PM2.5 |
annual |
15
|
15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lead (Pb) |
1
month |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.5
|
|
|
3
months |
|
1.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
annual |
0.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.5
|
|
|
