Air quality

North Tyneside Councils Air Quality Strategy specifies how we will strive to improve air quality across the borough and how we will monitor the effectiveness of the actions and measures being taken to reduce the pollutant levels.

Under the Environment Act 1995 we are responsible for assessing the local air quality. We carry out this assessment by real and proactive monitoring of pollutants and by screening planning projects. The results of air quality monitoring are compared against air quality objectives on an annual basis. The air quality in North Tyneside is considered good and currently meets these air quality objectives.

We have one operational real time monitoring stations in the borough located on the Coast Road Wallsend. The station continuously monitors for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulates.

We also monitor nitrogen dioxide with passive diffusion tubes in 29 locations in the borough, which provide an indicative measurement on the air quality and 2 real time indicative monitors located around Holystone Way A191 monitoring NO2 and particulates.

If the objectives for air quality were not met North Tyneside would need to declare an air quality management area (AQMA) and create an air quality action plan to reduce the air emissions from that pollutant. The current annual review of air quality is now known as the annual status report and must comply with the DEFRA Local Air Quality Management Technical Guidance.

North Tyneside have produced a local air quality strategy to encourage prevention and reduction of polluting activities.

Smoke is known to contribute to fogs, cause respiratory problems and ill health. Smoke control orders were introduced in the 1950s to control smoke emissions from chimneys by the creation of The Clean Air Act 1993.

North Tyneside Council has created 61 smoke control areas that cover the majority of North Tyneside. It is an offence to create smoke from a chimney except during lighting up when kindling maybe used.

If you use an an open fire you must use authorised fuels (often known as smokeless fuels) or use an exempt fireplace that will prescribe the fuel that may be burnt.

Find out more at GOV.UK.

A daily air pollution forecast is provided by the Met Office. The forecast is given as a 5 day outlook on the pollution levels for the UK. The pollution index is scored from 1 to 10, 1 being low and 10 very high. The air quality forecast is based on 5 key pollutants: ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, PM2.5 and PM10 particles, that can have an impact on your health. You can view the forecast here.

The forecast can also be obtained by ringing Freephone 0800556677.

North Tyneside Council is supporting the Clean Air Night campaign, taking place on 24 January 2024 to support a 'No Burn Night'. The campaign will share uncomfortable truth about wood burning. The first ever Clean Air Night will highlight the following:

• Wood burning harms your health.  Lighting fires is the largest source of harmful small particulate air pollution in the UK.
• Wood burning harms the planet.  Wood burning creates harmful CO2 emissions and we cannot grow trees fast enough to offset the CO2 emitted from burning wood.
• Wood burning harms your wallet. It is almost more expensive than other forms of heating.

For more information visit cleanair