pollution monitoring is designed to assess compliance with standards [92], but neither standards
nor standards-oriented monitoring alone will
ensure sustainability.
The current air pollution monitoring establishment can contribute to ultimate sustainability
through ongoing scientific assessment in support
of increasingly appropriate concentration standards. Monitoring and the related research can
show, and have shown, that in many cases lower
ambient air pollution concentrations are possible,
necessary, and cost effective. Thus, new policy
and better standards are encouraged through the
results of monitoring. Translating air pollution
monitoring into policies that support sustainability may be a considerable challenge. Hurdles may
include political and economic dampening of the
recommendations of science, and ongoing violations of existing standards. However, progress is
essential as without monitoring sustainability
becomes virtually impossible to verify. Further,
if monitoring is to verify sustainability, it needs
to be based on goals and policies that balance the
social, environmental and economic aspects of
sustainability. The monitoring community can
play an important role in establishing such holistic
standards for air quality.
Past and Ongoing Success in Air
Pollution Mitigation
In general, OECD countries have seen concentrations of most major (or criteria) air pollutants
decrease since the introduction of pollution management programs. One of the biggest victories
has been sulfur emissions, which were the focus
of acid rain reduction programs. Sulfur emissions,
again, in OECD countries, are much lower than
they were in the past [5]. Acid rain is decreasing in
the USA [99], Canada [98], and elsewhere. NO 2 ,
thanks largely to the use of catalytic converters in
vehicles, is on the decline in most European cities
[5], throughout the USA [99], and Canada
[102]. Limitations on lead in gasoline have led
to substantial reductions of lead in air. Concentrations of lead are consistently below the WHO
concentration guidelines throughout Western
Europe and, in Canada, lead is almost
undetectable in the atmosphere [5]. Regulations
controlling particulate were the most costeffective regulations the US government put into
force [44], and human life expectancy has
increased as air quality has improved in the
USA [45].
Countries managing air pollution have seen a
decline in ambient HAP concentration, with benzene, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, xylenes, and toluene
concentrations decreasing by at least 5% per year
in the USA from 2000 to 2005 [99]. A major
factor in this success was the control of emissions
from chemical plants, dry cleaners, coke ovens,
and incinerators. The continued reduction in
CFCs discussed above is a landmark success in
air quality policy and international policy in
general.
In many cases, serious efforts to reduce the
presence of a pollutant in the environment can
succeed. Air pollution monitoring brings problems to attention so that these efforts can be
made. It also tracks the impacts of pollution mitigation strategies, indicating success when it is
achieved and allowing for comparison of the
effectiveness of different strategies. If not for
monitoring, the successes mentioned here would
be impossible to quantify or prove. Adaptive management strategies would also be impossible.
Outstanding Problems and Challenges
The successes mentioned above are not unmitigated. pH and ANC in ecosystems damaged by
acid rain are not recovering in proportion to
decreases in acidifying emissions [47]. The
Ozone layer’s recovery is not proceeding in proportion to decreases in CFC emissions but is being
retarded by other anthropogenic air pollutants
[73]. Catalytic converters used to decrease NO 2
emissions cause a net increase in fuel use, prompting Fenger [5] to comment we may have mitigated one problem by aggravating another.
Reduction in NO 2 emissions have not led to the
reductions in tropospheric ozone that were hoped
for [12].
406
Air Pollution Monitoring and Sustainability
nor standards-oriented monitoring alone will
ensure sustainability.
The current air pollution monitoring establishment can contribute to ultimate sustainability
through ongoing scientific assessment in support
of increasingly appropriate concentration standards. Monitoring and the related research can
show, and have shown, that in many cases lower
ambient air pollution concentrations are possible,
necessary, and cost effective. Thus, new policy
and better standards are encouraged through the
results of monitoring. Translating air pollution
monitoring into policies that support sustainability may be a considerable challenge. Hurdles may
include political and economic dampening of the
recommendations of science, and ongoing violations of existing standards. However, progress is
essential as without monitoring sustainability
becomes virtually impossible to verify. Further,
if monitoring is to verify sustainability, it needs
to be based on goals and policies that balance the
social, environmental and economic aspects of
sustainability. The monitoring community can
play an important role in establishing such holistic
standards for air quality.
Past and Ongoing Success in Air
Pollution Mitigation
In general, OECD countries have seen concentrations of most major (or criteria) air pollutants
decrease since the introduction of pollution management programs. One of the biggest victories
has been sulfur emissions, which were the focus
of acid rain reduction programs. Sulfur emissions,
again, in OECD countries, are much lower than
they were in the past [5]. Acid rain is decreasing in
the USA [99], Canada [98], and elsewhere. NO 2 ,
thanks largely to the use of catalytic converters in
vehicles, is on the decline in most European cities
[5], throughout the USA [99], and Canada
[102]. Limitations on lead in gasoline have led
to substantial reductions of lead in air. Concentrations of lead are consistently below the WHO
concentration guidelines throughout Western
Europe and, in Canada, lead is almost
undetectable in the atmosphere [5]. Regulations
controlling particulate were the most costeffective regulations the US government put into
force [44], and human life expectancy has
increased as air quality has improved in the
USA [45].
Countries managing air pollution have seen a
decline in ambient HAP concentration, with benzene, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, xylenes, and toluene
concentrations decreasing by at least 5% per year
in the USA from 2000 to 2005 [99]. A major
factor in this success was the control of emissions
from chemical plants, dry cleaners, coke ovens,
and incinerators. The continued reduction in
CFCs discussed above is a landmark success in
air quality policy and international policy in
general.
In many cases, serious efforts to reduce the
presence of a pollutant in the environment can
succeed. Air pollution monitoring brings problems to attention so that these efforts can be
made. It also tracks the impacts of pollution mitigation strategies, indicating success when it is
achieved and allowing for comparison of the
effectiveness of different strategies. If not for
monitoring, the successes mentioned here would
be impossible to quantify or prove. Adaptive management strategies would also be impossible.
Outstanding Problems and Challenges
The successes mentioned above are not unmitigated. pH and ANC in ecosystems damaged by
acid rain are not recovering in proportion to
decreases in acidifying emissions [47]. The
Ozone layer’s recovery is not proceeding in proportion to decreases in CFC emissions but is being
retarded by other anthropogenic air pollutants
[73]. Catalytic converters used to decrease NO 2
emissions cause a net increase in fuel use, prompting Fenger [5] to comment we may have mitigated one problem by aggravating another.
Reduction in NO 2 emissions have not led to the
reductions in tropospheric ozone that were hoped
for [12].
406
Air Pollution Monitoring and Sustainability