07/07/2006

Air quality website for NI launched

The government has today announced that a website dedicated air quality is to be set up for Northern Ireland.

Environment Minister David Cairns today welcomed the announcement and added that the website will provide a new medium for access to information on air quality.

The Minister said: "I welcome the establishment of the website and archive which will be a primary source of air pollution information in Northern Ireland for district councils, government departments, consultants, academics and the general public. The website will benefit the public by giving everyone the widest possible access to reliable up-to-date information on the quality of the air in Northern Ireland."

With the introduction of local air quality management there has been a major expansion in air quality monitoring, with nearly 40 automatic sites here.

Before the website was set up, the majority of the data would not have been readily accessible to the general public and the Department of the Environment (DOE) can now fulfil its commitment to providing information on air pollution.

The website and archive database offers convenient access for users to air quality monitoring data across Northern Ireland and will consist of the following elements; historical data on air quality; details of local air quality updated on a daily basis; details of exceedences of air quality objectives and standards; an air quality website to include sections on bulletin maps; details of monitoring sites, publications and general information; air quality bulletins and forecasts; statistical summaries of air quality data; and an air quality indicator for Northern Ireland.

The website is at www.airqualityni.co.uk

(EF/SP)

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