In February 2005 the Detailed assessment for the Isle of Wight Council was completed by FaberMaunsell Ltd., and submitted to the Department for Food Environment and Rural Affairs (“Defra”).

The report followed on from the second round Updating and Screening Assessment (“USA”), which concluded that there was unlikely to be any exceedences of national Air Quality standards for any of the seven specified pollutants on the Isle of Wight, with the possible exception of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and benzene.

FaberMaunsell was chosen by the Isle of Wight Council as contractor to carry out modelling for both these pollutants. The reason for this was mainly because of their experience in carrying out similar work for other Councils in the Solent area, including Portsmouth City Council. The issue with SO2 was the possibility of exceedences of the 15-minute maximum in the area of the cross-Solent ferry terminals at Yarmouth, East Cowes and Fishbourne. The issue with benzene was the possibility of local exceedences of benzene concentrations around a new housing development in the vicinity of the East Cowes petrol storage depot.

The results of computer modelling for both these pollutants indicated that there was unlikely to be any exceedences of the relevant standards for either pollutant. However, it had not been possible to estimate fugitive emissions of benzene in the area around the petrol storage depot.

As a result, Defra did not accept the conclusions of the Detailed Assessment in respect of benzene.

This report is divided into three sections:

1. An assessment of changes in emission sources since the Detailed Assessment was completed;

2. A statement of the Isle of Wight Council’s proposals to address Defra’s criticisms of the 2005 Detailed Assessment;

3. An update on the Isle of Wight Council’s monitoring for oxides of nitrogen (“NOx”).

No change.

No change.

No change.

No Change.

A quotation for the supply and analysis of BTEX benzene diffusion tubes has been placed with Casella Stanger. This will involve the placing of three tubes for three months. Each tube will be exposed for one month.

Sites for the tubes will be chosen by careful examination of the modelling results to determine the locations that are likely to have the highest concentrations of benzene. From a practical point of view, compromises may have to be made, as there may not be suitable structures in the right place on which to place the tubes.

The sites, once chosen, will be shown on the Council’s web site.

It is anticipated that the results will be known by the end of July 2005.

Results will be reported in the Progress Report for 2006.

Nine monitoring sites have been maintained. These are shown on a map on the Isle of Wight Council’s website at http://www.iwight.com/living%5Fhere/environment/environmental%5Fhealth/environmental%5Fprotection/Air%5FQuality/sitemap.asp

The results are also published on the website. Results are available from January 2000.

There has been a consistent trend in these results, in that only two sites have demonstrated the possibility of exceedences (with the exception of September 2002, where the results are unusually and inexplicably high). These two sites are IW4 Newport Central and IW8 Lake.

The decision has been taken therefore to discontinue NOx monitoring, with the exception of IW4 and IW8.

The actual monitoring results are not included in this document, as they are freely available on the Isle of Wight Council’s website (2004 results are at http://www.iwight.com/living%5Fhere/environment/environmental%5Fhealth/environmental%5Fprotection/Air%5FQuality/5results.asp).