Air pollution targets were exceeded in a residential area of Neath Port Talbot for 46 days in 2023, as revealed in a report forming part of a new air quality action plan for the borough. The draft proposals, aimed at improving air quality between 2024 and 2029 and ensuring compliance with daily pollutant targets, have been released for public consultation after approval at a recent council meeting in October 2024.
The local authority has crafted these plans to enhance air quality and mitigate pollution effects on residents and visitors of Neath Port Talbot. There is a need for wide consultation and engagement with the community and stakeholders before any modifications to the existing plan, first introduced in 2012, can be implemented.
The report indicated that while areas along the M4 corridor were meeting air quality targets, parts of an Air Quality Management Area encompassing the residential area from Tata steelworks to the M4 motorway still exceeded permissible limits in 2023. Specifically, Prince Street breached daily mean PM10 concentrations for 46 days in 2023, surpassing the limit by 11 days.
Port Talbot has historically faced elevated levels of PM10 due to its industrial activities. The action plan entails ongoing monitoring by the council and Welsh Government, alongside strategies like Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy, electric vehicle infrastructure development, traffic management, and initiatives promoting low-emission transport. Efforts to reduce nuisance dust and other pollutants are also outlined.
The plan will undergo annual review to assess progress, with a final version expected for council approval in late 2024 following feedback from the ongoing consultation process. The initiatives, including the replacement of blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces at Tata steel, aim to reduce PM10 emissions and further environmental improvements in Neath Port Talbot.
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