Scottish air quality database (SAQD)
The air quality in Scotland database and website were
commissioned by the Scottish Government to provide a centralised
source of air quality information for Scotland. The main objectives
of the database and website are:
- to improve the quality of research and data analysis in order
to support and evaluate Scotland’s air quality policies;
- to provide the public with air quality information on their
locality in an easily understood format.
Scottish air quality
website 
The database and website (developed and
maintained by AEA Technology on contract to the Scottish
Government) were launched on 2 April 2007 and contain a large
amount of valuable data obtained from the network of air quality
monitoring sites throughout Scotland. The Scottish Government
undertakes considerable monitoring of a wide range of air pollutant
species as part of joint national programmes run in conjunction
with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra), the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and the Department of
the Environment for Northern Ireland (DoENI). In addition, a large
number of local authorities monitor air quality as part of
requirements of the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) review and
assessment process.
The SAQD contains information and data on the
following:
- location information on air quality monitoring (including
substances monitored for, concentration and trend information, type
of monitoring, relevant standards and physical details of the
sites);
- maps and graphs showing pollutant trends;
- analysis and interpretation of data;
- local air quality management information;
- pollutant information (on those substances monitored);
- pollutant impacts (on a local, regional and global scale);
- information on the types/methods of monitoring used;
- information on air quality policy;
- air quality standards which must be met for certain
substances.
The Scottish Government also reports annually
on both the SAQD and the state of air pollution in Scotland. These
reports contain technical information in relation to the operation
of the monitoring network & database and analysis of the
data to provide pollutant trend data for individual sites and
for Scotland as a whole. Both reports can be found on the
Scottish Air Quality website (link above).
SEPA is currently working with
the Scottish Government (and its contractor) to investigate
the opportunities for combining reporting on air quality and
presentation of data within both the SAQD and the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI). This
should strengthen the existing data facilities and provide both
policy-makers and the general public with integrated sources of
data and analysis on air quality in Scotland.