The average concentration of PM2.5 measured at UK roadside sites was 7.7 micrograms per cubic meter air (µg/m3) in 2023. Roadside PM2.5 levels in central London have decreased by roughly 40 percent since 2017, owing to various policies like Ultra Low Emissions Zones and zero-emission vehicles. PM2.5 are defined as particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter and are responsible for thousands of premature deaths every year in the UK.
Annual mean roadside concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023
(in micrograms per cubic meter air)
Characteristic
PM10
PM2.5*
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Figures have been rounded *PM2.5 data is only available from 2009.
The Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 require that concentrations of PM in the UK must not exceed: An annual average of 40 µg/m3 for PM10; A 24-hour average of 50 µg/m3 more than 35 times in a single year for PM10; An annual average of 25 µg/m3 for PM2.5.
The Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) (England) Regulations 2023 require that in England by the end of 2040: An annual average of 10 µg/m3 for PM2.5 is not exceeded at any monitoring station. Population exposure to PM2.5 is at least 35% less than in 2018.
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GOV.UK, & Defra. (April 30, 2024). Annual mean roadside concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023 (in micrograms per cubic meter air) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 25, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233210/roadside-concentrations-of-particulate-matter-uk/
GOV.UK, und Defra. "Annual mean roadside concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023 (in micrograms per cubic meter air)." Chart. April 30, 2024. Statista. Accessed August 25, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233210/roadside-concentrations-of-particulate-matter-uk/
GOV.UK, Defra. (2024). Annual mean roadside concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023 (in micrograms per cubic meter air). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 25, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233210/roadside-concentrations-of-particulate-matter-uk/
GOV.UK, and Defra. "Annual Mean Roadside Concentrations of Pm10 and Pm2.5 in The United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023 (in Micrograms per Cubic Meter Air)." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Apr 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233210/roadside-concentrations-of-particulate-matter-uk/
GOV.UK & Defra, Annual mean roadside concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023 (in micrograms per cubic meter air) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233210/roadside-concentrations-of-particulate-matter-uk/ (last visited August 25, 2024)
Annual mean roadside concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the United Kingdom from 2000 to 2023 (in micrograms per cubic meter air) [Graph], GOV.UK, & Defra, April 30, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233210/roadside-concentrations-of-particulate-matter-uk/