Air Pollution Assessment Service (APAS)
Welcome to the Air Pollution Assessment Service (APAS). This project was previously named the UK AERIUS project. However, as of April 2023, based on user research, the project has been renamed APAS to better reflect what it will offer.
The APAS project will develop an online service to support UK risk assessment of air pollution effects on ecosystems, statutory reporting requirements and also the potential to support the issue of permissions for individual plans or projects (for example, Environmental Permits and planning permission).
The initial phase will result in a pilot tool to validate against existing UK risk assessment approaches. The APAS project is working with UK experts through advisory groups to ensure that the service is fit for purpose. A further phase is planned, subject to funding, that will address finalisation of the service for external use.
Please get in touch if you want to join the advisory groups or watch the 5 minute video that explains how the AERIUS Calculator works and how permits are issued.
Project Team
JNCC is leading the APAS project currently funded by Defra and DAERA. The Inter-agency Air Pollution Group, Air Quality Technical Advisory Group and Air Pollution Information System Steering Group are also involved.
Contracts have been let to:
- A consortium led by Wing and Ricardo to build a UK pilot version of the AERIUS Calculator tool that was developed as part of the Dutch Integrated Approach to Nitrogen; and
- Air Pollution Services (APS) leading work with Keane & Gray to deliver an options appraisal to select a dispersion model appropriate for UK needs.
The Wing consortium includes AQC, CERC, Dat.mobility, Equil, H72, Interactive Affairs, Ricardo Energy & Environment, RIVM and Yogh.
Figure 1: Schematic of the AERIUS Calculator which combines emissions across sectors, performs dispersion modelling, and calculates the concentration and deposition at ecosystems to support the Dutch Integrated Approach to Nitrogen (PAS). (Image from the AERIUS Calculator Flyer)
Project Updates
April 2023
This project was previously named the UK AERIUS project. However, as of April 2023, based on user research, the project has been renamed APAS (Air Pollution Assessment Service) to better reflect what it will offer.
If you would like to get involved contact us at ITAPA@jncc.gov.uk
September 2022
The UK AERIUS roadshow successfully held four workshops at the end of April 2022 across the United Kingdom. Attendees ranged from those with little experience in air pollution assessments to those with expert knowledge. In total, 81 attendees were involved in the workshops, bringing the current total number of people to have been consulted throughout the development of the UK AERIUS project to 539.
UK AERIUS is a user-led project, guided by the needs of industry bodies, developers, consultants, decision makers and policy makers. The roadshow demonstrated the current progress of the UK AERIUS Calculator to members of these professions and gathered their feedback on future developments they want to see from the tool.
The responses from the roadshow were positive and those in attendance said the tool is easy to navigate and use. Attendees commented on the tool’s ability to streamline the assessment process, benefiting users by reducing costs and the time required to complete assessments.
Ultimately UK AERIUS will empower users to make informed decisions on the sustainable development of plans and projects with a simpler way of considering impacts at an early stage of an air pollution assessment.
A UK AERIUS Pilot Tool has been developed based on user feedback. Throughout Autumn and Winter 2022 the Pilot Tool will be tested by a range of air pollution experts to validate against existing UK risk assessment approaches. The results of this process will be used to implement further quality assured improvements to the tool as we move towards the 'Go Live' phase where the public will be able to use UK AERIUS.
Please get in touch if you want to get involved in the UK AERIUS Pilot Tool testing phase or are interested in learning more by contacting ITAPA@jncc.gov.uk.
Learning from the Dutch PAS (Programmatische Aanpak Stikstof)
AERIUS is comprised of several related modules – see AERIUS roadmap: the relationship between the AERIUS products. Some modules may look familiar, such as AERIUS Calculator (like Simple Calculator for Atmospheric Impact Limits, SCAIL, but with detailed modelling) and AERIUS Register (a list of permissions/emission sources). APAS will record new emission source information, undertake dispersion modelling, and incorporate this with monitoring and modelling data to provide information for risk assessment. In order for the tool to issue decisions, a set of rules would need to be agreed. Discussions with an advisory group, conservation bodies and regulators to address this will form part of a later work package.
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