Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
acknowledged by the French Minister for the Environment and are made up of
following the model of associations issued from 1901 law. Information relating to
air quality corresponds to a legislative obligation defined by LAURE (30-12-1006).
This law is applied to all French cities, and to the models used in the regions of
Alsace and in Ile-de-France. The different monitoring associations that exist today,
such as the AASQA, are traditional associations that measure industrial pollution
and which have been systematized since the introduction of the 1961 law.
Figure 6.2.
The evolution of annual averages of nitrogen dioxide levels for
one background station and one near station (close to a main roadway)
in the region of Paris. Source: AIRPARIF
6.2.2.1.
The first measurement networks follow the hygienism tradition
The reduction of emissions needs to be explained in more detail by analyzing
the impact of pollutants on human health. Local communities became more and
more interested in issues relating to air pollution and the first networks that were
developed to monitor pollution levels could often be found in large municipal
hygiene offices, such as those in Nancy, Lyon, St Etienne, etc. With the creation of
these offices it became possible to group together the different people who would be
involved in the monitoring process, region by region. The different people involved
in the monitoring process included doctors, politicians, universities and industrialists
and by grouping these people by region it became possible to create scientific think-
tanks on a local level.
This first monitoring phase formed part of many private and local initiatives that
were developed to help improve the health of the population. As a result of this first
monitoring phase it became possible to develop epidemiological studies that
established a clear link between air quality and the health of the population.
Gradually these networks became part of new registered associations that were
created by the French Environment Minister. The creation of the Air Quality
Agency (AQA) in France in 1981 as well as the generalization of the eco-tax in
1985 made it possible to equip the networks with better performing technology that
could be used to improve the quality of physical and chemical measurements
recorded in the atmosphere. This new approach, which was adopted by the French
