Key questions remain unanswered as Welsh Government introduces Environment Bill, says CIEH

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed the introduction of The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill but say that key questions remain unanswered regarding vital elements of how the Bill is to be implemented. 

 

On Monday, the Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MS, tabled the Bill in the Senedd with the Bill being debated yesterday. 

 

CIEH were an important stakeholder in helping shape and influence the Bill via its partnership with Healthy Air Cymru, and sat on regular Cross-Party Group meetings on the Clean Air Bill Cymru, as it was previously known. CIEH had already raised concerns about various sources of emissions of PM2.5, the possibility of introducing regulations on domestic wood burners in urban environments, as well as highlighting the role noise has to play in the wider public health debate around air quality. 

 

It is promising that the Welsh Government have taken steps to reflect CIEH’s input with the last-minute decision to broaden the Bill by renaming it to include ‘soundscapes’ within its focus. CIEH has welcomed the commitment from the Welsh Government to publish a soundscape strategy and is urging the Welsh Government to continue its engagement with CIEH and environmental health professionals across the nation.  

 

However, key questions remain as to how the Bill will operate in practice. 

 

For example, CIEH are asking why the Welsh Government have missed a golden opportunity to set national targets for PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines.

 

Furthermore, CIEH have sought clarification on intentions to bring national and local authority air quality monitoring regimes together, as the current system of air quality review is disjointed and not fit for purpose. 

 

Finally, the Bill says nothing on introducing regulations on domestic wood burners in urban areas where there are on-grid alternative heat sources. CIEH has asked why the Welsh Government have not considered introducing regulations that would tackle one of the primary sources of PM2.5 emissions which are so deleterious to public health. 

 

 

“The Welsh Government have missed a golden opportunity to introduce ambitious, robust environmental protection targets with this Bill. 

 

There was an opportunity to lay down a marker by introducing robust targets for both PM2.5 and NO2 in line with WHO guidelines, yet what has emerged has been rather underwhelming. 

 

However, we welcome the decision by the Welsh Government to publish a soundscape strategy. Such a move acknowledges the role that soundscapes play in the wider air quality discussion, and we hope the Welsh Government engages with CIEH and our members with regards to producing this strategy when the time comes."