1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 1
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►B COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of15July1980
onairqualitylimit valuesandguidevaluesforsulphurdioxideandsuspendedparticulates
(80/779/EEC)
(OJ L 229, 30.8.1980, p. 30)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Directive of 19 October 1981 (81/857/EEC) L 319 18 7.11.1981
►M2Council Directive of 21 June 1989 (89/427/EEC) L 201 53 14.7.1989
►M3Council Directive of 23 December 1991 (91/692/EEC) L 377 48 31.12.1991
►M4Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 L 163 41 29.6.1999
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal L 302 23 15.11.1985
►A2Act of Accession of Austria, Sweden and Finland C241 21 29.8.1994
(adapted by Council Decision 95/1/EC, Euratom, ECSC) L 1 1 1.1.1995
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COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of15July1980
onairqualitylimitvaluesandguidevaluesforsulphurdioxideand
suspendedparticulates
(80/779/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Articles 100 and 235 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(
1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee(2),
Whereas the European Communities' programmes of action on the
environment of 1973(3) and 1977(4) provide that priority is to be given
to measures against sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates because
of their toxicity and the current state of knowledge of their effects on
human health and the environment;
Whereas, since any discrepancy between the provisions already applic-
able or being prepared in the various Member States with regard tosulphur dioxide and suspended particulates could give rise to unequal
conditions of competition and could consequently directly affect the
functioning of the common market, the legislative provisions in thisarea should be harmonized as prescribed in Article 100 of the Treaty;
Whereas one of the basic tasks of the European Economic Community
is to promote throughout the Community a harmonious development of
economic activities and a continued and balanced expansion; whereas
such an achievement is inconceivable without measures to combatpollution, improve the quality of life and protect the environment;whereas, since the Treaty has not provided the necessary powers inthis field, Article 235 of the Treaty must be invoked;
Whereas, in order to protect human health in particular, it is necessary
to set for these two pollutants limit values which must not be exceededin the territory of the Member States during specified periods; whereasthese values should be based on the findings reached in the frameworkof the WHO, particularly with regard to the dose/effect relationships
established for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates taken
together;
Whereas, despite the measures taken, it may not be possible to comply
with these limit values in certain zones; whereas the Member Statesmust therefore be allowed temporary derogations on condition that
they forward to the Commission plans for the progressive improvement
of the quality of the air in those zones;
Whereas guide values should also be set to serve as long-term precau-
tions for health and the environment and as reference points for theestablishment of specific schemes within zones determined by the
Member States;
Whereas the measures taken pursuant to this Directive must be
economically feasible and compatible with balanced development;
Whereas it is necessary to establish suitable monitoring of air quality
and particularly of observance of the limit values; whereas the Member
States should therefore be obliged to establish measuring stations tosupply the data necessary for the application of the Directive;1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 83, 4. 4. 1977, p. 44.
(2) OJ No C 204, 30. 8. 1976, p. 34.
(3) OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1.
(4) OJ No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1.
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Whereas since different sampling and analysis methods are applied in
the Member States, it is necessary to permit, under certain conditions,the use of sampling and measurement methods other than the reference
methods laid down in the Directive;
Whereas, since some Member States use particular methods of
sampling and analysis which cannot easily be correlated with the refer-
ence methods, it is necessary that the Directive specify different limit
values which are to be respected where such methods are used;whereas the Member States concerned should also carry out parallelmeasurements at a series of representative stations using the referencemethods in addition to their own methods of measurement; whereas theCommission must make further proposals in the light of these parallel
measurements and of the need to avoid discriminatory provisions;
Whereas the subsequent development of reference methods of sampling
and analysis referred to in this Directive may be desirable in the lightof technical and scientific progress in this area; whereas in order to
facilitate implementation of the work necessary to this end, a procedure
should be set upto establish close coop eration between the MemberStates and the Commission within a Committee on Adaptation toScientific and Technical Progress,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
The purpose of this Directive is to fix limit values (Annex I) and guide
values (Annex II) for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates in the
atmosphere and the conditions for their application in order to improve:
— the protection of human health,
— the protection of the environment.
Article 2
1. ‘Limit values’ means:
— the concentrations of sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates
considered simultaneously in accordance with Table A in Annex I,and
— the concentrations of suspended particulates considered separately
in accordance with Table B in Annex I,
which, in order to protect human health in particular, must not be
exceeded throughout the territory of the Member States during speci-fied periods and under the conditions laid down in the followingArticles.
Article 3
1. Member States shall take appropriate measures to ensure that as
from 1 April 1983 the concentrations of sulphur dioxide and suspended
particulates in the atmosphere are not greater than the limit values
given in Annex I, without prejudice to the following provisions.
Article 9
Application of the measures taken pursuant to this Directive must not
bring about a significant deterioration in the quality of the air wherethe level of pollution by sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates atthe time of implementation of this Directive is low in relation to thelimit values set out in Annex I.1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 3
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Article 15
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive
within 24 months of its notification and shall forthwith inform theCommission thereof.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of
the provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered bythis Directive.
Article 16
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 4
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ANNEX I
LIMITVALUESFORSULPHURDIOXIDEANDSUSPENDEDPARTICULATES
(As measured by the black-smoke method)
TABLE A
Limit values for sulphur dioxide expressed in µg/m3with the associated values for suspended
particulates(asmeasuredbytheblack-smokemethod (1))expressedinµg/m3
Reference period Limit value for sulphur dioxideAssociated value for suspended parti-
culates
Year80
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the year)>4 0
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the year)
120
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the year)≤40
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the year)
Winter
(1 October to 31 March)130
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the winter)>6 0
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the winter)
180
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the winter)≤60
(median of daily mean values
taken throughout the winter)
Year
(made upof units of
measuring periods of 24
hours)250(2)
(98 percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the
year)> 150
(98 percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the year)
350(2)
(98 percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the
year)≤150
(98 percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the year)
(1) The results of the measurements of black smoke taken by the OECD method have been converted into gravi-
metric units as described by the OECD (see Annex III).
(2) Member States must take all appropriate steps to ensure that this value is not exceeded for more than three
consecutive days. Moreover, Member States must endeavour to prevent and to reduce any such instances inwhich this value has been exceeded.
TABLE B
Limit values for suspendedparticulates (as measured by the black-smoke method (1)) expressed
inµg/m3
Reference period Limit value for suspended particulates
Year80
(median of daily mean values taken throughout the year)
Winter
(1 October to 31 March)130
(median of daily mean values taken throughout the winter)
Year
(made upof units of measuring
periods of 24 hours)250(2)
(98 percentile of all daily mean values taken throughout the
year)1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 5
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(1) The results of the measurements of black smoke taken by the OECD method have been converted into gravi-
metric units as described by the OECD (see Annex III).
(2) Member States must take all appropriate steps to ensure that this value is not exceeded for more than three
consecutive days. Moreover, Member States must endeavour to prevent and to reduce any such instances inwhich this value has been exceeded.1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 6
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ANNEX III
REFERENCE METHODS OF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS TO BE
EMPLOYEDWITHINTHECONTEXTOFTHISDIRECTIVE
B. SUSPENDED PARTICULATES
For the determination of black smoke and its conversion into gravimetric units,
the method standardized by the OECD working party on methods of measuring
air pollution and survey techniques (1964) is considered to be the reference
method.
For the above-noted methods, standardized respectively by ISO and OECD, the
linguistic versions published by these organizations will be regarded as authentic
together with the other versions which the Commission will certify as being in
conformity therewith.1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 7
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ANNEX IV
LIMIT VALUES FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND SUSPENDED PARTI-
CULATES (AS MEASUREDBY A GRAVIMETRIC METHOD )
APPLICABLEWITHINTHECONTEXTOFARTICLE10(2)
TABLE A
Limit values for sulphurdioxide expressed in µg/m3, and associated values for suspendedparti-
culates(measuredbythegravimetric method)expressedinµg/m3
Reference period Limit value for sulphur dioxideAssociated value for suspended particu-
lates
Year80
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the year)> 150
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the year)
120
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the year)≤150
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the year)
Winter
(1.10. — 31.3.)130
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the winter)> 200
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the winter)
180
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the winter)≤200
(median of daily mean values taken
throughout the winter)
Year
(made upof units
of measuring
periods of 24
hours)250(1)
(98th percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the year)> 350
(98th percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the year)
350(1)
(98th percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the year)≤350
(98th percentile of all daily mean
values taken throughout the year)
(1) Member States must take all appropriate steps to ensure that this value is not exceeded for more than three
consecutive days. Moreover, Member States must endeavour to prevent and to reduce any such instances inwhich this value has been exceeded.
TABLE B
Limitvaluesforsuspendedparticulates(asmeasuredbythegravimetricmethoddescribedin(ii)
below)expressedinµg/m3
Reference period Limit value for suspended particulates
Year150
(arithmetic mean of daily mean values taken throughout the
year)
Year
(made upof units of measuring
periods of 24 hours)300
(95 percentile of all daily mean values taken throughout the
year)
The methods of sampling and analysis applicable within the context of Article
10 (2) are with respect to:
(i)Sulphurdioxide
—Method of sampling:
The reference method in Annex III A.1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 8
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—Method of analysis: the reference method of Annex III. The procedure
set out in Article 10 (1) applies.
(ii)Suspendedparticulates
—Method of sampling:
1. The suspended particulates are collected on a filter composed of
either membrane or glass-fibre.
2. The sampling system consists of:
— a filter,
— a filter support,
— a pump,
— a volumetric gasmeter.
3. The sampling system does not include a fractionating device.
4. The sampling duration is 24 hours.5. The filter is protected against direct deposition of particles by sedi-
mentation and against the direct influence of atmospheric conditions.
6. The filters used should have an efficiency of more than 99 % for
particles having an aerodynamic diameter of 0 3 µm.
7. The air velocity at the surface of the filter is between 33 and 55 cm/
sec inclusive. The reduction in the speed throughout the sampling
duration must not exceed 5 % if glass-fibre filters are used or 25 %
if membrane filters are used.
8. The number of samplings made throughout the year must be at least
100, uniformly spread throughout this period.
—Method of analysis:
(a)Analysis is by weighing.
(b) 1. Membrane filters are to be conditioned, before and after sampling,
by holding them at a constant temperature between 90 and l00 ºC
for two hours and subsequently storing them in a dessicator for
two hours before weighing.
(b) 2. Glass-fibre filters are to be conditioned, before and after
sampling, by holding them for a period of 24 hours in an atmo-
sphere at 20 ºC and 50 % relative humidity before weighing.1980L0779 — EN — 19.07.2001 — 003.001 — 9
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