Air Pollution Regulations in France

Air pollution in Paris

France has air pollution regulations called Loi sur l'Air et l'Utilisation Rationnelle de l'Énergie (LAURE), translated as Law on Air and the Rational Use of Energy. The law was approved in December 1996, 26 years after the Clean Air Act in the U.S.

Air Quality Standards

The regulations set air quality standards for concentration levels to be achieved within a period of time, maximum levels not to be exceeded, and alert levels to avoid acute short-term exposure.

Monitoring Requirements

All of the regions of the country are required to do air quality monitoring and produce annual air pollutant emissions inventories.

Air Quality Plans

The regions are required to develop five-year air quality plans for achieving the standards.

Compliance with the European Union

The European Union set air emission levels for four pollutants for its member countries to meet by 2010. As of late 2009, France was projected to be out of compliance for two of the standards, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Air Pollution Tax

France established a tax on air pollutants, beginning in 1985 with sulfur dioxide (SO2), and extending later to NOx, VOC, and hydrochloric acid (HCl). A research study found a significant reduction in SO2, NOx, and HCl resulting from the tax in the 1990s.

References

• Act No. 96-1236 of 30/12/96 on the Air and the Rational Use of Energy
• European Environment Agency
• Abstract of K. Millock and C. Nauges, The French Tax on Air Pollution: Some Preliminary Results on its Effectiveness; April 2003.

Resources

• ADEME, French Environment and Energy Management Agency, Air