Air Quality and Dust Management Plans for Construction
Freshbreeze Environmental Ltd prepares construction dust risk assessments and Air Quality and Dust Management Plans for London and UK projects. Send your site plan, programme and planning condition so we can confirm the assessment, mitigation and monitoring content required.
London dust management and monitoring
For a London planning condition, see our dust management plan service in London. If you need operational site monitoring, explore construction dust monitoring in London for the equipment, monitoring design and reporting information we need to prepare your quotation.
Managing construction dust
Demolition, earthworks, construction and vehicle movements can generate dust and particulate matter. The potential impact depends on the work, site conditions, the controls in place and nearby sensitive receptors. A construction dust assessment identifies relevant sources and risks, then helps define proportionate mitigation.
An Air Quality and Dust Management Plan (AQDMP) records how agreed measures will be applied, checked and reviewed during the works. It may respond to a planning condition or local authority request, or form part of the air quality and dust content of a wider Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). The appropriate scope depends on the project and its requirements.
What should an AQDMP include?
A project-specific plan will typically cover the following.
1. Dust sources and activities
Identify activities that could generate dust, such as demolition, earthworks, construction, material handling, on-site movements and trackout.
2. Nearby sensitive receptors
Identify places that could be affected, such as homes, schools, hospitals, care settings, workplaces and public spaces. Consider ecological receptors where relevant.
3. Risk assessment
Assess the potential for dust from the proposed activities alongside the location and sensitivity of nearby receptors. Use the findings to select controls proportionate to the risk.
4. Site controls
Depending on the works and risk, controls may include suitable dust suppression, enclosing or screening dusty activities, covering loads or stockpiles, managing vehicle speeds and haul routes, wheel cleaning, good housekeeping and maintaining plant. The plan should assign responsibility for putting controls in place.
5. Inspections, monitoring and response
Set out site inspections, record keeping and how complaints or unexpected dust events will be handled. Instrument monitoring should be included where justified by the assessment, a planning condition or an authority request. The plan should then specify suitable methods, locations, duration, response arrangements and reporting.
When might an AQDMP be needed?
A planning authority may request a construction dust assessment or AQDMP because of the scale and nature of the works, nearby receptors, local requirements or a planning condition. Some projects can address dust within a wider CEMP; others may need a separate plan or monitoring arrangements. A review of the condition and project information helps confirm the right scope.
How a project-specific plan helps
A clear AQDMP links dust controls to the activities and surroundings of the site. It can set out responsibilities, inspections, record keeping and a response to complaints, and support a response to relevant planning requirements. A plan cannot guarantee that complaints or delays will not occur.
Construction dust monitoring: choosing the right method
What is dust monitoring on construction sites?
Construction dust monitoring helps check dust conditions during demolition, earthworks and building activities. Alongside inspections and site records, it can help review the effectiveness of dust controls and support a response to elevated readings or complaints.
How do you measure dust levels?
The method depends on the purpose of the monitoring, site activities, nearby receptors and any planning condition. Airborne particulate monitors measure concentrations in air. Deposition gauges collect dust that settles over a sampling period. These results describe different aspects of dust and should not be treated as interchangeable.
What does a Frisbee dust gauge measure?
A Frisbee dust gauge collects deposited dust. Laboratory analysis can report the dust deposition rate, commonly expressed as milligrams per square metre per day. The results should be interpreted alongside site activities, weather and other potential sources.
Can a Frisbee dust gauge measure PM10 and PM2.5?
No. A Frisbee deposition gauge does not measure airborne PM10 or PM2.5 concentrations. These require suitable particulate monitoring equipment. Deposition results cannot be converted directly into PM10 or PM2.5 concentrations.
When is real time PM10 monitoring useful?
Suitable particulate monitors can track airborne concentrations during demolition and construction. Where agreed, monitoring can support a site response to elevated readings. The equipment, locations, averaging periods and action levels should reflect the assessment purpose and authority requirements.
How many dust monitors does a construction site need?
There is no single number suitable for every site. The layout, sources, nearby receptors, access, power supply and potential background contributions help determine a proportionate monitoring arrangement.
How much does construction dust monitoring cost?
Costs depend on the equipment, number of locations, monitoring duration, visits, laboratory analysis and reporting. Send us your site plan, programme and planning condition so that we can provide a quotation covering the relevant elements.
Our approach draws on relevant IAQM construction dust and monitoring guidance. Discuss your dust monitoring requirements with Freshbreeze.
Need support with the wider development? We can coordinate your dust management plan with a planning air quality assessment or relevant air quality monitoring. We will confirm the services required for your site and provide a clear quotation.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Air Quality and Dust Management Plan?
An AQDMP sets out the site-specific measures, responsibilities and checks used to prevent or control dust during construction.
Will every construction site need an AQDMP?
No. The need and level of detail depend on the project, its dust risk, local requirements and any planning conditions. Some projects may address dust within a wider CEMP.
Is dust monitoring always required?
No. Monitoring should be proportionate to the risk and any planning condition or authority request. Where monitoring is needed, the plan should define the method, location, duration and response arrangements.
What information do you need to provide a quote?
Please send the site address, a short description of the works, the construction programme, relevant drawings, any planning condition or council comments, and existing dust or air quality reports.
Can Freshbreeze help with a wider CEMP?
Freshbreeze can prepare an AQDMP and, where agreed, provide the air quality and dust content for a wider CEMP. The required scope depends on the project.
Request a quote
Send your project information and Freshbreeze will review it, confirm the appropriate scope and provide a fee and proposed timescale.
Email info@freshbreezeeltd.co.uk or call 0121 827 2737.
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