Ammonia Brittany Air Ambient 2021

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

In Europe, over half-a-million people die prematurely every year due to ambient air pollution, including fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5). In particular, the French National Public Health Agency acknowledges a figure of 50 000 excess deaths annually in the country. Ammonia (NH₃) is a major precursor of atmospheric PM, with the main source being agriculture, in particular livestock manure spreading and fertiliser application. In 2015, agricultural activities resulted in the emission of 3.7 million tonnes of NH₃, corresponding to 94% of the total NH₃ released in Europe, and contributed to PM pollution. Although Brittany only covers 4% of the French territory, the agricultural sector of the region contributes annually to 14% of the national NH₃ emissions (i.e. close to 100 kilotons). Although the ADEME French agency for ecological transition released a Guideline to support information and training on Best Available Techniques (BAT) to reduce NH₃ emission in farms, the use of BATs in the field is insignificant. The main reason invoked is that reducing NH₃ emission looks complex and expensive to farmers, who usually work alone.

OBJECTIVES

The LIFE ABAA 2021 project addresses the urgent need to promote and facilitate the use of the BATs to reduce ammonia (NH₃) emission by farmers. The project team will develop and implement a demonstration system at the scale of the Brittany Region. This will be based on a specific program integrating all the existing tools, possibilities and stakeholders (BATs, knowledge, financial support, agencies, private firms, etc.) and on the setting-up of a network of farmers involved in NH₃ emission reduction. With the ambition of being integrated and close-to-the-stakeholder, the project will reduce ambient Particulate Matter (PM) levels, resulting in the improvement of ambient air quality through a decrease of NH₃ emission of 15% in the pilot territory at the end of the project, 15% in Brittany and 5% in Europe 5 years after the project. The methodology could be adapted to the agricultural sector of other European countries and contribute to the definition and setup of ambient ammonia guidelines to decrease PM levels at the European level.

The project is in line with the Cleaner Air For Europe (CAFE) Directive to reduce ambient concentrations for various pollutants, the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive (2016/2284/EU) and the new National Emission reduction Commitments (NEC) Directive, (2001/81/EC), and the Gothenburg Protocol (1999) to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's (UNECE) Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution and the IPCC Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (96/61/EC). The project is also in line with the EU Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) and the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), which aim at reducing the use of nitrogenous fertilisers;EU policy objectives on nature conservation and biodiversity, by reducing eutrophication and acidification caused by NH₃ in natural habitats; and the EU 2030 Climate Target Plan, by reducing the transformation of nitrogen into nitrous oxide (N₂O) which is a powerful greenhouse gas.

 

RESULTS

Expected results:

• A Decision Support System focused on a new NH₃ emission management module fed by the production of an original set of joint information on air quality and farming;
• A network of 30 volunteer farmers on a pilot territory, supporting them to reduce NH₃ emissions;
• Increased information to 250 farms, in the area of influence of 750 farms, so that they will be prepared to join step-by-step;
• Replication of the concept to all the Brittany Region, from 30 to 750, then up to 9 000 farmers at the end of the project;
• Support for the replication and transfer of the concept to other French and European regions; and
  
• Establishment of a group of experts and end-users, at local, national, European and international levels. Stakeholders from other key European NH₃ emissive areas (particularly the Netherlands and north Italy) will be invited to join.

These results are expected to improve ambient air quality, by reducing NH₃ emissions of 15% in the pilot territory at the end of the project. The annually-averaged PM concentrations are expected to decrease, as well as the annual number of PM pollution episodes, from 15 polluted days per year by 2-3 days (-20%). Five years after the end of the project, the involvement of 14 000 farmers is anticipated (50%), i.e. 45% of the regional agricultural area, leading to a 15% reduction in ammonia emissions in Brittany, representing a decrease of 14 000 tons/year. Such an achievement would correspond to a reduction from 15 polluted days per year on average to 7-8 days (50%).