The Best Way to Manage Air Quality & Ammonia
Why Ammonia Matters for Air Quality
Ammonia is a colourless gas with a powerful odour. High levels can negatively impact air quality, health, soil and water bodies. It can also contribute to odour issues and environmental pollution. Understanding air quality and ammonia sources, impacts and monitoring methods helps operators reduce risks to the community and environment.
For regulated sites, managing ammonia emissions is not just good practice. It is often also a legal requirement.
For a broader view of potential odour sources, see Common Industrial Odour Sources: How to Identify, Assess & Manage Odour Risks.
Environmental & Health Impacts of Ammonia
Air Quality and Ammonia
When released into the air, ammonia can react with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone. Both of these are air pollutants known to have detrimental health impacts. Moreover, ammonia reacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These can further contribute to poor air quality.
Health Risks
High levels of ammonia in the air can cause respiratory problems, including asthma and bronchitis. Measuring ammonia levels helps to assess the risk to worker and public health. It also helps you to decide when and where you need to take action.
Acidification of Soils and Water Bodies
Ammonia can react with other pollutants in the atmosphere to form acid rain. This can have a detrimental impact on soil quality and the health of flora and aquatic ecosystems. Acid rain can damage crops and forests. It can also make water bodies too acidic for some aquatic organisms to survive.
Eutrophication
Ammonia is a nutrient that can trigger eutrophication in water bodies. Excessive nutrients lead to harmful algal blooms, oxygen depletion and reduced biodiversity. This can also pose a health risk by rendering water unsafe for human consumption. Most operators have permit conditions to regulate their industrial activities that emit ammonia. For example, wastewater treatment.
Ammonia’s impact on the environment is also linked to broader climate change and related issues.
Ammonia as a Nuisance Odour
Ammonia is often cited as an important nuisance-causing odorant. However, its odour detection threshold is around 2.6ppm. In the UK, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) specifies far higher safe exposure limits:
- 25ppm: 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA)
- 35ppm: 15-minute Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL)
Even at high concentrations, ammonia disperses quickly and may not be perceptible beyond a few metres. However, in sensitive areas, it can still contribute to odour complaints.
Measuring Ammonia Emissions
Measuring ammonia helps you understand the impact of air quality and ammonia emissions on the community and environment. It also provides valuable information for regulatory compliance, environmental protection and operational planning.
Ammonia Sampling & Laboratory Analysis
Silsoe Odours collects air samples for ammonia testing in our specialist analytical laboratory. We determine ammonia concentration, reported in parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per litre (mg/L).
This data supports:
- Regulatory compliance
- Legal proceedings
- Air quality modelling
Air Quality Modelling
Sampling data can feed into air quality models. You can use this to predict the impact of ammonia emissions on surrounding areas. This identifies where you may need control measures.
Optical Gas Imaging (OGI)
Ammonia is emitted from waste, manure and soils. We can measure atmospheric emissions from these sources in a variety of specialist ways. This includes Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS), which can measure the very low concentrations usually found in the atmosphere.
UK Regulatory Responsibilities for Ammonia
Several guidance documents and legislations are in place to help you reduce ammonia emissions, mainly from industrial and agricultural activities.
Operators should consider both environmental and health legislation:
| Regulation / Guidance | Key Requirement |
|---|---|
| HSE Exposure Limits | 25 ppm TWA / 35 ppm STEL for occupational safety in the UK |
| Environmental Permitting Regulations | UK-specific permits for industrial and agricultural ammonia emissions |
| Clean Air Strategy | Ongoing measures to reduce industrial air pollution |
| National Emissions Ceiling Regulations | UK targets to reduce ammonia emissions from agriculture by 21% by 2030 |
| Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) | Voluntary guidance for environmentally responsible ammonia management |
| Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations (NPPR) | Measures to prevent pollution from agricultural activities which are a source of ammonia emissions |
Best Practices to Reduce Ammonia Emissions
Managing air quality and ammonia primarily helps you meet regulatory obligations. But it also protects air quality, human health and the environment.
Consider the following starting points as part of your ammonia best practice:
- Optimise fertiliser and manure management
- Use covered storage and treatment for ammonia-rich waste
- Apply abatement technologies where feasible
- Conduct regular monitoring and reporting to identify issues early
Speak to an Air Quality Consultant
Silsoe Odours provides tailored ammonia testing, monitoring and expert advice to support compliance and reduce risk for industrial and agricultural operators.
Call: 01525 860222
Follow us: LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Facebook
Frequently Asked Questions
What are safe ammonia exposure limits in the UK?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets exposure limits in the UK. They are 25 ppm for an 8-hour time-weighted average and 35 ppm for a 15-minute short-term exposure limit.
How is ammonia measured at industrial sites?
We measure ammonia using air sampling and laboratory analysis, air quality modelling and optical gas imaging technologies such as TDLAS.
Why is ammonia harmful to air quality?
Ammonia reacts with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter. This contributes to poor air quality that can impact health and the environment.
How can you reduce ammonia emissions?
Operators can reduce emissions through better waste management, covered storage, abatement technologies and regular monitoring.
This article was originally published in 2023 and has been updated in 2026 to reflect current best practices and regulations.
