Building on their complementarities, IMT Nord-Europe, Ineris and LNE sign a new LCSQA Scientific Interest Group agreement for a period of 10 years. They are thus continuing their collaboration in the technical coordination of the national air quality monitoring system in support of the Ministry of the Environment.
Appointed by the Ministry of the environment, LCSQA is the reference body that provides technical coordination of the air quality monitoring system in France.
The signing of this agreement takes place during a period of revision of the European Ambient Air Quality Directive. In its proposal, the European Commission recommends in particular: lowering regulatory thresholds, introducing the monitoring of new pollutants and enhancing the application of modelling to characterise concentrations in air. Within this context, this agreement will allow LCSQA teams to support these developments at a technical level to deploy a reliable monitoring system that is responsive and capable of meeting the requirements of tomorrow.
Since 1991, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Mines-Telecom Nord Europe (IMT Nord Europe), the French National Institute for the Industrial Environment and Risks (Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques – Ineris) and the National Laboratory of Metrology and Testing (Laboratoire National de métrologie et d’Essais – LNE) have collaborated to provide technical coordination of the air quality monitoring system in France. Created in 2005 as a scientific interest group (Groupement d’Intérêt Scientifique – GIS), LCSQA is the national reference body required under the European directives* Its missions are defined in the Decree of 16 April 2021 on the national ambient air quality monitoring system.
Presentation, roles and skills mobilised by the three members of the LCSQA
IMT Nord Europe is one of the largest engineering schools in France. The school hosts nearly 2,300 students, a quarter of whom are apprentices, with more than 600 graduates per year and a network of 15,000 graduates. It is part of the Institut Mines-Télécom and a partner of the University of Lille. Perfectly located at the crossroads of Europe, between Paris, London, Brussels and Amsterdam, IMT Nord Europe aims to shape the talents of today and the knowledge of tomorrow to support the ecological, digital, and industrial transitions. Its research is structured around three areas: materials and processes, energy and the environment, and digital systems. Subjects relating to air quality are assigned to the Centre d’Enseignement, de Recherche et d’Innovation Energie Environnement (CERI EE). In addition to research relating to energy efficiency, the work carried out by CERI EE aims to reach a better understanding of the physical and chemical processes underlying the generation and transformation of gaseous pollutants and particulates present in the internal and external air. As part of its work for LCSQA, it provides assistance with the development and validation of measurement methods for regulated and emerging pollutants, contributes to the improvement of metrological quality in monitoring, conducts studies on the use of sensor systems and actively participates in efforts relating to regulations and standardisation. As part of its work for LCSQA, it provides assistance with the development and validation of measurement methods for regulated and emerging pollutants, contributes to the improvement of metrological quality in monitoring, conducts studies on the use of sensor systems and actively participates in efforts relating to regulations and standardisation.
Ineris is a public industrial and commercial establishment operating under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment. Its mission is to contribute to the prevention of risks to the health and safety of persons and goods and to the environment posed by economic activities. Ineris intervenes in support of public policy, contributing to the creation and implementation of technical regulations, standards and reference methods, as well as certification systems. It also places its skills at the service of all economic players, in the context of expert appraisals and through the dissemination of good practices and reference data regarding risk prevention. In addition, it develops research programmes on issues relating to the environment and risks. Ineris combines the experimental approach with modelling, the methodological approach to risks, and feedback. As part of its work for LCSQA, Ineris is mobilised to provide technical and scientific support concerning air quality metrology, reliability enhancement in data acquisition and transmission systems and the implementation and operation of explanatory and predictive digital models. Finally, it is accredited by COFRAC (No 1-0157 for the tests) in accordance with Article 22 of the Order of 16 April 2021 regarding the national ambient air quality monitoring system.
LNE is a public industrial and commercial establishment operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry. Its main missions are metrology, testing, certification, training and all study and research work related to safety, public health, sustainable development and the quality of industrial products and processes. As part of its missions for LCSQA, the LNE conducts work in the areas of metrology, instrumentation and quality assurance for the measurement facilities and procedures within the national air monitoring system. It is the guarantor of national standards, developing references within this framework to link measurements to the International System in order to ensure their reliability and spatio-temporal comparability. It participates in international comparisons conducted by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)
Contacts
LCSQA: marc.durif@ineris.fr
IMT Nord Europe: bernard.mendolia@imt-nord-europe.fr
Ineris: noemie.egot@ineris.fr
LNE: Valerie.mulot@lne.fr
(*) European Directive 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 15 December 2004 relating to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air, as amended, and Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, as amended, concerning ambient air quality and pure air for Europe, as well as the provisions of the Environmental Code (Book II, Title II)
Photo: from left to right: A. Schmitt, Director of IMT Nord Europe, T. Grenon, Managing Director of LNE and R. Cointe, Managing Director of Ineris
