History of MAPAC

MAPAC began on 13th May 1974, when the 10 Councils in the Greater Manchester County approved the constitution of the (then) Manchester Area Council for Clean Air and Noise Control, relating to the Council's composition, functions and its elected representation from member local authorities. Membership is derived from Councils in and around the Manchester area and currently comprises:

The views of member authorities are represented by elected Councillors, while officers concerned with pollution control duties attend meetings in an advisory capacity and provide the membership of the Technical Advisory Steering Group and the more specialised Working Groups dealing with a wide range of environmental issues.

Despite some changes in membership and the practical ways in which the Council operates, the functions of the Council remains the same, namely:

• to act as an advisory body to improve the control of and reduce environmental harm;
• to carry out investigations and research into and co-ordinate measurements of pollution;
• to engage in publicity and education;
• to arrange appropriate lectures, meetings and practical visits;
• to act collectively on behalf of its constituent authorities in matters of mutual interest;
• to coordinate the activities of common working areas and develop a regional approach and
• to implement best value initiatives together with benchmarking exercises.

A major part of the Council's work continues to be initiated by its 5 Working Groups which deal with specialised issues relating to Air Quality, Noise, emissions from Industrial Processes, Radiation and Contaminated Land and Water.

Important MAPAC achievements, most of which continue today under contemporary pollution control standards, include:

• the co-ordination and completion of the smoke control work across the Manchester area which resulted in massive reductions in smoke and sulphur dioxide and attendant improvements in air quality;
  
• the continuing publication of MAPAC's work relating to topical air pollution issues including:

1. 20 Years of Air Pollution Control (1976);
2. 25 Year Review - A Review of some aspects of Air Pollution & Noise Control in the Area of the Council 25 years after the Clean Air Act, 1956 (1981) and
3. A Breathing Space - Vehicle related Air Pollution in North West England (1993);

• representation and consultation with the Government and government departments on pollution issues, legislative proposals and initiatives being developed to address the control of pollution sources and the protection of public health. Current MAPAC consultations and liaisons with associated organisations are contributing to the rapidly evolving policy and practice relating to National and Local air quality management and the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regime;

• development and co-ordination of regional MAPAC policies for particular, current areas of concern such as the contaminated land regime; air pollution measurements, air quality reviews and their action plans which comprise the essential components in local air quality management;

• preparation of advisory documents on policy and practices about pollution issues of common interest to MAPAC members such as noise control;

• liaison with related environmental organisations notably the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection (for which the Council has corporate membership) and other research bodies, academic institutions and industry particularly those based in the North West. The earlier liaison with such regulating bodies as Her Majesty's Alkali Inspectorate, the Clean Air Inspectorate and the National Rivers Authority continue in the guise of the Environment Agency where partnership and co-ordinated action continues to grow as the challenges of air quality management, the remediation of contaminated land, the protection of water resources and the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regime are some of the challenges for this next millennium.

The web site contains contributions from the constituent authorities, members and others involved in the work of MAPAC. It is hoped these contributions prove to be a useful resource to groups and individuals interested in the monitoring, assessment and protection of the environment both globally and locally. MAPAC has always recognised that pollution is no respector of administrative boundaries and that environmental regulation depends on communicating effective policies to everyone who can plan an active role in protecting our environment.

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