The French National Reference laboratory (NRL) Laboratoire Central de Surveillance de la Qualité de l’Air (LCSQA)

The French air quality network The Ministry of the environment (MTES/DGEC/BQA) Defines the national policy for monitoring, prevention and public information about ambient air quality Defines the regulations relative to atmospheric pollutants, in agreement with European directives Design the competent authorities in charge of the assessment of ambient air quality and of the verification of the accuracy of measurements and compliance with the data quality objectives Prev’air : in charge of the production of daily air quality forecasts and maps resulting from numerical simulations on different spatial scales for the same day, the following day and the day after that, Associations agréées de surveillance de la qualité de l’air (AASQA) : institutions operating networks, individual stations and modelling in each region (18 associations in France) Le laboratoire central de surveillance de la qualité de l’air (LCSQA) : French national reference laboratory, the technical coordinator of French air quality network

The French National Reference Laboratory 1991 : First works for the French air quality network 1995 : Creation of the “LCSQA” drawing on the expertise of three partners : Ecole Nationale Supérieure Mines-Telecom Lille Douai (IMT LD) Laboratoire National de métrologie et d’Essais (LNE) Institut National de l’Environnement industriel et des Risques (INERIS) 2005 : Creation of the current structure “Groupement d’Intérêt Scientifique (GIS)” 2011 : Designated by national authority as technical coordinator of French air quality network 2017 : Publication of a national decree about the French air quality network describing members and missions (17/04/2017) www.lcsqa.org About 60 people distributed within three partners

The French National Reference Laboratory Objectives and tasks : Scientific and technical support for the Ministry of the Environment and for regional networks (AASQA) to improve the national air quality monitoring network 4 objectives of our performance contract : Guarantee the quality of the data, devices or methodologies and their adequacy with the European requirements and the needs of the national network Assure the distribution and the exploitation of the data produced by the national network Improve the scientific and technical knowledge of the national network to help the implementation of action plans and anticipate the future monitoring strategy Coordinate the national network

The French National Reference Laboratory Guarantee the quality of the data, devices or methodologies and their adequacy with the European requirements and the needs of the national network Some examples of QA/QC & metrology works : Realization of laboratory and field studies, research works and developments for measurement methods, modelling and data processing : development of reference standards and methods traceability through calibration chains evaluation of “devices or methodologies” (tests or “mutual recognition of data” for equipment – national type approval scheme) Organization of Interlaboratory Comparisons (ILCs) for measurements and modelling Manage the national reference guidance and realize technical audits of the regional networks (AASQA) Verification of the conformity of the national network QA/QC processes for new pollutants and devices : pesticides, AE33, ACSM

The French National Reference Laboratory National calibration chain Intercomparison for mobile devices Intercomparison for PM Intercomparison for modelling

The French National Reference Laboratory Evaluation of “devices” : LCSQA verifie that the test reports shall demonstrate that the equipment meets all the performance requirements including where some environmental and site conditions specific in France. Approved devices list available on www.lcsqa.org

The French National Reference Laboratory LCSQA also have obligations : Participation of the LCSQA to the Union- wide quality assurance programmes organized by the Commission's Joint Research Centre. Intercomparison trial for the measurement of concentrations of PM10 and PM2,5 INERIS is accredited by the COFRAC (NF EN ISO/CEI 17025) for the measure of the PM10 and PM2.5 according to the NF EN 12341 Standard

The French National Reference Laboratory Assure the distribution and exploitation of the data produced by the national network Some examples : Development of the national database (Geod’air) Development of “Vigilance atmosphérique” site which collect, manage and spread in real time information concerning the exceed of the information or alert thresholds (pollution episodes) and the action plans indicating the measures taken in the short term in order to reduce the risk or duration of such an exceedance EU reporting process Exploitation of national database

The French National Reference Laboratory GEOD’Air database Vigilance Atmosphérique www.lcsqa.org Exploitation of national database (French Air quality report SOeS)

The French National Reference Laboratory Improve the scientific and technical knowledge of the national network to help the implementation of action plans and anticipate the future monitoring strategy Some examples : CARA program implementation : chemical characterisation of PM to improve the comprehension of PM episodes and help to the implementation of the adapted action plans MERA program implementation : French contribution to EMEP program (European Monitoring and Evaluation Program) for the monitoring and evaluation of long-range transmission of air pollutants in Europe Organize a technology and scientific watch on the new stakes : anticipate the future monitoring strategy

The French National Reference Laboratory CARA : chemical characterization of PM MERA : the French contribution of the EMEP program

The French National Reference Laboratory Coordinate the national network Participation of some European and International networks : Ambient Air Quality Expert Group and Ambient Air Quality Committee AQUILA FAIRMODE CEN Technical meetings on e-reporting EIONET EURAMET and CCQM (BIPM)

The French National Reference Laboratory Web site (www.lcsqa.org) : more than 300 000 visits in 2016 More than 200 publications on line : Technical reports Annual activity reports Reference guides Etc. Newsletters and actualities Workshops and events : 2013 : PM French strategy ; population exposed (methodology) 2014 : pollution episodes 2015 : PNSQA & PRSQA 2016 : performance contract and work done (2011-2016) 2017 : CARA and MERA programs (November 2017)

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