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Cannock Chase Council has responsibility for measuring the quality of ambient air to ensure that it meets required standards in relation to the concentration of a defined range of pollutants such as lead, nitrogen dioxide, benzene etc. The Environmental Health Department undertakes air quality monitoring throughout the district.

Two methods of monitoring are utilised:

• Two fully automated monitors are positioned adjacent to the A5 Watling Street, Bridgtown and at Betty's Lane, Norton Canes. They are capable of monitoring nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter and sulphur dioxide, and provide records of air pollution at time intervals from 15 minute averages upwards.
• A number of 'diffusion tubes', monitoring for nitrogen dioxide, are located throughout the district. Tubes are exposed to the air for a period of approximately 1 month, and provide an average air quality value for this period of time. This is a low cost, un-automated method, which provides data for a wide geographical area.