EPA Chairman Cheryl Batagol said EPA was involved in the national process and provided Victorian air monitoring data and scientific evidence towards the review of the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (AAQ NEPM) standards for particulate matter.
“The Impact Statement was developed with input from all States and Territories drawing together evidence on the health impacts of air pollution and an analysis of the costs and benefits of varying particle standards,” Ms Batagol said.
The NEPC has now signalled its intention to vary the AAQ NEPM, which sets the national standards for particles and provides guidance on monitoring air quality in jurisdictions.
“The NEPC Impact Statement presents options for tighter AAQ NEPM monitoring and reporting standards for ambient particle emissions and is available for public consultation,” Ms Batagol said.
“The consultation process provides the community, environment groups and industry with an opportunity to review the statement and provide their views via an online survey or written submission,” Ms Batagol said.
The Impact Statement and further information is available from the NEPC website with submissions open until 10 October 2014.
Members of the community that would like to attend a Victorian public information session should register their interest through the EPA website.
About the AAQ NEPM
The AAQ NEPM is an instrument established in 1998 under the National Environment Protection Council Act (1994) (NEPC Act) to provide a nationally consistent framework for monitoring and reporting on six common ambient air pollutants –carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, photochemical oxidants (ozone), sulfur dioxide and particulate matter (PM) in the larger size fraction of PM10. It was varied in 2003 to include smaller sized particles (PM2.5).
The AAQ NEPM sets air quality standards and goals for each of these pollutants (advisory reporting standards only for PM2.5), which aim to guide policy formulation that allows for the adequate protection of human health and wellbeing. It does not compel or direct pollution control measures.
The application of AAQ NEPM standards is at the discretion of individual jurisdictions, and subject to each jurisdiction’s review processes.