Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is improving its air monitoring network to enable it to measure air quality beyond Melbourne, Geelong and the Latrobe Valley.
To give EPA’s network more coverage, it has removed ozone and visibility equipment from its Box Hill and Brighton monitoring stations for use in other areas; however both stations will continue to monitor small particles known as PM2.5, a key indicator of air quality.
EPA Executive Director of Knowledge Standards and Assessments Tim Eaton said EPA scientists were confident the removal of ozone and visibility readings from Box Hill and Brighton would not impact on air quality information available to local residents.
“EPA’s Box Hill air quality station has monitored air quality conditions since 1994 and has shown generally good air quality over that time; similar results have been recorded at the Brighton station since 1998,” Mr Eaton said.
“EPA analysis of this data shows that we can get comparable information from EPA’s Alphington site, which will continue to monitor visibility and ozone. People in Box Hill and Brighton can look to the Alphington station for information about ozone and visibility that would apply to their suburbs.”
Mr Eaton said the equipment removed from Box Hill and Brighton air monitoring stations would be used in other parts of EPA’s air monitoring network, and be available to respond to major air pollution events.
“It is important that our air monitoring network evolves to focus on current issues and is able to provide the information Victorians are seeking,” Mr Eaton said.
For more information on air quality and how EPA monitors air, visit www.epa.vic.gov.au/your-environment/air
To view EPA’s latest air monitoring data, visit: http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/monitoring-the-environment/epa-airwatch
Air quality concerns can be reported at any time to EPA by calling 1300 EPA VIC (372 842).