The project was carried out by Pacific Environment Ltd and Air Quality Consultants Ltd, on behalf of the New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency. Prof. Martin Williams from King’s College also participated in the study.
The involvement of Air Quality Consultants Ltd built on the experience of the company in helping develop the exposure-reduction approach to PM2.5 now adopted in the UK and EU, as well as the studies led by Air Quality Consultants Ltd of PM2.5 in the UK and in Scotland (links to Air Quality Consultants Ltd reports here).
An exposure-reduction framework for PM2.5 is justified, as there is no convincing threshold for health effects from exposure. Thus, even where air quality standards are not exceeded, there is a benefit in reducing concentrations even further, particularly in areas of high population density. The project involved a detailed review of existing emissions and exposure-reduction frameworks, and an analysis of Australian conditions including PM2.5 concentrations and source contributions, and the status of monitoring networks, emissions inventories and modelling capacities across the different states. An assessment of the positive and negative attributes of different options was then undertaken, and four potential options proposed.
The outcome of the study is to be presented to the 2013 Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand on 7-11 September.
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