Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2022.

3 June 2022

We provided a submission to the NSW EPA's review of New South Wales Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Clean Air) Bill 2021.

We supported changes to the regulation which reduce the exposure of NSW residents to pollutants. However we were concerned by the use of the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure to regulate emissions; and keeping the status quo around domestic solid fuel heater smoke (i.e. wood heaters).

Submission on WA DWER's draft guideline for dust emissions

5 November 2021

We provided a submission on the Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation's draft Guideline: Dust emissions. 

We strongly urge the use of consistent concentration standards for dust and associated pollutants across Western Australia, with no exceptions and no exceedances permitted. We also strongly recommend against the right to offer exemptions to applicants that do not meet the separation distance requirements where the applicant considers the dust risk to be low.

Submission on EPA Victoria's guideline for assessing and minimising air pollution in Victoria

26 July 2021

We provided a submission on the EPA Victoria's guideline for assessing and minimising air pollution in Victoria. 

While we commend EPA Victoria for a comprehensive document that utilises a risk assessment framework to pursue human health protection from poor air quality, we did raise some concerns about the determination of reasonable practicability and the air quality assessment criteria.

Submission on the Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Laws Review

7 July 2021

We provided a submission on the Moreton Bay Regional Council Local Laws Review. 

We strongly support the current local laws on fires and fire pits that prohibit their use in urban residential dwellings, given the existing scientific evidence on the health impacts of smoke and smoke-related air pollution.

Submission on the proposed Health, Safety and Amenity Local Law 2021 for the City of Brisbane

7 July 2021

We provided a submission on the proposed Health, Safety and Amenity Local Law 2021 for the City of Brisbane. 

We oppose the proposed laws around permissions for fire pits and braziers on health grounds. By their very design, a fire pit or brazier will release smoke into the air, impacting local air quality. Smoke comprises harmful elements that can adversely impact human health.

Submission on the New South Wales Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Clean Air) Bill 2021

28 June 2021

We provided a submission on the NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Clean Air) Bill 2021. 

We commend and support any legislative amendment that reduces the permitted emission of harmful pollutant concentrations from fossil-fuelled energy sources. Adverse health effects result from particulate matter exposure occur even at low levels. As such, there is no safe level of air pollution exposure in terms of human health. We recommend the pursuit of increasingly stringent concentration standards for existing fossil-fuelled energy sources in future, and strongly oppose the approval of new fossil-fuelled energy sources.

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Our submission and others can be found on the Parliament of NSW website here.

Submission on the Hunter Power Project (Kurri Kurri Power Station)

8 June 2021

We provided a submission on the Hunter Power Project (Kurri Kurri Power Station). 

We strongly object to the development of the Kurri Kurri Power Station based on health grounds. Proceeding with the development of the Kurri Kurri Power Station will create direct and indirect short-, medium- and long-term human health impacts that are disproportionate to the benefits the power station purports to offer.

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Our submission and others can be found on the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment website here.

Consultation on the New South Wales Government’s Draft Clean Air Strategy

22 April 2021

We provided a submission on the consultation on the NSW Government's Draft Clean Air Strategy.

We support the general thrust of the draft NSW Clean Air Strategy and commend the NSW Government for its recognition of, and commitment to, a number of important actions across the five priority areas identified in the Strategy. We do, however, emphasise that additional actions are required to reduce domestic wood heater and coal mining emissions. Further, a rapid transition to electric vehicles is necessary to address transport-related emissions.

There is no safe level of air pollution and data presented in the Strategy demonstrate the substantial health impacts associated with poor air quality in NSW from a range of sources. The implementation of additional actions that strengthen the commitment to emissions reduction in identified priority areas will lead to reductions in health impacts that place undue pressure on the health system and unnecessarily burden the economy.

Consultation on light and heavy vehicle emission standards for cleaner air.

25 February 2021

We provided a submission on the consultation on light and heavy vehicle emission standards for cleaner air to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

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We strongly support the transition to the most stringent Euro standards as soon as possible in Australia. These interventions will lead to reductions in preventable deaths, hospitalisations and GP visits in Australia as a result of reducing community exposure to vehicle emissions.