

Effectiveness of atmospheric management
Effectiveness of atmospheric management
Industrial point sources of pollution
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Title has changed since 2011 assessment
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.
Understanding: Generally very good understanding of air pollutants (types, amounts, sources and processes) from relevant industries, and of technologies and practices to prevent or control pollution
Understanding: Very good understanding of air pollutants (types, sources and processes), of relevant industries and industrial processes, and of technologies and practices to prevent or control pollution
Planning: States and territories have well-established plans, policies, legislation and regulatory systems to monitor and control these sources
Planning: States and territories have well-established plans, policies and regulatory systems to monitor and control these sources
Inputs: Levels of resourcing to support regulatory and nonregulatory programs vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, generally reflecting the nature and extent of industrial sources in the state or territory
Inputs: Levels of resourcing to support regulatory and nonregulatory programs vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, generally reflecting the nature and extent of industrial sources in the state or territory
Processes: All jurisdictions have well-established processes to monitor and control these sources, including reporting, inspection and enforcement processes
Processes: All jurisdictions have well-established process to monitor and control these sources, including inspection and enforcement processes
Outputs and outcomes: Jurisdictions apply works approvals, licensing and related regulatory mechanisms to limit types and quantities of pollutant emissions. Although performance levels vary, inspection and enforcement by environmental regulators, together with emissions monitoring and reporting, provide a sound basis for ensuring effective control of these sources
Outputs and outcomes: Jurisdictions apply works approvals, licensing and related regulatory mechanisms to limit types and quantities of pollutant emissions. Although performance levels vary, inspection and enforcement by environmental regulators, together with emissions monitoring and reporting, provide a sound basis for ensuring effective control of these sources
Motor vehicle emissions
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Title has changed since 2011 assessment
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles
Understanding: Good understanding of vehicle tailpipe emissions, and the relation of fuel quality and control technologies. However, differences between test and on-road emissions can be significant. No systematic verification of on-road emissions. Non-tailpipe emissions, such as dust from brake, tyre and road wear, are not as well quantified. Although non-tailpipe emissions are not projected to increase in absolute terms, they are becoming an increasing proportion of total vehicle emissions
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Understanding: Very good understanding of pollution types, sources and processes, and of interaction of fuels and control technologies
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Planning: National and state governments cooperate in relation to planning introduction of improved fuel and engine technology. Introduction of Euro6 originally proposed for 2018 was postponed. Planning now through a new Ministerial Forum on Vehicle Emissions, a whole-of-Australian government approach that includes ministers for environment, infrastructure, transport, major projects, resources and energy
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Planning: Australian Government and state governments cooperate in relation to planning introduction of improved fuel and technology standards. Appropriate policy and legislative standards in place at national and state and territory levels
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Inputs: Government cutbacks and focus on deregulation has reduced financial and staffing resources to address management issues. Last national in-service vehicle emissions study was in 2008, leading to considerable uncertainty in emissions factors used in modelling the air quality impact of new motorways and road tunnels, and in urban airshed modelling
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Inputs: Adequate resourcing at national level for development and enforcement of standards for fuels and new-vehicle technology. Resourcing for in-service vehicle testing and enforcement at state and territory level is variable
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Processes: Well-established national processes for promulgating and enforcing fuel and new vehicle emissions-control standards. Improving coordination at the national level between departments with new Ministerial Forum on Vehicle Emissions. Disbandment of bodies such as Fuel Standards Consultative Committee has the potential to reduce input from independent experts in decision-making
Processes: Respective roles of Australian Government and state and territory governments are clear. Well-established national processes for promulgating and enforcing fuel and new-vehicle emission-control standards, and good coordination between Australian Government and state and territory governments via ministerial councils and officials' working groups
Outputs and outcomes: New-vehicle emissions standards (Euro 5) introduced since SoE 2011. Generally cleaner vehicle fleet has seen reduction in total tailpipe emissions despite increases in total distance travelled
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Outputs and outcomes: National fuel and new-vehicle emission technology standards continue to be tightened. Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics projections show continuing improvements in vehicle pollutant emissions until 2020
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Understanding: There is a generally good understanding of the particulate emissions from well-operated domestic wood heaters, but incomplete information about real-world emissions and nonparticulate (gaseous) emissions. Strong evidence available on their significant contribution to poor air quality and related adverse health impacts in many rural towns and urban areas in cooler months. Many factors complicate effective policy action (e.g. socio-economic status, aesthetics, tradition, perceived individual freedom vs community benefit, entrenched attitudes, denial of the problem)
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Planning: National emissions standards for domestic wood heaters revised in 2015. Some jurisdictions have legislated to allow local government to ban new wood heaters except with specific approval (e.g. NSW). Plans in National Clean Air Agreement to adopt the best practices across jurisdictions of stronger compliance and improved in-service maintenance by 2017
Inputs: Management is generally the responsibility of local government, which has insufficient financial and human resources to address pollution from each individual heater. Increasing recognition of the need to ban domestic wood heaters (and open fires) in high-density residential areas or in areas with poor dispersion (e.g. valleys) where neighbours are affected
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Processes: Emissions standards for domestic wood heaters updated in 2015, but long life of units means many operate with higher emissions. Effective management systems not yet in place, inconsistent policies across jurisdictions. Unwillingness of politicians to bite the bullet on this complex and controversial issue
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Outputs and outcomes: Poor compliance with standards and suboptimal in-service use reduce the effectiveness of the new standards. Little or no reduction since SoE 2011 in contribution of wood heater emissions to air pollution in many areas during winter
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Commercial and other domestic services
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Title has changed since 2011 assessment
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles
Understanding: Generally good understanding of these pollution types, sources and processes. Most emissions from these sources are estimated using emissions factors rather than measurements because of the large number of sources. However, there is considerable variability and uncertainty in emissions factors for many of these sources
Understanding: Generally sound understanding of pollution types, sources and processes (chiefly via the National Pollutant Inventory [NPI] and state agency emissions inventories), although the reliance on United States data for some NPI emission factors (in the absence of verification) raises concerns about the accuracy of some NPI data
Planning: State and territory, and (in some jurisdictions) local governments have established plans, policies and regulatory systems to monitor and control these sources. National Clean Air Plan includes establishing emissions standards for nonroad spark ignition engines (NRSIIE) such as gardening equipment (lawnmowers, brush cutters, leaf blowers, chainsaws, chippers) and recreational boating. Domestic wood heater emissions considered separately because, overall, they are such a major source of emissions
Planning: States and territories and (in some jurisdictions) municipalities have established plans, policies and regulatory systems to monitor and control these sources
Inputs: Resources tend to focus on the significant issues from an airshed or jurisdictional point of view, but are quite variable between jurisdictions. Limited resources and monitoring for localised issues and legacy sources seen by some in the community as leading to inadequate management (e.g. odour complaints)
Inputs: Resourcing levels to support regulatory and nonregulatory programs vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and among municipalities
Processes: Management systems in place or being developed (for NRSIIE). Division of responsibilities between jurisdictions and local government generally clearly defined, but not always clear to the community
Processes: All states and territories (and many municipalities) have well-established processes to monitor and control these sources, including inspection and enforcement processes
Outputs and outcomes: Generally effective control of emissions with limited impact on local and (generally) airshed air quality. Complaints about odour and dust continue to be a major air quality issue for local government and EPAs
Outputs and outcomes: Generally effective control of diffuse emissions such as volatile organic compounds from commercial premises and particles (wood smoke) from homes benefits air quality at both the airshed and local level. Ambient monitoring against the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure standards shows that the standards are met on the great majority of days in all major cities. However, complaints about smoke and odour at the local level continue to be a major focus for investigation and enforcement action by state and municipal officials
Prescribed burning and bushfires
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Title has changed since 2011 assessment
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles
Understanding: Good understanding and greater awareness of air quality and health impacts of smoke from planned burns and bushfires on firefighters, local communities and more distant communities, which can include large populations in urban areas. Some understanding of the differences in emissions from low-intensity planned burns and high-intensity bushfires
Understanding: Recent work in Tasmania indicates that smoke from planned burns is a more significant source of diffuse particulate pollution than previously believed
Planning: Burning for fuel reduction and habitat management purposes, and for forestry regeneration and related operations is subject to various guidelines or codes of practice, and is usually well planned and executed. Uncertainty about the balance between health impacts and the effectiveness of realistic amounts of planned burning for reducing bushfire severity
Planning: Burning for forestry regeneration and related operations and for fuel reduction and habitat management purposes on public land is subject to various guidelines or codes of practice and is usually well planned and executed. Individual property managers make decisions on timing for planned agricultural burning, but must observe any local, regional and statewide restrictions
Inputs: Increasing resources being directed towards air quality issues in planning burns, especially in improving smoke-forecasting models
Highly variable; unable to assess
Processes: In most states and territories, authorities responsible for planned burning on public and forestry land have formal arrangements with EPAs, health agencies and local councils, which cover peevious notification, suitability of local meteorological conditions, smoke forecasting (sometimes), monitoring and public health warnings
Processes: In most, if not all, states and territories, authorities responsible for planned burns associated with forest operations and management burns on public land have formal arrangements with environment protection agencies, health agencies and local municipalities, which cover prior notification, suitability of local meteorological conditions, monitoring and public health warnings
Outputs and outcomes: Improving cooperation between agencies responsible for planned burning, and environment and health authorities. Improvements in smoke-forecasting capability are being included in planning of operations and giving improved notification to affected populations
Outputs and outcomes: Although the position is variable among jurisdictions, there is anecdotal evidence indicating improved cooperation between agencies responsible for planned burning and environment and health authorities. There is also improved notification and greater recognition of the significance of local impacts on health, amenity, tourism and so on
Understanding: Some understanding of emissions from these nonregulated transport sources, mainly large diesel engines, which have proportionately more particulate and NOx emissions than equivalent petrol engines. They include nonroad vehicles such as earth-moving and mining equipment, locomotives, and those used for commercial shipping and at ports
Planning: A national approach to manage these emissions sources is listed for development in the National Clean Air Agreement, following on from NSW’s Diesel and Marine Emissions Strategy
Inputs: Resources currently being deployed to gather information, develop policy proposals and undertake impact assessments
Processes: Management systems are currently not in place, but are under development in some jurisdictions and listed in the work plan for the National Clean Air Agreement. Lack of consistency and integration of management activities across jurisdictions is a problem
Outputs and outcomes: Emissions from new nonroad diesel engines sold in Australia generally higher than in US or EU. Some engines poorly maintained and are very smoky. Regulation introduced in NSW in 2015 to reduce sulfur content of fuel used by cruise ships in Sydney Harbour, but this has since been deemed inoperative because of conflict with Commonwealth legislation. The issue is on the National Clean Air Agreement work plan
Understanding: High level of understanding of nature and sources of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) and of the chemical processes through which they impact on stratospheric ozone. Likely future effect of greenhouse gases on recovery of stratospheric ozone is not as well understood. Links between reductions in ozone in the stratosphere, increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and health effects (notably increased risk of skin cancer) are well understood
Planning: Signatories to the Montreal Protocol have well-established planning, policy-setting and regulatory mechanisms to give effect to their obligations to phase out ODSs
Inputs: The necessary public and private sector resources are being applied to achieve phase-out schedules agreed under the Montreal Protocol. Assistance is available to developing nations to implement agreed phase-outs
Processes: A range of processes have been established under the Montreal Protocol to facilitate and monitor action by signatories to implement agreed phase-outs
Outputs and outcomes: World production of ODSs continues to decline, and monitoring shows that atmospheric levels of ODSs peaked in the mid-1990s
Understanding: Although understanding is improving as a result of recent studies, most have focused on particular problems, such as unflued gas heaters or environmental tobacco smoke
Planning: Although there are Australian standards for building materials and home heating devices, there is no national standard for indoor air quality
Inputs: Variable across jurisdictions. Attention is largely restricted to unflued gas heaters and environmental tobacco smoke
Processes: Unflued gas heaters are regulated in all jurisdictions. There has been significant growth in restrictions on smoking indoors
Outputs and outcomes: Some areas of significant improvement (e.g. restrictions on indoor smoking in public venues and workplaces; New South Wales phase-out of unflued gas heaters in public schools), but overall highly variable
Assessment Summary Key
Grades
Very effective
Effective
Partially effective
Ineffective
Recent Trends
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Improving
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Stable
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Deteriorating
-
Unclear
Confidence
-
Adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence and high level of consensus
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Somewhat adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus
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Limited: Limited evidence or limited consensus
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Very limited: Limited evidence and limited consensus
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Low: Evidence and consensus too low to make an assessment
Comparability
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Comparable: Grade and trend are comparable to the previous assessment
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Somewhat comparable: Grade and trend are somewhat comparable to the previous assessment
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Not comparable: Grade and trend are not comparable to the previous assessment
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Not previously assessed
Comments
The assessment remains largely the same as in 2011.