

Pressures affecting ambient air quality
Pressures affecting ambient air quality
Increasing population (with concomitant increases in emissions from vehicles, equipment, heating, etc) and increasing urban density place pressure on air quality
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Urban sprawl is moving populations closer to existing industries, including intensive agriculture, wastewater treatment facilities and hobby farms, leading to greater exposure to air pollution (especially odours and wood smoke)
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The development or expansion of these industries in rural or near-rural settings can adversely affect air quality. Both amenity and health impacts exist
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Point-source pollution is mostly mitigated by regulations, but there are some legacy issues with old industries
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Local and airshed-wide impacts on health and aesthetics; localised effects on amenity and health near some major point sources
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Increasing vehicle traffic and greater congestion is a pressure unless counterbalanced by reduced emissions per vehicle. Non-tailpipe emissions such as tyre and brake dust are continuing to increase
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Metro-wide direct and indirect impacts of volatile organic compounds, NOx, ozone and particulates; localised impacts near ‘hot spots’ such as heavily trafficked roads in residential areas
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Smoke from domestic wood heaters is a major source of air pollution in many regions during cooler months
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Commercial and other domestic
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Name changed since 2011
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.
Most commercial emissions are regulated by local authorities. Emissions from two-stroke engines used in the gardening and marine sector are unregulated, and are high polluters relative to their engine size and use. They therefore put pressure on urban air quality
Local and airshed-wide impacts on health and aesthetics
Prescribed burning and bushfires
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Name changed since 2011 to include bushfires
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.
Smoke from planned burns (and, occasionally, bushfires) is a sporadic, major source of air pollution in regional and urban areas
Widespread evidence of generally localised effects on amenity and health
The lack of national emissions and fuel standards for this equipment (e.g. earth-moving, commercial shipping, rail transport) means that the contribution of these sources is uncertain and potentially significant in some locations
Climate change
This assessment summary component has changed from 2011.
- Title changed
The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.
Rising temperatures and reduced rainfall increases the pressure from wind-blown dust and bushfire smoke. Higher temperatures increase chemical reaction rates leading to, for example, higher ozone levels
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Higher temperatures will be associated with increased photochemical smog (ozone pollution events), and with an increase in serious particulate pollution events due to more frequent bushfires and dust storms. Both outcomes can be expected to adversely affect health
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Assessment Summary Key
Grades
Very low impact
Few or no impacts have been observed, and accepted predictions indicate that future impacts on values
such as health and aesthetics are likely to be minor
Low impact
Impacts on values such as health and aesthetics have already been observed, most often localised
High impact
Significant impacts on values such as health and aesthetics have already been observed, mainly affecting
more sensitive members of the community
Very high impact
Currently, a very serious impact on health and aesthetics for the broader population
Recent Trends
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Improving
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Stable
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Deteriorating
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Unclear
Confidence
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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
Nil.