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Historic Content you are reading content from a previous reporting year.

Showing 30 of 115 results

Coarse particulate matter (PM10)

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Report Content
PM consists of microscopically small solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the air. Exposure to PM has been correlated with serious public health effects, ...
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Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Report Content
PM 2.5 is the finer particulate fraction of PM. PM 2.5 particles are smaller, and therefore able to be ...
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State and trends of Australia’s air quality 2016

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
At a glance

At a glance Since 1998, Australia has had national ambient air quality standards (National Environment Protection Measure for Ambient Air Quality—Air NEPM), which set guideline levels for 7 key air pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter (less than 10 ...

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National air quality standards

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Report Content
... lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) and sulfur dioxide ( Table ATM4 ). ...
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Metropolitan cities' scorecard for particles (PM2.5) NEPM 24-hour standard, based on analysis of air quality index values, 2009-2014

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Assessment summary

Ambient air quality State and trends Fine particulate matter (PM2.5)Air toxics Year...

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Pollution types

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content
... ozone, and VOCs such as benzene and formaldehyde) and PM. In air pollution, PM refers to solid and liquid particles suspended in air, and the PM and air mixture is referred to as aerosol. PM with ...
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Metropolitan cities' scorecard for particles (PM10) NEPM 24-hour standard, based on analysis of air quality index values, 1999-2014

2016, 2011
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Assessment summary

This assessment summary component has changed from 2011. This assessment summary was previously assessed for the years 1999-2008 for the 2011 report. The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between...

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Reducing fine particles in the atmosphere is our next major challenge

2016
Atmosphere
Key Finding

2016  Particulate matter has been identified as a significant hazard to human health. Levels of PM10 now rarely exceed the national standard. However, the standard for fine particles (PM2.5)—which, until 2016, was an advisory limit only—is frequently exceeded because of events such as...

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Regional cities' scorecard for particles (PM10) NEPM 24-hour standard, based on analysis of air quality index values, 1999-2014

2016, 2011
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Assessment summary

This assessment summary component has changed from 2011. The period for the 2011 assessment was from 1999-2008 The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles. Regional cities’...

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Figure ATM34 Capital cities’ highest daily average PM2.5 concentrations, 2008-14

2016
Ambient air quality
Graph

Highest daily average particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in Australian capital cities Highest daily average particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in Australian capital cities MelbourneSydneyBrisbanePerthCanberraDarwinHobartAdelaide 200844.232.211....

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Ambient air quality: 2011–16 in context

2016
Ambient air quality
Introduction
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Introduction South East Coast Overall, the pressures on air quality remain very similar to those present in 2011: a growing population, greater urban density and...

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Figure ATM33b Average 95th percentile 24-hour average PM10 concentrations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth

2016
Atmosphere
Graph

b Average 95th percentile 24-hour average particulate matter (PM10) concentrations in Australian capital cities (b) Average 95th percentile 24-hour average particulate matter (PM10) concentrations in Australian capital cities (b) MelbourneSydneyBrisbanePerth...

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Figure ATM33a Average 95th percentile 24-hour average PM10 concentrations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth

2016
Ambient air quality
Graph

a Average 95th percentile 24-hour average particulate matter (PM10) concentrations in Australian capital cities (a) Average 95th percentile 24-hour average particulate matter (PM10) concentrations in Australian capital cities (a) AdelaideHobartDarwinCanberra...

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Domestic wood heaters

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content
... to temperature inversions can suffer exceedances of the PM standards—these locations include Launceston, Tasmania; ... source of air pollution, making up about 40 per cent of PM 2.5 during winter but dropping to almost zero during ...
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Figure ATM41 Historical and projected trends in road transport emissions, 1970–2030

2016
Ambient air quality
Graph

Historical and projected trends in road transport emissions, 1970–2030 Historical and projected trends in road transport emissions, 1970–2030 Nitrogen oxideParticulate matter (PM10) from exhaustTotal particulate matter (PM10)Carbon monoxide Volatile organic...

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Outlook for Australia's air quality

2016
Ambient air quality
Outlook
At a glance

At a glanceThe outlook for Australia’s urban air quality is generally good. However, there is strong evidence that periods of poor urban air quality can have serious adverse long-term and short-term impacts on human health (particularly on the health of susceptible individuals). Although...

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Figure ATM31 Predicted 10-year average PM2.5 levels, 2006 and 2030

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Map

Download as png PM2.5 = particulate matter less than 2.5 microns Figure ATM31 Predicted 10-year average PM2.5 levels, 2006 and 2030

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Health impacts of air pollution

2016
Ambient air quality
Introduction
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Introduction South East Coast Greater Melbourne The major aim of monitoring and reducing air pollution is to reduce its adverse impacts on human...

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Air quality in Australian cities is generally good

2016
Atmosphere
Key Finding

2016  Air quality in Australian urban centres is classified as either ‘good’ or ‘very good’. However, although levels of carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, coarse particulate matter (PM10) and sulfur dioxide have decreased in the past 10 years, ozone and fine particle (PM2.5) levels...

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Introduction 2016

2016
Ambient air quality
Introduction
At a glance

Good air quality is essential for human health and the environment. Air quality is an important contributor to quality of life, and plays a role in the livability of our towns, cities and environment. Ambient air quality is determined by the types and amounts of pollutants emitted into the...

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Prescribed burning and bushfires

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Report Content
... emit smoke plumes, which are visible because of the PM they contain. The smoke is the product of incomplete ... Fires can emit up to 1 per cent of the fuel load as PM to the atmosphere. Smoke particles have a life of hours to ...
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Figure ATM40b Pollutant concentrations measured during the Hazelwood mine fire: (a) hourly carbon monoxide; (b) 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5)

2016
Ambient air quality
Effectiveness of management
Graph

b Daily particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations measured during the Hazelwood mine fire, 2014 Daily particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations measured during the Hazelwood mine fire, 2014 Morwell SouthMorwell eastTraralgonNEPM standard (24-hour average) 9/...

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Climate change

2016
Ambient air quality
Risks
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Risks Climate change poses a threat to urban air quality and health through increases in particulate pollution (associated with more frequent bushfires and dust storms), and increases in the...

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Air toxics

2016
Ambient air quality
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality State and trends North East Coast South Western Plateau Tasmania Greater Brisbane Greater...

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Management framework

2016
Ambient air quality
Effectiveness of management
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Effectiveness of management Greater Sydney Each level of government—Australian, state and territory, and local—plays a role in managing the impacts of air pollution by...

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Box ATM8    Future air quality in Victoria project

2016
Ambient air quality
Pressures
Case Study

Work from CSIRO and the Victorian Environment Protection Authority forecasted what air quality in Victoria might be like in the year 2030 (EPA Vic 2013). The project investigated changes between the base year–2006–and 2030, including predicting how the Victorian emissions might...

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Increased pollution

2016
Built environment
Pressures
Report Content

2016 Built environment Pressures Greater Brisbane Greater Melbourne Greater Perth Greater Sydney Production and...

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Management of sources of pollution

2016
Ambient air quality
Effectiveness of management
Report Content

2016 Ambient air quality Effectiveness of management South East Coast South Australian Gulf East Coast Greater Sydney...

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Overview of state and trends of the atmosphere

2016
Atmosphere
State and trends
Report Content

2016 Atmosphere State and trends Climate What has changed since 2011? Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions per person decreased from 24.1 tonnes in 2011 (DCCEE 2012) to 22.2 tonnes in 2015 (DoE 2016a), although they...

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Air pollution is a significant health hazard

2016
Atmosphere
Key Finding

2016  Urban air quality is a significant cause of death and illness. There is a statistically significant relationship between higher levels of fine particles and respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and increased mortality. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer...

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