Nepc annual Report 2014-15

Legislative, regulatory and administrative framework

The implementation of the National Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure (NEPM) in New South Wales is coordinated by the Environment Protection Authority. Under Part 3, Clause 8 of the NEPM, the identification of Stage 1 and Stage 2 sites for monitoring of air toxics was required within 12 months of NEPM commencement in 2004. New South Wales completed the desktop analysis and reported the results in the implementation report for the reporting year ended 30 June 2005.

Under Part 3, Clause 9 of the NEPM, monitoring of air toxics is required at Stage 2 sites (i.e. sites prioritised for monitoring based on the potential for significant population exposure). NSW conducted ambient monitoring for the five NEPM air toxics at two Stage 2 sites in the Sydney metropolitan area using a 1-day-in-6 cycle for a full year from October 2008 to October 2009, and reported the results in the implementation report for the reporting year ended 30 June 2010.

The Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and the Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010 provide the regulatory framework for action to address air emissions including managing air toxics in New South Wales.

PART 2—ASSESSMENT OF NEPM EFFECTIVENESS

New South Wales has achieved the NEPM goal to estimate human exposure to the five NEPM air toxics using a consistent national framework, by conducting ambient monitoring at two Stage 2 monitoring sites in the Sydney metropolitan area. The monitoring demonstrated that the five NEPM air toxics are within monitoring investigation levels at all monitoring sites.

Reporting of monitoring of air toxics

New South Wales data collection commenced in October 2008 and concluded in October 2009.

The Turella site collected data on: formaldehyde and acetaldehyde; 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including benzo(α)pyrene; and 41 volatile organic compounds including benzene, toluene and xylenes.

The Rozelle site collected data on: formaldehyde and acetaldehyde; and 41 volatile organic compounds including benzene, toluene and xylenes.

NEPM-compliant sampling and analysis methods were used.

Tables 1 to 5 of the NSW implementation report for the reporting year ended 30 June 2010 (www.scew.gov.au/system/files/resources/ee20bb51-e1cd-82b4-559c-699771b152e7/files/nepc-annual-report-09-10.pdf) summarise the monitoring results for the five air toxics—benzene, benzo(α)pyrene as a marker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, formaldehyde, toluene and xylenes.

The results clearly showed levels of air toxics were below the monitoring investigation levels. There were no occasions on which any of the air toxics monitored exceeded the monitoring investigation levels at any location. The most significant results were for benzo(a)pyrene, with levels of approximately 65 per cent of the NEPM monitoring investigation level.

Victoria

Report to the NEPC on the implementation of the National Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure for Victoria by the Hon. Ryan Smith, Minister for Environment and Climate Change (until 29 November 2015) and the Hon. Lisa Neville MP, Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, for the reporting year ended 30 June 2015

PART 1—IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEPM AND ANY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

In Victoria the NEPM is implemented by the State Environment Protection Policy (Air Quality Management) under the Environment Protection Act 1970.

PART 2—ASSESSMENT OF NEPM EFFECTIVENESS

Since 2003, air toxic monitoring in Victoria has not measured levels exceeding the monitoring investigation levels (air quality objectives) in the NEPM.

Past air monitoring results generally aligned with the levels estimated in the Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) review of identification and prioritisation of potential Stage 1 and Stage 2 sites. The air modelling and air pollution inventory is not designed to capture some specific areas and diffuse sources (such as emissions from small to medium enterprises) to estimate the resulting local impact adequately.

Identification of Sites

There were no new Air Toxics NEPM specific monitoring sites identified in Victoria in 2014.

Due to the Hazelwood mine fire, air toxics monitoring was conducted during 2014 and completed at Morwell South as part of the Hazelwood Recovery project. The full details of this monitoring are covered in EPA Hazelwood Recovery Program air quality assessment—Morwell and surrounds, February 2014–May 2015 www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/publications/publication/2015/june/1601 on EPA Victoria’s website.

Reporting of Monitoring of Air Toxics

Monitoring for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was conducted at Morwell South monitoring station. The results showed that levels of benzo(a)pyrene were 0.4 ng/m³, this is above the investigation level of 0.3 ng/m³. This result was heavily influenced by levels during the emergency response phase which was 2.3 ng/m³. Ambient levels during the emergency recovery phase were well below the investigation level, so further investigation was not necessary.

Monitoring also showed the levels for benzene, toluene and xylene measured were below monitoring investigation levels

Reporting on Assessment and Action if any planned or taken to manage air toxics

The results of monitoring at all sites show that the monitoring investigation levels were exceeded at Morwell South for PAH. However this was heavily influenced by levels during the Hazelwood mine fire. Levels monitored during the 12 months after the fire have been well below the investigation level.

Other substances were below investigation levels. Therefore no further action to manage air toxics beyond existing programs was undertaken.

Queensland

Report to the NEPC on the implementation of the National Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure for Queensland by Hon. Stephen Miles MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef for the reporting year ended 30 June 2015

PART 1—IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEPM AND ANY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

In Queensland, the Air Toxics NEPM is implemented under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act), the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008, and the Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008, with the NEPM monitoring investigation levels incorporated as air quality objectives.

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) is responsible for the NEPM and the Department of Science Information Technology and Innovation (DSITI) manages, collates and interprets the air monitoring for EHP.

Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (including benzo[a]pyrene) continued at the Stage 2 Woolloongabba roadside monitoring site in 2014–15.

During the 2014–15 reporting period DSITI continued to monitor selected air toxics using open path DOAS instrumentation at Springwood in South East Queensland and in central Gladstone. While the DOAS monitoring methodology is not in accordance with the protocols set out in the NEPM, and the monitoring sites are not identified as Stage 2 sites, the data collected improves the government’s knowledge of ambient concentrations of the majority of the toxic pollutants in Schedule 1 of the NEPM.

PART 2—ASSESSMENT OF NEPM EFFECTIVENESS

The Air Toxics NEPM has been effective in providing an impetus to investigate available data, such as the National Pollutant Inventory and the Air Emissions Inventory for the South East Queensland region and to identify the locations most likely to experience significant population exposure to elevated ambient concentrations of air toxics.