❓ Dr. Pettitt questions the delay in updating the Perth Air Quality Management Plan and seeks information on policies to reduce air quality exceedances in Collie, Bunbury, and Busselton. The Minister's response indicates the plan is under review and air quality is generally good, with exceedances attributed to specific events.
AnsweredQoN 783Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to question on notice 719 asked on 10 May 2022, and I ask: (a) considering
that the Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) is now more than 21 years old
and has not been updated since the 2007 review, when is the updated AQMP
referred to by the Minister in his response, likely to be completed; and (b) what
guidelines or policies are in place to reduce the number of exceedances of the
National Environmental Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure standards in the Collie, Bunbury and Busselton airshed?
that the Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) is now more than 21 years old
and has not been updated since the 2007 review, when is the updated AQMP
referred to by the Minister in his response, likely to be completed; and (b) what
guidelines or policies are in place to reduce the number of exceedances of the
National Environmental Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure standards in the Collie, Bunbury and Busselton airshed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 September 2022
Responded by
Minister for Emergency Services representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
10 days
(a) The Perth Air Quality Management Plan provides a responsive management framework for addressing contemporary air quality issues. Revision of the Plan is being considered by the Air Quality Coordinating Committee.
(b) Air quality in Bunbury, Busselton and Collie is generally good. During 2020, airborne particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter (PM 10 ) and particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM 2.5 ) met 24-hour National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure standards in these towns at least 97 per cent of the time. On the few days when the standards were exceeded, this was due to smoke from prescribed fire hazard reduction burns, wood-fired domestic heaters, bushfires or local burns.
The Environmental Protection (Solid Fuel Heater and Firewood) Regulations 2018 set standards for all wood heaters offered for sale in Western Australia.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation will continue air quality monitoring in Bunbury, Busselton and Collie in accordance with the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure and use the results to determine if additional strategies to manage human activities that may affect air quality are required.
(b) Air quality in Bunbury, Busselton and Collie is generally good. During 2020, airborne particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter (PM 10 ) and particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM 2.5 ) met 24-hour National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure standards in these towns at least 97 per cent of the time. On the few days when the standards were exceeded, this was due to smoke from prescribed fire hazard reduction burns, wood-fired domestic heaters, bushfires or local burns.
The Environmental Protection (Solid Fuel Heater and Firewood) Regulations 2018 set standards for all wood heaters offered for sale in Western Australia.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation will continue air quality monitoring in Bunbury, Busselton and Collie in accordance with the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure and use the results to determine if additional strategies to manage human activities that may affect air quality are required.
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