❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the potential health risks of ultrafine airborne particles compared to PM10 particles, referencing a research report and inquiring about Perth's Air Quality Plan's handling of ultrafine particles. The response acknowledges the issue, highlights current research limitations and monitoring capabilities, and outlines future reviews.
AnsweredQoN 566Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What evidence exists to suggest that ultrafine airborne particles less than 0.1 micrometres in diameter are at least as serious a risk to human health as much larger particles up to PM10 in size?
(2) Does the Minister agree with the findings of the research report by Wickmann, E. and Peters, A. (2002) published in the
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A
, volume 358, page 2751+ which states that, in the UK, while PM10 levels decreased in the urban environment, levels of ultrafine particles rose?
(3) Does Perth's Air Quality Plan address the issue of ultrafine particles and their impact on human health?
(2) Does the Minister agree with the findings of the research report by Wickmann, E. and Peters, A. (2002) published in the
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A
, volume 358, page 2751+ which states that, in the UK, while PM10 levels decreased in the urban environment, levels of ultrafine particles rose?
(3) Does Perth's Air Quality Plan address the issue of ultrafine particles and their impact on human health?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 December 2002
Responded by
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
9 days
(2) The WA Department of Health advises that the referred paper does not make the statement attributed to it. Notwithstanding, the referred paper presents data from Erfurt, Germany showing a seven year trend for mass concentration of fine particulate matter (0.01 – 2.5 microns: PM2.5) and compares this with the relative number concentration for different size ranges of ultrafine particles. The authors noted that during the seven years of observation the mass concentration of PM2.5 decreased while the number concentration of ultrafine particles between 0.01 and 0.03 microns increased steadily. These findings are of interest, with this area of particulate research likely to have implications for future particulate monitoring and management in Australia as the technology and methodology becomes more widely available. Current Australian ambient air quality guidelines for particles are based on particle mass. This is because most epidemiological evidence linking particles and health outcomes is based on measurements of particle mass. Some Australian researchers have studied other particle properties, including number concentration. (3) The Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) focuses on Perth's known air quality issues, namely photochemical smog (ozone) and particles (haze). There are 126 actions targeting these pollutants in the AQMP, to be implemented over the next 30 years. Major anthropogenic sources of particles (including ultrafine particles) are motor vehicles and wood combustion. Management of these sources is an important component of the AQMP. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
These findings are of interest, with this area of particulate research likely to have implications for future particulate monitoring and management in Australia as the technology and methodology becomes more widely available. Current Australian ambient air quality guidelines for particles are based on particle mass. This is because most epidemiological evidence linking particles and health outcomes is based on measurements of particle mass. Some Australian researchers have studied other particle properties, including number concentration. (3) The Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) focuses on Perth's known air quality issues, namely photochemical smog (ozone) and particles (haze). There are 126 actions targeting these pollutants in the AQMP, to be implemented over the next 30 years. Major anthropogenic sources of particles (including ultrafine particles) are motor vehicles and wood combustion. Management of these sources is an important component of the AQMP. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
(3) The Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) focuses on Perth's known air quality issues, namely photochemical smog (ozone) and particles (haze). There are 126 actions targeting these pollutants in the AQMP, to be implemented over the next 30 years. Major anthropogenic sources of particles (including ultrafine particles) are motor vehicles and wood combustion. Management of these sources is an important component of the AQMP. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
These findings are of interest, with this area of particulate research likely to have implications for future particulate monitoring and management in Australia as the technology and methodology becomes more widely available. Current Australian ambient air quality guidelines for particles are based on particle mass. This is because most epidemiological evidence linking particles and health outcomes is based on measurements of particle mass. Some Australian researchers have studied other particle properties, including number concentration. (3) The Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) focuses on Perth's known air quality issues, namely photochemical smog (ozone) and particles (haze). There are 126 actions targeting these pollutants in the AQMP, to be implemented over the next 30 years. Major anthropogenic sources of particles (including ultrafine particles) are motor vehicles and wood combustion. Management of these sources is an important component of the AQMP. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
(3) The Perth Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) focuses on Perth's known air quality issues, namely photochemical smog (ozone) and particles (haze). There are 126 actions targeting these pollutants in the AQMP, to be implemented over the next 30 years. Major anthropogenic sources of particles (including ultrafine particles) are motor vehicles and wood combustion. Management of these sources is an important component of the AQMP. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) does not have capacity for routine monitoring of ultrafine particles. Current particle standards are based on particle mass. It is important that a watching brief is kept on the current research being undertaken in this area, with an assessment of how new findings may be relevant to air quality management in Australia. Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
Environment Australia is sponsoring a review of available information from Australian and overseas studies on the health effects of ultrafine particles, with particular attention on particle emissions from diesel vehicles and woodheaters. The findings of this study are expected to be available in June 2003.
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