❓ Question regarding dust pollution levels in Port Hedland's West End, specifically seeking information on allowable limits, relevant regulations, and the impact of State Agreement Acts. The answer clarifies the regulatory approach based on a health risk assessment and confirms that State Agreement Acts do not impact the set conditions.
AnsweredQoN 2206Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the dust issues impacting on the town of Port Hedland, and I ask: (a) what is the current level of dust particulate matter pollution allowable in the West End section of Port Hedland, under existing licences and regulations; (b) under what licences and or regulations are those limits set; (c) are there State Agreement Acts that impact on the setting or enforcement of those limits; and (d) if yes to (c), what are those State Agreement Acts and in what way do they impact?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 August 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
12 days
(a) The current regulatory approach to manage dust concentrations in the West End of Port Hedland is based on the information and recommendations in the health risk assessment (HRA) undertaken by the Department of Health (DoH, 2016). For the West End, the HRA proposed a 24 hour PM 10 interim guideline of 70 μg/m 3 on the basis that it provided a similar level of protection for the current population of Port Hedland as the National Environment Protection Measure and the World Health Organisation guideline level. Compliance with the interim guideline is currently assessed using dust concentrations measured at the Taplin Street monitoring station, with an allowance for ten exceedance days per year to account for regional dust events and non-industry local dust sources.
(b) The following port operations licences specify management and reporting requirements based on the exceedance of the interim guideline at Taplin Street:
(c) No, State Agreement Acts do not impact on the conditions mandated through regulatory instruments issued according to the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(d) Not applicable
(b) The following port operations licences specify management and reporting requirements based on the exceedance of the interim guideline at Taplin Street:
(c) No, State Agreement Acts do not impact on the conditions mandated through regulatory instruments issued according to the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(d) Not applicable
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