31 July, 2014
Government must regulate air pollution to prevent deaths, say health and environment groups
Prominent health and environment groups from around Australia are demanding immediate action to improve air pollution monitoring and regulations.
“3000 Australians will die this year from exposure to air pollution while our governments dither,” said Nicola Rivers, Director of Advocacy and Research, Environmental Justice Australia.
“There is no safe level of exposure for many pollutants yet Australian communities lack adequate air pollution monitoring.
“Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt recently postponed a national action plan for clean air for two years, despite the commitment made by the minister and his state counterparts to treat air pollution as an urgent priority,”said Nicola Rivers.
“Groups including Doctors for the Environment Australia, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Friends of the Earth Australia, Greenpeace Australia and Environment Victoria have come together to demand immediate action," said Doctors for the Environment Australia spokesperson, Dr Ben Ewald.
“We’re looking at a huge health problem. In Australia, it’s estimated that air pollution contributes to about 3000 deaths annually- more than twice the road toll. It also worsens asthma and chronic lung disease, and can increase the risks of heart attack, stroke and lung cancer.
"Vulnerable people such as children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic diseases are especially at risk. It is now urgent that the national government take action to limit fine particle air pollution and improve the air we breathe."
Dr James Whelan from the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said: “Australia is far behind world’s best practice in air quality regulation. It is critical that a compliance standard for fine particulate pollution should be adopted immediately.
“The Commonwealth Government should also legislate a National Air Pollution Prevention Act that is binding on all states and territories. Australians deserve to have their health protected. Instead we have a government that puts the interests of polluters ahead of its people. Action is needed today – not in two years time.
“Australians deserve to have their health protected. Instead we have a government that puts the interests of polluters ahead of its people. Action is needed today – not in two years time.”
The attached statement is endorsed by: Friends of the Earth Australia, Clean Air Queensland, National Toxics Network, GetUp!, Mackay Conservation Group, Environment Victoria, Greenpeace Australia, Surf Coast Action Inc, Places You Love Alliance, Environmental Justice Australia, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and Doctors for the Environment Australia.
Community members from air pollution hot spots will meet with health and environment bodies from around Australia this weekend for a summit hosted by Environmental Justice Australia, the Nature Conservation Council NSW and Doctors for the Environment aimed at tackling Australia’s air pollution crisis.
Case studies available. For more information contact Holly Crocket 0413 343 329
NATIONAL AIR POLLUTION SUMMIT
MELBOURNE, 1-3 AUGUST 2014
STATEMENT BY PARTICIPANTS
Statement by air pollution experts, civil society organisations and air pollution-affected communities on the need for new air pollution laws.
The problem
Air pollution contributes to the premature death of over 3000 Australians each year.[1]The serious health consequences from exposure to different sources of air pollution are now well established. There is consensus that there is no ‘safe’ level of exposure for many pollutants, and that there are harmful effects from exposure at levels well below the current air quality standards.[2]
In many Australian communities, measured air pollution levels frequently exceed the current national standards without meaningful consequences for polluters. Whilst we know that the current standards are frequently exceeded, the lack of adequate monitoring in many locations means that we often don’t know by how much or how often many communities are exposed to the very serious health risks from air pollution. Without changes in the monitoring and enforcement of standards for current polluters and improved assessment and licensing of proposed new developments many communities will continue to be put at risk.
The Australian Medical Association has said that, “Current air quality standards in Australia lag behind international standards and have failed to keep pace with scientific evidence.”[3] Last year a Senate Committee inquiry concluded air quality is a significant problem in many parts of Australia and recommended several new policies and programs.[4]
Political delay and inaction
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has recognised that current air quality laws are deficient and in 2011 committed to developing and adopting a National Plan for Clean Air by the end of 2014. Despite COAG working on this reform since 2011, the Commonwealth Environment Minister recently announced that development of the Plan would be delayed for another two years, until July 2016.[5]This is a cause of significant concern to the medical profession and to the community. Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments are not treating air pollution with the seriousness and urgency it deserves.
This delay reflects a broader pattern of inaction on air pollution by State and Commonwealth Governments, including a failure to implement the recommendations of the 2011 Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) review,[6] and the 2013 Senate Inquiry into Impacts on Health of Air Quality in Australia.[7]
What is needed?
The current regulatory system for air pollution is failing to protect Australian communities from the harmful effects of air pollution. Sixteen years after Australia adopted our first national air quality standards, the continuing lack of a compliance standard for PM2.5 places Australia far behind world’s best practice in air quality regulation. The current arrangements for coordinated action by the States and Territories have many fundamental problems and have failed to ensure a strong and consistent national approach. Implementing the recommendations of the NEPM review and the 2013 Senate Committee would go some way towards improving regulation of air quality in Australia. However a more significant reappraisal of Australia's approach to air pollution regulation is needed.
- The State, Territory and Federal Governments should implement the NEPM review recommendations immediately.
- A compliance standard for PM2.5 (fine particles) should be adopted immediately.
- The Commonwealth Government should legislate a National Air Pollution Prevention Act that is binding on all States and Territories, and establish a National Air Pollution Regulator to ensure that air pollution is effectively regulated. The National Regulator should have a responsibility to implement standards that prioritise the protection of human health and reduce the exposure of Australian communities to harmful air pollutants.
ENDORSED BY THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
Environmental Justice Australia
Doctors for the Environment Australia
Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales
Greenpeace Australia
GetUp!
Friends of the Earth Australia
Clean Air Queensland
National Toxics Network
Mackay Conservation Group
Environment Victoria
Voices of the Valley, Morwell
Surf Coast Action Inc
Places You Love Alliance
Dr Dorothy L Robinson, Australian Air Quality Group
Dr Uta Wille - Assistant Dean, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne
[1] Begg, Vos, Barker, Stevenson, Stanley & Lopez, The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra (2007), p234, <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442467990>.
[2] Doctors for the Environment Australia, Submission to Senate Community Affairs References Committee, Parliament of Australia, Impacts on Health of Air Quality in Australia, 2013, pp5,8; World Health Organization, Health Aspects of Air Pollution with Particulate Matter, Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide, Report on WHO Working Group (2003) pp5-6.
[3] Australian Medical Association, submission to Senate Community Affairs References Committee, Parliament of Australia, Impacts on health of air quality in Australia, 2013, p2.
[4] Senate Community Affairs References Committee, Parliament of Australia, Impacts on Health of Air Quality in Australia, 2013, p3.
[5] The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Inaugural Alan Hunt Oration,Speech to the Urban Development Institute of Australia 7 March 2014 <http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/hunt/2014/sp20140307.html>.
[6] National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) 2011, National Environment Protection (Ambient Air) Measure Review Report <http://www.scew.gov.au/resource/national-environment-protection-ambient-air-quality-measure-review-review-report>.
[7] Senate Community Affairs References Committee, Parliament of Australia, Impacts on Health of Air Quality in Australia, 2013.
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