Question On Notice No. 720 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 May 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt
Question Directed to the: Minister for Emergency Services representing the Minister for Environment
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I
refer to the National Environmental Protection (Air Toxics) Measure (NEPM), which
came into force on 20 December 2004:
(a) has
the State Government implemented this measure in full:
(i) if
yes to (a), when; and
(ii) if no to (a), why not;
(b) how
regularly does the Government measure the levels of the six air toxic
substances specified in Schedule 1 of this NEPM;
(c) at
what locations are these air toxics measured;
(d) does
the Government own the necessary equipment needed to measure these air toxics
as specified in Schedule 3 of the NEPM;
(e) does
the Government comply with the reporting requirements specified in Schedule 4
of this NEPM:
(i) if
yes to (e), where may the public obtain copies of these reports; and
(ii) if
no to (e), why not; and
(f) is
the Minister aware of any exceedances of the monitoring investigation levels
for any of the air toxics listed in Schedule 1 of this NEPM:
(i) iIf yes to (f), which air toxics are involved and which locations?
Answered on 14 June 2022
(a) – (b) The State Government identified Stage 1 and Stage 2 monitoring sites in accordance with Schedule 2 of the National Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure (Air Toxics NEPM) in 2005. Monitoring at three locations (Perth central business district, Duncraig and Hope Valley) was conducted for six months (benzene, toluene and xylene) or 12 months (benzo[a]pyrene and formaldehyde) in 2005 and 2006 and all measured concentrations were significantly below the monitoring investigation levels specified in the Air Toxics NEPM.
Since this time, the State Government has used targeted air quality investigations to confirm consistency with the environmental outcome of the Air Toxics NEPM.
(c) Albany, Collie, Kalgoorlie, Kwinana, Midland, Perth, Port Hedland and the Northbridge Tunnel.
(d) The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation acquires and utilises equipment as needed for conducting specific air toxics monitoring studies, noting some equipment has a limited operational lifespan.
(e) The State Government reports to the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) on implementation of the Air Toxics NEPM in Western Australia each year. The annual reports for 2019-20 and 2020-21 were transmitted to NEPC together on 30 September 2021.
(i) Western Australia’s implementation reports to NEPC are incorporated in the annual reports published by NEPC, which are publicly available. The NEPC annual reports are also tabled in Parliament; the most recent published NEPC annual report (2018-19) was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 12 May 2021 [Tabled paper No. 217].
(ii) Not applicable
(f) No exceedances of Air Toxics NEPM monitoring investigation levels have been measured in ambient air in Western Australia.
(i) Not applicable.