Air Quality
QLD’s EIS Generic Terms of Reference (ToR) amended to give more importance to Climate and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman The American Meteorological Association defines Climate Change as any systematic change in the long-term statistics of climate elements sustained over several decades or longer. The most obvious evidence of Climate Change in the world is undoubtedly the global warming, which is led by an increase in the…
Read MoreDoes the Ambient Air Quality NEPM Update apply to your application?
On 15 April 2021, the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) approved the variation to the Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measure (AAQ NEPM or Air NEPM) standards for ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). The variation tightens standards that have been in place for 23 years. In 1998, the Air…
Read MoreWhen is odour sampling necessary or useful?
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman People don’t realise that odour is a very common environmental concern that is the subject of much research and environmental regulation. Whilst odours are not normally harmful to health, they can have a significant negative impact on a community. Odour is inherent to some industries such…
Read MoreAre the zero emissions from electric vehicles really zero?
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman In Australia, more than 55% of NOx and 12.9% of PM2.5 emissions to air that are caused by human activities are due to motor vehicle traffic. Higher concentrations of these pollutants tend to occur in the morning and evening because peak traffic volumes can coincide with times…
Read MoreAir Quality and Meteorological Monitoring Gaining Ground for Approvals
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman Approvals and environmental licenses now routinely include conditions requiring periodic or ongoing air quality and meteorological monitoring. Air quality is commonly a key factor when it comes to the go-ahead of large developments in Australia. Typically, air quality impact assessment studies are used to assess proposed…
Read MoreHow can strategic planning be used to avoid air quality impacts?
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman A common misconception that can lead to intractable land-use conflicts is that air quality impacts do not occur beyond the boundary of a site. Whilst this may seem like a naive assertion to those with experience in air quality issues, it is common and may stem from…
Read MorePros and cons for air quality of waste-to-energy
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman Waste-to-Energy (WtE/W2E) or Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities have faced historical resistance. The potential of WtE as an alternative energy source is gaining momentum including the recent introduction of the Energy from Waste Policy in NSW. W2E relies on a range of proven and emerging technologies that have…
Read MoreI dream of #smellgoodcomposting
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman Composting at home has received a lot of attention in the media recently. There are many reasons why composting is great: it’s a natural process, a sustainable way to treat organic waste and we can do it at home at very low cost with significant benefits to…
Read MoreA Second Wave? An update on the Australian Air Quality after COVID-19 mobility restriction measures
Written by Simon Welchman, Manning Young and Plistina Almeida The COVID-19 pandemic is a global tragedy happening before our eyes. Its effects on human health and the economy are likely to be with us for years to come. We have seen through our analysis of air quality during the COVID-19 pandemic that the generally…
Read MoreDitching the dump: throwing waste management myths in the bin
Written by Simon Welchman and Plistina Almeida In line with our decade’s resolutions released in January this year, we believe it’s about time to have a closer look at our “Don’t Waste” objectives. Our goal as environmental scientists and engineers has always been to move towards the top of the Waste Hierarchy (Figure 1): avoidance and…
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