How will the WHO’s Global Air Quality Guidelines affect Australia?
At its meeting on 15 April 2021, the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) agreed to vary the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (AAQ NEPM), incorporating a number of changes to standards for pollutants (click here to read our discussion of the AAQ NEPM Review). Standards were revised for ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2)…
Read MoreThe NSW EPA released an Energy from Waste Infrastructure Plan. Here is the breakdown of it
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman In September 2021, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) released the Energy from Waste Infrastructure Plan alongside the Guide to the NSW Energy from Waste framework that complements both the NSW Waste and Sustainability Materials Strategy 2041 (the Waste Strategy) and the NSW Energy from Waste Policy Statement (Revised…
Read More2021 International Day of Clean Air for blue skies
Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman This years’ theme to celebrate the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is ‘Healthy Air, Healthy Planet”. As Katestone’s vision is Clear Skies for our clients and communities now and for future generations around the world, we thought we would delve into the real meaning…
Read MoreQLD’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 MoreExamining climate change at regional, local, and site-specific levels
Climate Change is impacting Australia in many ways: bushfires, heatwaves, floods. But what does it mean for your location, your facility or your project? Christine Killip, Katestone’s Managing Director, will share some of the questions that our company has been asked over the years and explore the physical risk of climate change. Katestone has developed…
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 MoreFood for thought, manure to energy
How pig farms can benefit from on-farm anaerobic digestion to better manage odour Written by Plistina Almeida and Simon Welchman Anaerobic digestion is a great source of renewable energy that is becoming an important part of the “circular economy” around the world. Livestock farms face several everyday challenges. Managing wastes is definitely one of…
Read MoreWhere will COVID-19 take the Australian GHG emissions? An overview of historical NGER data
Written by Simon Welchman, Lisa Smith and Plistina Almeida The coronavirus pandemic raises a tricky question for climate and environmental scientists: Will Australia emit more or less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than we did last year? We previously showed that the impact of COVID-19 on greenhouse gas emissions had been immediate in our review…
Read MoreWhat can the NPI tell us about air pollution? – An overview of the 2018-19 NPI results
Written by Simon Welchman and Plistina Almeida The 2018-19 results from the National Pollutant Inventory were released in April this year. This is the 21st annual dataset published by the program managed by the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) is an internet database that provides the…
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…
Read MoreCO, PM2.5 and NO2: which air pollutant best illustrates the effect of COVID-19 mobility restrictions on air quality
Written by Simon Welchman, Manning Young and Lisa Smith Air pollution occurs when gases, liquids or solid particles exist in the air in sufficient quantities to adversely affect human comfort or health or cause environmental damage. Some common air pollutants in urban areas are carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter…
Read MoreUpdate on the Australian Air Quality after the implementation of the COVID-19 mobility restrictions
Written by Simon Welchman and Manning Young Following the article published on the Clear Skies Newsletter in April 2020, this is an update on the investigation into whether the COVID-19 mobility restrictions have affected Australian Air Quality. The graphs show diurnal profiles of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 at two sites in Brisbane (South Brisbane…
Read MoreThe impacts of the COVID-19’s mobility restriction measures on the Australian Air Quality
Written by Simon Welchman, Manning Young, Michael Burchill and Plistina Almeida The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought significant changes to our personal and professional lives as well as to the natural environment in which we live. During March 2020, a range of restrictions was put in place by the Australian Federal and State governments…
Read MoreThe Victoria Environment Protection Act (EPA) is changing 1 July 2021
Edit: The EPA Victoria issued a note stating that “Following a sitting of Parliament on Thursday 23 April, the legislation has been postponed and is intended to commence on 1 July 2021”. These changes respond to the Independent Inquiry into the EPA. The Victorian Government proposes two phases of legislative reform to overhaul the Environment Protection Act…
Read MoreMental Health Tips For Working From Home
Written by Tania Haigh We all want to continue being part of a team that delivers high-quality products, and to enjoy the process, regardless of where we are located. There will be a number of changes we each need to adjust to if we begin working from home for more than a day or two. …
Read MoreKatestone’s New Decade Resolution
At Katestone, we are ready for the future! Here are some of our resolutions for the next decade. Join us in making positive changes for a better world! Clear Skies! Reduce Waste Waste less of the earth’s resources Waste less energy Waste less food Use our (and other peoples’!) time wisely Reuse, recycle and repurpose!…
Read MoreKatestone celebrates its 30th Anniversary
Last Friday, the 1st of November 2019, we celebrated Katestone’s 30th Anniversary with friends, customers, partners and previous employees at the Regatta Hotel. It was a very pleasant evening where we could celebrate 30 years of contributing to Clear Skies. Katestone’s Managing Director, Christine Killip, spoke of her many memories of working with our great…
Read MoreWRF – What is it? CASANZ Training Recap
In February 2019, Katestone’s Senior Consultant, Michael Burchill, attended a four-day training course on the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF). WRF is a prognostic model, which is why Katestone has been using it for years to forecast the weather. Katestone’s interest in WRF, however, is not only for forecasting the weather, but also to…
Read MoreMining Project refused based on climate change – FACT CHECK?
A recent judgment in the NSW Land and Environment court, regarding the refusal of a coal mine, garnered national and international attention as a landmark ruling in the fight against climate change. But was this really the reason the coal mine was rejected, we were curious and thought you might be too. Let’s take a…
Read MoreOur Journey with Power
How do you power your day? You might look at your long-finished cup of coffee or the half eaten toast on your desk – the items that keep your battery going – but what about the power that lights up your home and office, or charges the battery in your car that takes you to…
Read MoreWhat did you have to say about the NPI Review?
In June 2018, the NPI Review Steering Committee released a discussion paper inviting public comment to inform the review of the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI), with submissions closing August 2018. Recently, the NPI published all the public submissions and we were interested in what people had to say, and thought you might be too. Let…
Read MoreFeedlot Fumes – The Importance of Odour in Feedlot Design
Odour is a critical risk to the development of a new cattle feedlot or the expansion of an existing feedlot. Poorly sited or operated feedlots have caused odour nuisance and, consequently, local government and communities may be concerned about new developments. Conversely, there are many feedlots operating throughout Australia that are well designed and managed,…
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