The National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) has released an impact statement and draft variation to the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Ambient Air Quality NEPM) in relation to the standards for airborne particles.

• Australian Government Gazette notice

The Ambient Air Quality NEPM establishes national ambient air quality standards and a national framework for the monitoring and reporting of six common air pollutants, including airborne particles.

The 2011 review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM provided recommendations in relation to the standards for particles, including revising the standards to take into account new evidence around the health effects of air pollution.

On 29 April 2014, Environment Ministers signalled their intent to vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM based on the latest scientific understanding of the health risks arising from airborne particle pollution.

Impact Statement and draft varied measure

An impact statement and draft varied measure are required as part of the statutory process to vary a National Environment Protection Measure and provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review and comment on the supporting evidence to vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM particles standards.

The Impact Statement on the proposed variation to the Ambient Air Quality NEPM evaluates the environmental, social and economic costs and benefits of meeting a range of different standards for airborne particles. It also considers the most appropriate form of those standards and the feasibility of introducing an exposure reduction framework to reduce population exposure to particle pollution.

• Draft variation to the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure - Impact Statement (PDF - 2.35 MB)
• Draft variation to the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure - Impact Statement (DOCX - 8.07 MB)

Draft varied Ambient Air Quality NEPM

A draft varied compilation of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM is provided to allow stakeholders the opportunity to review the proposed changes as they would appear in the measure.

• Draft varied National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (PDF - 170.17 KB)
• Draft varied National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (RTF - 804.41 KB)

Supplementary documents

The Impact Statement draws on the information in the following supporting documents:

• Health Risk Assessment - Preliminary Work to Identify Concentration-Response Functions for Selected Ambient Air Pollutants (PDF - 1.26 MB)
• Health Risk Assessment - Preliminary Work to Identify Concentration-Response Functions for Selected Ambient Air Pollutants (DOCX - 471.76 KB)
  This report identifies health endpoints and relevant concentration-response functions associated with exposure to ambient air pollutants. A summary of the findings of the report is included in Appendix B of the health risk assessment. The full report was made available after the public consultation period.
   
• Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterisation to Inform Recommendations for Updating Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particles, Ozone, Nitrogen dioxide and Sulfur dioxide (PDF - 18.78 MB)
  This report provides a health risk assessment of the health impacts of ambient particles, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide in Australia.
   
• Summary for Policy Makers of the Health Risk Assessment on Air Pollution in Australia (PDF - 805.69 KB)
  This report summarises the findings of the health risk assessment on air pollution in Australia and undertakes some additional analysis to aid interpretation of the findings.
   
• Economic Analysis to Inform the National Plan for Clean Air (Particles) (PDF - 3.37 MB)
• Economic Analysis to Inform the National Plan for Clean Air (Particles) – Appendices (PDF - 12.36 MB)
  This report evaluates the costs and benefits of potential new particle standards and an exposure reduction target, taking into account projected growth in economic activity, population and emissions for all jurisdictions, as well as costs of reducing air pollution.
   
• Evaluating Options for an Exposure Reduction Framework in Australia (PDF - 2.51 MB)
  This report reviews a range of frameworks used internationally and considers their applicability in Australian conditions.
   
• Methodology for Valuing the Health Impacts of Changes in Particle Emissions (PDF - 2.37 MB)
  This report provides a methodology to quantify the costs to society associated with changes to particle emissions.

Further information

• Question and answer fact sheet (PDF - 68.51 KB)
• Question and answer fact sheet (DOCX - 24.91 KB)

Public consultation

The public consultation period for the Impact Statement and draft varied measure is now closed.

• Summary of Public Submissions (PDF - 3.99 MB)

Submissions were considered as part of the development of a final proposal to vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM. All submissions received are considered public documents unless clearly marked ‘confidential’. NEPC may, in its absolute discretion, decide not to publish or to publish an edited version of a submission where:

• the submission contains personal information about an individual or individuals and NEPC is concerned that the individual(s) are not aware of the use of their personal information and may object to the publication of it; or
• the content may be considered defamatory, offensive or is otherwise of no benefit to the consultation process.

Non-confidential submissions received in response to the consultation on the proposed variation to the Ambient Air Quality NEPM are available below.