"Exceptional" Weather Events Contributing to Decreased Air Quality

BY TIA THOMAS

The state government's Annual Air Quality statement shows air pollution across the Hunter continues to exceed national benchmarks for coarse and fine particle pollution.

According to the report, there were 51 days of exceptional weather events in 2018 which contributed to poor air quality, including dust storms, drought and bushfires.

That's compared to just 18 days during the previous year.

Environmental Justice Australia researcher Dr James Whelan, from the Hunter Community Environment Centre, said the government must make rapid changes to state-wide strategies to control increasing pollution.

"For 3 years now, the NSW government has been talking about the need for some kind of strategy to respond to air pollution," said Dr Whelan

"And they just don't seem to have moved in that direction," he said.

The Hunter has seen a number of major bushfires in recent years. Image courtesy RFS. 

Environment Minister's Disappointing Response to Air Quality Concerns

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Hunter residents are disappointed with NSW Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton after being told she doesn't have time to visit the region regarding ongoing air quality concerns.

Residents were joined by more than 30 local doctors in petitioning Ms Upton to stay overnight near the region's coal fields, hoping she could gain better insight into the air quality crisis impacting Hunter communities.

The organisation behind the petition, Doctors For The Environment, has since received a brief email from the Environment Minister's office telling them Gabrielle Upton had a 'heavily committed schedule' and would not be able to visit the region.

Spokesperson John Van der Kallen has labelled the response 'bemusing' and says it's disappointing for the community.

"We didn't actually have a time frame on our request for her to come," said Dr Van der Kallen.

"So it's bemusing that she's going to be 'too busy' indefinitely, it seems, to come and see the situation herself."

A number of inititatives have been started in recent years to improve air quality in the Hunter Valley, including the government's Clean Air for NSW plan, but Dr Van der Kallen says these processes have stalled since submissions were closed.

"The Environmental Protection Agency has been trying, and recently they've been doing more monitoring, but they're not really being given the tools so that they can actually act on these things appropriately," said Dr Van der Kallen.

He says Gabrielle Upton's response is disrespectful to the community, which has suffered air quality issues for a number of years now.

"It'd be good if those in Sydney could understand the situation a bit more so that we could get some changes happening."

Air Quality Concerns are a Major Issue in the Hunter. Image: The Herald

A Good Sign for Air Quality in the Hunter

BY: ARIANA GATTI

The latest reports from the NSW Environment Protection Authority and the Office of Environment and Heritage has released the air quality in Newcastle and the Upper Hunter was generally good over the last summer period.

The reports from the 1st of December 2016 to the 28th of February this year shown levels of nitrogen dioxide, ammonia and other fine particulate matter were below national benchmarks.

Only one slip in air quality was recorded in Muswellbrook in the Upper Hunter during December last year when a sulfur dioxide spike was recognised.

The high particle levels usually recorded throughout the summer period are often attributed to the influence of dry, hot and windy conditions, along with bush fire movements and dust generation.

EPA Hunter Director, Karen Marler believe meteorology has a lot to do with the quality in air.

"We did see some increases in fine particulate emissions on the really hot and dry summer days and often those are due to increased bush fires in the region,"she said.

However, Marler is positive air quality will remain in good condition even as the winter months present its own issues with wood heaters.

"We're also doing a lot of work around wood heater emissions and improving standards with these emissions as well," she says.

[Image sourced: http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/]