Air
Bushfires and air quality
Smoke from bushfires can lead to significant deterioration in air quality with elevated levels of fine particles and reduced visibility being the main concern.
With extended drought conditions, this year is predicted to be a bad year for fires. Widespread impacts from bushfire smoke maybe expected to occur throughout the summer, depending on weather conditions.
Fine particles, known as PM10 (particular matter smaller than 10 um in diameter), can impact on people’s health especially those that have existing respiratory or heart disease. Children and the elderly may also be more vulnerable to the effects of particles.
Melbourne's air quality
Melbourne's air quality has improved since the 1980s. In an international context (compared to similar urban centres) Melbourne's air quality is relatively good. Particle pollution is currently the major air quality issue needing attention. With air quality consistently ranked by the community as an important environmental issue, now is the time to act to protect our community's health and wellbeing.
Brooklyn Industrial Estate
The Brooklyn industrial area is bordered by Kororoit Creek, the West Gate Freeway, Sunshine Road and Stony Creek. The area has a mix of industry and residential areas and emissions produced by industry affect the lifestyle and livability of the local residents.
EPA together with industry, residents and local government are working to reduce the impacts of industry emissions on local people.
Protecting Victoria's air environment
This page provides information about the air State environment protection policies, Draft Protocol for Environmental Management (PEM) – Mining and Extractive Industries and Energy and Greenhouse Management Toolkit.
About air pollution and pollutants
Air pollutants mainly come from the discharges of gases and particles mainly from industry, motor vehicles and domestic wood burning. There are also natural sources such as wind-blown dust and smoke from bush fires.
Air quality and health
This section has information about a study that investigated the association between air pollution and daily emergency admissions to Melbourne hospitals for respiratory and cardiovascular disease and asthma between 1994 and 1997. It also has a report about an epidemiological study conducted by EPA and its partners into the effects of air pollution on daily mortality in Melbourne.
Air quality bulletins
EPA measures a range of pollutants at each of its monitoring stations and provides air quality bulletins that aim to display air quality data in a meaningful form. This section describes the bulletins and how the information displayed is calculated.
Air monitoring
There are some airborne compounds which can have adverse effects on human health even when they are present in very small amounts and EPA has the facilities to test for the presence and concentration of these compounds. The good news is that we can all do something as individuals to reduce emissions every day.
Australian air quality forecasting system
The Australian Air Quality Forecasting system (AAQFS) is a state of the art modelling system which forecasts the following day's air quality. Meteorological and emissions information is entered into the model which aims to accurately forecast air pollution. The result is a hour-by-hour forecast of air quality.
AUSPLUME - air modelling software for industry
AUSPLUME is the EPA approved air dispersion model for modelling emissions of wastes to air. AUSPLUME must be used in accordance with the requirements set out in the State Environment Protection Policy (Air Quality Management) Schedule C.
Air quality for Kids
Air Quality For Kids is designed for students and is a window into EPA Victoria's database of air quality measurements. Access to the air quality data is on a geographic and historical basis with separate reports provided for each air monitoring Station and over the length of time that particular air monitoring Station has been monitoring air quality.
Wood heaters, open fireplaces and air quality
The smoke from wood heaters and open fireplaces can pollute the air we breathe and reduce our local air quality. This section shows how reducing smoke pollution from your wood heater can be easy.
The Port Phillip Region Air Emissions Inventory
This report summarises emissions over a year (1995/96) from 32 pollutants from industry, motor vehicles, other mobile, domestic, commercial, rural and biogenic sources.
Motor vehicle emissions
Motor vehicles are the major source of urban air pollution. This section provides information on the impact of motor vehicle emissions on the air quality, EPA's activities to improve the motor vehicle emissions and what you can do to help. It also has a link to the Car EcoMeter, to help you reduce the impact of your car on the environment and save on fuel costs at the same time.
Ozone protection
Victoria's ozone protection framework has been in place since the late 1980s and has helped ensure that Victoria plays its part in meeting Australia's international obligations.
Air quality summary
Sunday November 22 2009: No summary is available today.
Forecast: Good to Very Good air quality is expected in Melbourne on Monday