Air monitoring report 2003

Overview

• Air quality across Victoria in 2003 was adversely affected by drought related dust storms and the north-east Victorian bushfires, leading to high particles levels.

• Aside from these drought related impacts, Victoria's air was generally clean. In an international context Melbourne's air quality (compared to similar urban centres) remains relatively good, consistent with results from recent years.

• Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and lead levels met the environmental air quality objectives designed to protect human health.

• The 2008 goal for particles (as PM₁₀, particles smaller than 10 micrometre) was not met. Most exceedences were caused by drought or bushfire related impacts. The 2008 goal would have been met without these exceedences; PM₁₀, however, remains an issue requiring ongoing management in Victoria.

• The 2008 goal for visibility was not met. While many exceedences were a result of the drought related impacts, smoke from local sources such as domestic wood heaters remains the greatest contributor to visibility reduction during autumn and winter.

• The 2008 goal for ozone was not met, with again the north-east Victorian bushfires contributing to a greater number of ozone exceedences than has typically occurred in recent years.

• Due to the drought related impacts, the Melbourne-Geelong airshed experienced an abnormally high number (20) of pollution events.

• In 2003 EPA undertook a range of activities targeted at transport, domestic and industry sources to further promote improvements in Victoria's air quality.

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Publications

• For full details of Victoria's air quality in 2003, download EPA Publication 951 - Victoria's Air Quality - 2003 (Adobe PDF file, 348KB)

• For the 2003 air quality data tables, download Victoria's Air Quality 2003 - Air Monitoring Data Tables (Adobe PDF file, 131KB)

• For an assessment against the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) NEPM, download EPA Publication 950 - Air Monitoring Report 2003 - Compliance with the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Adobe PDF file, 981 KB)

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