Carbon monoxide (CO) is a clear, odourless gas. It's often found in smoke and exhaust fumes. Carbon monoxide is a common air pollutant that can impact human health and the environment.
Carbon monoxide forms from burning materials containing carbon – for example, wood, liquid fuel or gas. Higher levels of carbon monoxide happen when the material is not burnt completely. Sources can include:
- burning fossil fuels like natural gas, petrol, coal and oil
- smoke from wood and peat fires
- car and truck exhausts
- building and industrial fires.
Carbon monoxide and the law
The general environmental duty applies to activities that create emissions containing carbon monoxide.
The Environment Reference Standard (ERS) sets the standard for carbon monoxide in the air.
Businesses must control carbon monoxide from their activities to:
- prevent harm
- comply with their legal duties
- meet community expectations.
The Environment Protection Regulations 2021(opens in a new window) set out obligations to manage carbon monoxide. This includes the requirement for some businesses to report their emissions to the National Pollutant Inventory.
In some cases, you must get our permission to conduct activities that release carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Our permissions focus on activities that may have a significant impact on human health and the environment. Permissions have legal conditions that must be followed.
Activities involving carbon monoxide emissions may need the permission L01 – General discharges or emissions to the atmosphere.
Our role in carbon monoxide
We monitor air quality around Victoria. We have air monitoring equipment that measures air pollutants such as carbon monoxide. The data we collect supports our daily air quality forecasts.
We compare this data with carbon monoxide standards in the ERS. The ERS provides a benchmark to understand air quality and how to protect it – for example, when we assess permission applications for air emissions.
Learn more about how we monitor the quality of the environment.
Impact of carbon monoxide on your health
In enclosed indoor spaces, high levels of carbon monoxide can cause carbon monoxide poisoning – for example, if poorly burnt gas from a faulty gas heater enters your living room. For more information about indoor air and carbon monoxide, visit the Department of Health website(opens in a new window).
In Victoria, carbon monoxide levels are normally low in the outside air. However, long-term exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can be a concern for people with some types of heart disease.
If you're concerned about your health because of carbon monoxide, find out who to contact.
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