Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019


Queensland Crest

1Short title

This policy may be cited as the Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019.

2Commencement

This policy commences on 1 September 2019.

3Definitions

The dictionary in schedule 2 defines particular words used in this policy.

4Application

This policy applies to the air environment.

5Purpose

(1)The purpose of this policy is to achieve the object of the Act in relation to the air environment.

Note—

See section 3 of the Act.
(2)The purpose is achieved by—
(a)identifying environmental values to be enhanced or protected; and
(b)stating indicators and air quality objectives for enhancing or protecting the environmental values; and
(c)providing a framework for making consistent, equitable and informed decisions about the air environment.

6Environmental values

The environmental values to be enhanced or protected under this policy are—
(a)the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to protecting the health and biodiversity of ecosystems; and
(b)the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to human health and wellbeing; and
(c)the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to protecting the aesthetics of the environment, including the appearance of buildings, structures and other property; and
(d)the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to protecting agricultural use of the environment.

7Air quality objectives for indicators

(1)This section and schedule 1 state the air quality objectives to be achieved and maintained under this policy.
(2)An air quality objective stated in schedule 1, column 3 for an indicator stated in column 1 and for a period stated in column 4 is stated for enhancing or protecting the environmental value stated in column 2 of the schedule for the objective.
(3)An air quality objective stated in schedule 1, column 3 must be worked out as an average over the period stated in column 4 for the objective.
(4)Despite subsection (2), an environmental value may be enhanced or protected in an area or place if the amount of an indicator in the air environment in the area or place is more than the amount of the air quality objective stated in schedule 1, column 3 for the indicator for not more than the number of days stated in column 5 of the schedule for the indicator.
(5)It is intended that the air quality objectives be progressively achieved as part of achieving the purpose of this policy over the long term.
(6)This section does not apply to an air emission that may be experienced within a residence or workplace if the air emission is released within the residence or workplace.
(7)In this section—
workplace see the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, section 8.

8Management hierarchy for air emissions

(1)This section states the management hierarchy for an activity involving air emissions that affect, or may affect, an environmental value to be enhanced or protected under this policy.

Note—

See section 35 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019.
(2)To the extent that it is reasonable to do so, air emissions must be dealt with in the following order of preference—
(a)firstly—avoid air emissions;

Example for paragraph (a)—

using technology that avoids air emissions
(b)secondly—recycle air emissions;

Example for paragraph (b)——

re-using air emissions in another industrial process
(c)thirdly—minimise air emissions;

Example for paragraph (c)—

using technology, materials or industrial processes that minimise air emissions
(d)fourthly—manage air emissions.

Examples for paragraph (d)—

locating a thing that releases air emissions in a suitable area to minimise the impact of the air emissions
treating air emissions before release
dispersing air emissions to minimise the impact of the air emissions

9Repeal

The Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008, SL No. 441 is repealed.

Schedule 1 Air quality objectives

section 7

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Column 5

Indicator

Environmental value

Air quality objectives

Period

Days

µg/m3 (except where noted)

ppm (volume/volume)

1.2-dichloroethane

health and wellbeing

764

0.173

24 hours

1.3-butadiene

health and wellbeing

2.4

0.001

1 year

arsenic and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10)

health and wellbeing

6ng/m3

1 year

benzene

health and wellbeing

5.4

0.002

1 year

benzo(a)pyrene (as a marker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)

health and wellbeing

0.3ng/m3

1 year

cadmium and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10)

health and wellbeing

5ng/m3

1 year

carbon disulfide

health and wellbeing

109

0.032

24 hours

protecting aesthetic environment

22

0.006

30 minutes

carbon monoxide

health and wellbeing

11mg/m3

9

8 hours

1 day each year

dichloromethane

health and wellbeing

3.3mg/m3

0.9

24 hours

0.49mg/m3

0.13

1 week

fluoride

health and biodiversity of ecosystems (other than protected areas)

2.9

24 hours

0.84

30 days

0.5

90 days

health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for protected areas)

0.1

90 days

protecting agriculture

1.5

24 hours

0.4

30 days

0.25

90 days

formaldehyde

health and wellbeing

54

0.04

24 hours

protecting aesthetic environment

109

0.082

30 minutes

hydrogen sulfide

health and wellbeing

164

0.108

24 hours

protecting aesthetic environment

7.5

0.005

30 minutes

inorganic mercury vapour

health and wellbeing

1.1

1 year

lead and compounds (measured as the total metal content in total suspended particles)

health and wellbeing

0.5

1 year

manganese and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10)

health and wellbeing

0.16

1 year

nickel and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10)

health and wellbeing

22ng/m3

1 year

nitrogen dioxide

health and wellbeing

250

0.12

1 hr

1 day each year

62

0.03

1 year

health and biodiversity of ecosystems

33

0.016

1 year

ozone

health and wellbeing

210

0.10

1 hr

1 day each year

171

0.08

4 hours

1 day each year

ozone (measured as accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb during daylight hours)

protecting agriculture

0.2 ppm-hr

5 days

3 ppm-hr

3 months

health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for semi-natural vegetation)

3 ppm-hr

3 months

health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for natural or uncultivated areas)

10 ppm-hr

6 months

PM2.5

health and wellbeing

25

24 hours

8

1 year

PM10

health and wellbeing

50

24 hours

health and wellbeing

25

1 year

styrene

health and wellbeing

284

0.061

1 week

protecting aesthetic environment

76

0.016

30 minutes

sulfate

health and wellbeing

27

24 hours

sulfur dioxide

health and wellbeing

570

0.2

1 hr

1 day each year

229

0.08

1 day

1 day each year

57

0.02

1 year

protecting agriculture

31

0.011

1 year

health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for forests and natural vegetation)

21

0.0075

1 year

tetrachloroethylene

health and wellbeing

0.27mg/m3

0.037

1 year

protecting aesthetic environment

8.7mg/m3

1.2

30 minutes

toluene

health and wellbeing

4.1mg/m3

1

24 hours

400

0.1

1 year

protecting aesthetic environment

1.1mg/m3

0.3

30 minutes

total suspended particles

health and wellbeing

90

1 year

vanadium and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10)

health and wellbeing

1.1

24 hours

vinyl chloride monomer

health and wellbeing

28

0.010

24 hours

visibility reducing particles

protecting aesthetic environment

20km visibility in the air environment

1 hr

xylenes (as a total of ortho, meta and para isomers)

health and wellbeing

1.2mg/m3

0.25

24 hours

950

0.2

1 year

Schedule 2 Dictionary

section 3

air emission means a substance released into the air.
air environment means the part of the environment of an area or place characterised by the air emissions that may be experienced there.
air quality objective, for an area or place, means—
(a)for an air quality objective for an indicator that is the amount of the visibility in the air environment—the minimum amount of visibility that should be in the air environment of the area or place despite the presence of the indicator; or
(b)otherwise—the maximum level that an indicator should be in the air environment of the area or place.
equivalent aerodynamic diameter, in relation to a particle (a measured particle), means a length equivalent to the diameter of a spherical particle with a density of 1g/cm3 that has the same settling velocity as the measured particle.
health and biodiversity of ecosystems means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(a).
health and wellbeing means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(b).
indicator means a contaminant that may be present in the air environment.
mg/m3 means milligram per cubic metre at 0 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1.
ng/m3 means nanogram per cubic metre at 0 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1.
PM2.5 means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of not more than 2.5 microns.
PM10 means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of not more than 10 microns.
ppb means parts for each billion.
ppm means parts for each million.
ppm-hr, for an indicator, means the average concentration of the indicator measured in parts for each million, multiplied by the length of time in hours to which the average applies.
protected area see the Nature Conservation Act 1992, schedule.
protecting aesthetic environment means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(c).
protecting agriculture means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(d).
residence includes a building, or part of a building, capable of being used as a dwelling.
total suspended particles means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of less than 100 microns.
µg/m3 means microgram per cubic metre at 0 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1.