Environmental Protection Act 1994Reprint noteThis is the last reprint before repeal. Repealed on 1 September 2019 by 2019 SL No. 153 s 9.Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008Part 1Preliminary1Short titleThis environmental protection policy may be cited as the Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008.2CommencementThis policy commences on 1 January 2009.3DefinitionsThe dictionary in schedule 2 defines particular words used in this policy.Part 2Application and purpose of policy4Application of policyThis policy applies to the air environment.5Purpose of policyThe 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.6How purpose of policy is achievedThe purpose of this policy 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.

Part 3Environmental values and air quality objectives7Environmental values for the air environmentThe 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.

8Air quality objectives for indicators(1)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 prescribed for enhancing or protecting the environmental value stated in column 2 of the schedule for the objective.(2)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.(3)Despite subsection (1), 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.(4)It is intended that the air quality objectives be progressively achieved as part of achieving the purpose of this policy over the long term.(5)This section does not apply to an air emission that may be experienced within a dwelling or workplace if the air emission is released within the dwelling or workplace.(6)In this section—workplace see the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, section 8.s 8 amd 2011 Act No. 18 s 404sch 4pt 1Part 4Avoiding, recycling, minimising or managing air emissions9Management hierarchy for air emissions(1)This section states the management hierarchy for an activity involving air emissions.Note—See section 51 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008.(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;Example for paragraph (a)—using technology that avoids air emissions

(b)secondly—recycle;Example for paragraph (b)——re-using air emissions in another industrial process

(c)thirdly—minimise;Example for paragraph (c)—treating air emissions before disposal

(d)fourthly—manage.Example for paragraph (d)—locating a thing that releases air emissions in a suitable area to minimise the impact of the air emissions

Part 5Miscellaneous10RepealThe Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 1997, SL No. 468 is repealed.Schedule 1Air quality objectivessection 8Column 1Column 2Column 3Column 4Column 5IndicatorEnvironmental valueAir quality objectivesPeriodDaysµg/m³at 0 degrees C (except where noted)ppm (volume/volume)1.2-dichlorethanehealth and wellbeing7500.1724 hours1.3-butadienehealth and wellbeing2.40.0011 yeararsenic and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM₁₀)health and wellbeing6ng/m³1 yearbenzenehealth and wellbeing100.0031 yearbenzo(a)pyrene (as a marker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)health and wellbeing0.3ng/m³1 yearcadmium and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM₁₀)health and wellbeing5ng/m³1 yearcarbon disulfidehealth and wellbeing1100.03224 hoursprotecting aesthetic environment210.006330 minutescarbon monoxidehealth and wellbeing11mg/m³98 hours1 day each yeardichloromethanehealth and wellbeing3.2mg/m³0.8524 hours0.48mg/m³0.131 weekfluoridehealth and biodiversity of ecosystems (other than protected areas)2.924 hours0.8430 days0.590 dayshealth and biodiversity of ecosystems (for protected areas)0.190 daysprotecting agriculture1.524 hours0.430 days0.2590 daysformaldehydehealth and wellbeing540.0424 hoursprotecting aesthetic environment1100.0830 minuteshydrogen sulfidehealth and wellbeing1600.1124 hoursprotecting aesthetic environment7.50.004930 minutesinorganic mercury vapourhealth and wellbeing1.11 yearlead and compounds (measured as the total metal content in total suspended particles)health and wellbeing0.51 yearmanganese and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM₁₀)health and wellbeing0.161 yearnickel and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM₁₀)health and wellbeing20ng/m³1 yearnitrogen dioxidehealth and wellbeing2500.121 hr1 day each year620.031 yearhealth and biodiversity of ecosystems330.0161 yearozonehealth and wellbeing2100.101 hr1 day each year1600.084 hours1 day each yearozone (measured as accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb during daylight hours)protecting agriculture0.2 ppm-hr5 days3 ppm-hr3 monthshealth and biodiversity of ecosystems (for semi-natural vegetation)3 ppm-hr3 monthshealth and biodiversity of ecosystems (for natural or uncultivated areas)10 ppm-hr6 monthsPM_2.5health and wellbeing2524 hours81 yearPM₁₀health and wellbeing5024 hours5 days each yearstyrenehealth and wellbeing2800.061 weekprotecting aesthetic environment750.01630 minutessulfatehealth and wellbeing2724 hourssulfur dioxidehealth and wellbeing5700.21 hr1 day each year2300.081 day1 day each year570.021 yearprotecting agriculture320.0111 yearhealth and biodiversity of ecosystems(for forests and natural vegetation)220.00751 yeartetrachloroethylenehealth and wellbeing0.27mg/m³0.0361 yearprotecting aesthetic environment8.6mg/m³1.1630 minutestoluenehealth and wellbeing4.1mg/m³124 hours4100.11 yearprotecting aesthetic environment1.1mg/m³0.2630 minutestotal suspended particleshealth and wellbeing901 yearvanadium and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM₁₀)health and wellbeing1.124 hoursvinyl chloride monomerhealth and wellbeing280.01024 hoursvisibility reducing particlesprotecting aesthetic environment20km visibility in the air environment1 hrxylenes (as a total of ortho, meta and para isomers)health and wellbeing1.2mg/m³0.2524 hours9500.21 yearsch 1 amd 2012 SL No. 196 s 3; 2016 SL No. 116 s 12Schedule 2Dictionarysection 3air 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.

dwelling means a part of a building used or capable of being used as a residence.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 7(a).health and wellbeing means the environmental value mentioned in section 7(b).indicator means a contaminant that may be present in the air environment.PM_2.5 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 areasee the Nature Conservation Act 1992, section 14.protecting agriculture means the environmental value mentioned in section 7(d).protecting aesthetic environment means the environmental value mentioned in section 7(c).total suspended particles means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of not more than 50 microns.