Over the past four years, levels of sulphur-dioxide in the air around Carrington, Stockton and Mayfield have exceeded World Health Organisation standards, of average seven parts per billion over 24 hours, 180 times.
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Nature Conservation Council, who undertook air quality testing in parts of the Hunter, Newcastle and Sydney from May 2015 to the same time 2019 say Newcastle and the Hunter were most polluted of the tested areas.
"The Australian standard for SO2 pollution is 11 times weaker than those recommended by the WHO, and weaker than levels set by the EU, US and China," Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said.
Sulphur-dioxide primarily comes from burning fossil fuels and especially coal-fired power station and vehicle emissions.
High sulphur-dioxide levels are associated with low birthweight in newborns, respiratory disease and premature death. The gas - a compound chemical of one part sulphur to two parts oxygen, characterised by a burnt-match smell - also helps form hazardous fine particles that are associated with increase death rates and a range of diseases.
Nature Conservation Council has called on state and federal governments to raise national emissions standards to match the World Health Organisation and force compliance from coal-fired power companies.
"We call on the federal government to strengthen pollution standards to bring them in line with worlds best practice. We also call on the Berejiklian government to conduct a public inquiry into all the health impacts of the state's coal-fired power stations and plan an orderly transition from coal to clean energy," Smolski said.
Testing conducted in parts of Wallsend, Newcastle and Beresfield exceeded World Health Organisation standards nine times over the test period, while testing in Muswellbrook and Singleton showed exceeded standards a combined 139 times.
Simon McCarthy
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
