Hunter residents have called for the introduction of tighter controls on coal-fired power station emissions as part of a strategy to improve the region's air quality.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Power station pollution was a key focus of an online air quality forum attended by about 60 people on Wednesday.
While coarse dust pollution attracts most of the public attention on hot and windy days, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide pollution represent a far more serious health risk.
"Aside from the mines the big glaring issue in the Hunter is the power station licences in the Hunter. They are useless," Doctors for the Environment representative and Singleton-based GP Bob Vickers said.
We get the same answer when we complain about power station pollution, the EPA says there has never been a licence breach from the power station. The licences for sulphur dioxide are 10 times the European standard and 20 times the Japanese standard."
The issue is among several that will be addressed in a People's Clean Air Action Plan for NSW, which will outline actions must be taken to control air pollution across the state.
NSW environment minister Matt Kean will be asked to implement the plan, which is being prepared by a coalition of community and environment groups.
Meanwhile, Upper Hunter communities have welcomed the introduction of hourly air quality alerts as opposed to alerts based on a 24 hour rolling average.
"It's much better. If you are out and there is bushfire smoke, which makes it dangerous to exercise, that alert comes out before you exercise rather than at the end of the day," Dr Vickers said.
"From a warning and monitoring perspective it's great but you have remove what is causing the alert."
Camberwell resident Deidre Olofsson also welcomed the hourly alert system.
"The monitoring of pollutants in the Hunter needs to be consistent with the National Environment Protection Measure, which is used to measure pollution in communities with more than 25,000 people," she said.
Earlier this year the Hunter Environment Lobby took legal advice about potential action against the state government over air pollution data in the Hunter.
The group said by failing to include key data about Upper Hunter air pollution to the National Environment Protection Council, the region's air quality appeared better than what it was.
National Environment Protection Council sets the NEPM. The NEPM specifies the number and performance criteria of air quality monitoring standards for regions with populations of more than 25,000.
The latest census data shows the Upper Hunter 30,658 residents.
IN THE NEWS: