Measuring air quality
National Environment Protection Measure for ambient air quality standards
The National Environment Protection Measure for Ambient Air Quality (also referred to as the Air NEPM) was released in June 1998 by the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC). NEPC is comprised of environment Ministers from all of the states and territories and the Commonwealth.
The NEPC has now been incorporated into the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC), along with other natural resource and environment-related ministerial councils. As NEPC is a statutory body it will continue to exist and operate under the umbrella of the EPHC.
The desired environmental outcome of the Air NEPM for Ambient Air Quality is for the protection of human health and well-being. It sets air quality standards for six pollutants, together with the maximum exceedence levels of each standard and a goal for these standards to be met within ten years from the commencement of the Air NEPM.
The Air NEPM standards are shown below.
| Pollutant | Air NEPM Standards | Averaging time |
|---|---|---|
| Ozone | 0.10 ppm 0.08 ppm |
1 hour * 4 hour * |
| Nitrogen dioxide | 0.12 ppm 0.03 ppm |
1 hour * 1 year |
| Sulfur dioxide | 0.20 ppm 0.08 ppm 0.02 ppm |
1 hour * 24 hour * 1 year |
| Carbon monoxide | 9.0 ppm | 8 hour * |
| PM10 | 50 µg/m3 | 24 hour ** |
| PM2.5 | 25 µg/m3 | 24 hour *** |
| Lead | 0.50 µg/m3 | 1 year |
Notes:
ppm: parts per million
µg/m3: micrograms per cubic metre
* not to be exceeded more than one day per year
** not to be exceeded more than five days per year
*** NEPM advisory standard
Each jurisdiction has developed an air monitoring plan to assess whether the standards and goal of the Air NEPM are being achieved.
Further information and supporting documents for the Air NEPM can be found on the Environment Protection and Heritage Council website.
Last updated 14 February 2011