Background
Aerial view of Gladstone. Photo DERM
Concerns have been raised by people living in the Gladstone area about the cumulative impact of air pollution from industry on the health and well-being of the community. The concerns originally focussed around dust emissions, particularly coal dust emissions from the extensive coal handling facilities at the Port of Gladstone, but later extended to concerns about the minerals processing and chemical manufacturing industries located in Gladstone City and Calliope Shire.
The emissions to air, land and water from the major industries in the Gladstone area are regulated by the department. The focus of these regulations, historically, has been on those chemicals and particles that are emitted in large quantities and have a potentially significant impact in the environment and on public health. In the case of air emissions, the focus of regulatory requirements has been on sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter, with some additional species of pollutants known to be associated with particular industries such as fluoride in the case of aluminium smelting.
The department maintains a network of air quality monitoring stations in the Gladstone area. The purpose of these monitoring stations is to provide data on the concentrations of the key pollutants likely to be influencing the quality of the air we breathe. This is often referred to as the ambient air quality. The growth and development of industry in the Gladstone area in recent years means that the location of air quality monitoring stations and the types of pollutants being monitored need to be reviewed. The existing monitoring network is limited in the range of chemicals and particles that are measured, and does not cover the majority of Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) species or fine particles that may be associated with long term human health impacts.
QH collects a range of population health data that can be used for assessing the health status of the community. Recent analysis of Cancer Registry and hospitalisation data for Gladstone, in response to a specific Parliamentary Question on Notice, indicates no differences between Gladstone and the Queensland average for asthma hospitalisations, stillbirths (foetal deaths after 20 weeks gestation) and cancers of all types, including leukaemia (all types combined). However, it is noted that the incidence of Chronic Lymphoid Leukaemia (CLL) for Gladstone - Calliope during the period 1996 - 2004 was higher than expected. The identification and reporting of an excess of people with CLL in Gladstone has aggravated concerns regarding industrial emissions. Studies of this form of cancer over the past 40 years have not identified any particular environmental risk factors.
See also:
- Queensland Health Report - Investigation of Chronic Lymphoid Leukaemia, Gladstone - Calliope 1996-2004
- Gladstone Airshed Study
Contact Us
For further information contact the department at cleanair.gladstone@epa.qld.gov.au
Last updated: 12 May 2008