The National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Ambient Air Quality NEPM) establishes national ambient air quality standards and a national framework for the monitoring and reporting of six common air pollutants, including ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂).

The National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) has released an impact statement and draft variation to the Ambient Air Quality NEPM in relation to its standards for O₃, NO₂ and SO₂.

• Australian Government Gazette notice

The 2011 review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM provided recommendations in relation to the standards for O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ including revising the standards to take into account new evidence around the health effects of these air pollutants.

On 7 December 2018, Environment Ministers signalled their intention to vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM for O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ based on the latest scientific understanding of the health risks arising from these pollutants.

Impact Statement and draft varied measure

An impact statement and draft varied measure are required as part of the statutory process to vary a National Environment Protection Measure. This provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review and comment on the supporting evidence to vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM for O₃ NO₂ and SO₂ standards, and on the proposed variations themselves.

The Impact Statement on the proposed variation to the Ambient Air Quality NEPM for ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) considers:

• the feasibility of updating the standards
• the costs and benefits of a range of potential abatement measures that could be introduced to lower concentrations for these pollutants
• the form of revised standards (for example averaging periods)
• changes to carbon monoxide maximum allowable exceedances
• the merits of introducing an exposure reduction framework for these pollutants to continue to reduce population exposure and health risk
• whether an exceptional events rule should be introduced for these pollutants
• modernising the outcome and goal of the AAQ NEPM
• changes to clause 14 of the AAQ NEPM (the number of performance monitoring stations) and some additional definitions to provide a primary focus on risk while still preserving the population threshold and formula.

Read the Impact Statement and draft varied measure

Impact Statement - Draft variations to the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measures for O3, NO2 and SO2 (PDF - 1.27 MB)
Impact Statement - Draft variations to the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measures for O3, NO2 and SO2 (DOCX - 723.66 KB)

Draft varied National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measures for O3, NO2 and SO2 (PDF - 235.16 KB)

Supplementary documents

The Impact Statement draws on the information in the following supporting documents:

Appendix A: Air quality report

A report assessing current and future O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ concentrations and compares them against the current and several more stringent potential O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ standards in the Ambient Air Quality NEPM.

AAQ NEPM Impact Statement Appendix A Air Quality Study Review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for O3, NO2 and SO2 (PDF - 13.48 MB)

Appendix B: Health risk assessment report 

A report providing a health risk assessment for the review of the O3, NO2 and SO2 standards in the Ambient Air Quality NEPM, including the health impacts of revising these standards.

AAQ NEPM Impact Statement Appendix B Health Risk Assessment Review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for O3, NO2 and SO2 (PDF - 2.67 MB)
AAQ NEPM Impact Statement Appendix B Health Risk Assessment Review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for O3, NO2 and SO2 (DOCX - 3.37 MB)

Appendix C: Cost–benefit analysis report

A report presenting a cost benefit analysis of abatement measures that target reductions in O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ concentrations in Australian airsheds to support the review of the O₃, NO₂ and SO₂ standards in the Ambient Air Quality NEPM.

AAQ NEPM Impact Statement Appendix C Cost Benefit Analysis Review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for O3, NO2 and SO2 (PDF - 1.05 MB)
AAQ NEPM Impact Statement Appendix C Cost Benefit Analysis Review of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM standards for O3, NO2 and SO2 (DOCX - 921.35 KB)

Information sessions

A number of information sessions in major cities and a webinar has been conducted. The webinar held on the 16th of July 2019 was recorded and available on youtube.

Further information

Questions and answers fact sheet (PDF - 380.33 KB)
Questions and answers fact sheet (DOCX - 54.41 KB)

Public consultation

The public consultation period for the Impact Statement and draft varied measure is now closed.

• Public consultation on proposed variation - summary of submissions and response

Submissions are being considered as part of the current development of a final proposal to vary the Ambient Air Quality NEPM. All submissions received are considered public documents unless clearly marked ‘confidential’. NEPC may, in its absolute discretion, decide not to publish or to publish an edited version of a submission where:

• the submission contains personal information about an individual or individuals and NEPC is concerned that the individual(s) are not aware of the use of their personal information and may object to the publication of it; or
• the content may be considered defamatory, offensive or is otherwise of no benefit to the consultation process.

NEPC received approximately 18,100 submissions to the Impact Statement and draft varied measure.

• 45 submissions based on Campaign Submission A
• 1,940 submissions based on Campaign Submission B
• 10,380 submissions based on Campaign Submission C
• 5,280 submissions based on Campaign Submission D
• 20 submissions based on Campaign Submission E

449 other submissions were received, they are available below.