Building Partnerships in the Hunter Region, NSW: Examples from Thirty Years of Air Pollution Research
This discussion provides an overview of air pollution research in the Hunter Region, NSW from the time of my initial involvement in the late 1970s. The Hunter region, on the east coast of NSW, is a major area of coal mining (mainly open-cut mines in the Upper Hunter), with scattered heavy industry (especially in Newcastle, the port city), and coal-fired power stations. The Port of Newcastle exports 85 MT of coal per year. The Hunter also has a thriving wine and vineyards area, small-scale agriculture, and dairy and beef cattle. Research on air quality has ranged from assessment of emissions from power station plumes, to evaluation of rainwater quality, to particulate emissions and concentrations, to sources and emissions inventories. All these studies have lead to significant progress in air pollution management.
This presentation will review the research, and the progress made in air pollution emissions control in the Hunter. Significant progress has been made in reducing sulphur dioxide, removing it as a problem pollutant. Particulate emissions have been significantly reduced in Newcastle, although occasionally fine particulate matter causes concern, but particulate concentrations have increased in the Upper Hunter associated with the expansion of open-cut activity. Nitrogen oxides concentrations remain low in Newcastle, but recent measurements show that photochemical smog (ozone) may begin to exceed standards in the near future. Increasing emissions from traffic provides the precursors for increased ozone.