Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019

Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 Current as at 1 September 2019 © State of Queensland 2019 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/copyright Queensland Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 Contents Page 1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 Environmental values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 Air quality objectives for indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8 Management hierarchy for air emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 Repeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Schedule 1 Air quality objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Schedule 2 Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 [s 1] Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 1 Short title This policy may be cited as the Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019. 2 Commencement This policy commences on 1 September 2019. 3 Definitions The dictionary in schedule 2 defines particular words used in this policy. 4 Application This policy applies to the air environment. 5 Purpose (1) The purpose of this policy is to achieve the object of the Act in relation to the air environment. Note— See section 3 of the Act. (2) The purpose is achieved by— (a) identifying environmental values to be enhanced or protected; and (b) stating indicators and air quality objectives for enhancing or protecting the environmental values; and (c) providing a framework for making consistent, equitable and informed decisions about the air environment. Page 2 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel [s 6] Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 6 Environmental values The environmental values to be enhanced or protected under this policy are— (a) the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to protecting the health and biodiversity of ecosystems; and (b) the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to human health and wellbeing; and (c) the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to protecting the aesthetics of the environment, including the appearance of buildings, structures and other property; and (d) the qualities of the air environment that are conducive to protecting agricultural use of the environment. 7 Air quality objectives for indicators (1) This section and schedule 1 state the air quality objectives to be achieved and maintained under this policy. (2) An air quality objective stated in schedule 1, column 3 for an indicator stated in column 1 and for a period stated in column 4 is stated for enhancing or protecting the environmental value stated in column 2 of the schedule for the objective. (3) An air quality objective stated in schedule 1, column 3 must be worked out as an average over the period stated in column 4 for the objective. (4) Despite subsection (2), an environmental value may be enhanced or protected in an area or place if the amount of an indicator in the air environment in the area or place is more than the amount of the air quality objective stated in schedule 1, column 3 for the indicator for not more than the number of days stated in column 5 of the schedule for the indicator. (5) It is intended that the air quality objectives be progressively achieved as part of achieving the purpose of this policy over the long term. Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 3 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel [s 8] Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 (6) This section does not apply to an air emission that may be experienced within a residence or workplace if the air emission is released within the residence or workplace. (7) In this section— workplace see the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, section 8. 8 Management hierarchy for air emissions (1) This section states the management hierarchy for an activity involving air emissions that affect, or may affect, an environmental value to be enhanced or protected under this policy. Note— See section 35 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019. (2) To the extent that it is reasonable to do so, air emissions must be dealt with in the following order of preference— (a) firstly—avoid air emissions; Example for paragraph (a)— using technology that avoids air emissions (b) secondly—recycle air emissions; Example for paragraph (b)—— re-using air emissions in another industrial process (c) thirdly—minimise air emissions; Example for paragraph (c)— using technology, materials or industrial processes that minimise air emissions (d) fourthly—manage air emissions. Examples for paragraph (d)— • locating a thing that releases air emissions in a suitable area to minimise the impact of the air emissions • treating air emissions before release • dispersing air emissions to minimise the impact of the air emissions Page 4 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel [s 9] Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 9 Repeal The Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008, SL No. 441 is repealed. Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 5 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 Schedule 1 Air quality objectives section 7 Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) 1.2-dichloroethan e health and wellbeing 764 0.173 24 hours 1.3-butadiene health and wellbeing 2.4 0.001 1 year arsenic and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10) health and wellbeing 6ng/m3 1 year benzene health and wellbeing 5.4 0.002 1 year benzo(a)pyrene (as a marker for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) health and wellbeing 0.3ng/m3 1 year cadmium and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10) health and wellbeing 5ng/m3 1 year Page 6 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 carbon disulfide health and wellbeing 109 0.032 24 hours protecting aesthetic environment 22 0.006 30 minutes carbon monoxide health and wellbeing 11mg/m3 9 8 hours 1 day each year dichloromethane health and wellbeing 3.3mg/m3 0.9 24 hours 0.49mg/m 3 0.13 1 week Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 7 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 fluoride health and biodiversity of ecosystems (other than protected areas) 2.9 24 hours 0.84 30 days 0.5 90 days health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for protected areas) 0.1 90 days protecting agriculture 1.5 24 hours 0.4 30 days 0.25 90 days formaldehyde health and wellbeing 54 0.04 24 hours protecting aesthetic environment 109 0.082 30 minutes hydrogen sulfide health and wellbeing 164 0.108 24 hours protecting aesthetic environment 7.5 0.005 30 minutes Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Page 8 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 inorganic mercury vapour health and wellbeing 1.1 1 year lead and compounds (measured as the total metal content in total suspended particles) health and wellbeing 0.5 1 year manganese and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10) health and wellbeing 0.16 1 year nickel and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10) health and wellbeing 22ng/m3 1 year nitrogen dioxide health and wellbeing 250 0.12 1 hr 1 day each year 62 0.03 1 year health and biodiversity of ecosystems 33 0.016 1 year Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 9 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 ozone health and wellbeing 210 0.10 1 hr 1 day each year 171 0.08 4 hours 1 day each year ozone (measured as accumulated exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb during daylight hours) protecting agriculture 0.2 ppm-hr 5 days 3 ppm-hr 3 months health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for semi-natural vegetation) 3 ppm-hr 3 months health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for natural or uncultivated areas) 10 ppm-hr 6 months PM2.5 health and wellbeing 25 24 hours 8 1 year PM10 health and wellbeing 50 24 hours Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Page 10 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 health and wellbeing 25 1 year styrene health and wellbeing 284 0.061 1 week protecting aesthetic environment 76 0.016 30 minutes sulfate health and wellbeing 27 24 hours sulfur dioxide health and wellbeing 570 0.2 1 hr 1 day each year 229 0.08 1 day 1 day each year 57 0.02 1 year protecting agriculture 31 0.011 1 year health and biodiversity of ecosystems (for forests and natural vegetation) 21 0.0075 1 year Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 11 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 tetrachloroethyle ne health and wellbeing 0.27mg/m 3 0.037 1 year protecting aesthetic environment 8.7mg/m3 1.2 30 minutes toluene health and wellbeing 4.1mg/m3 1 24 hours 400 0.1 1 year protecting aesthetic environment 1.1mg/m3 0.3 30 minutes total suspended particles health and wellbeing 90 1 year vanadium and compounds (measured as the total metal content in PM10) health and wellbeing 1.1 24 hours vinyl chloride monomer health and wellbeing 28 0.010 24 hours visibility reducing particles protecting aesthetic environment 20km visibility in the air environm ent 1 hr Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Page 12 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 1 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 xylenes (as a total of ortho, meta and para isomers) health and wellbeing 1.2mg/m3 0.25 24 hours 950 0.2 1 year Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Indicator Environmental value Air quality objectives Period Days μg/m3 (except where noted) ppm (volume/ volume) Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 13 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 2 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 Schedule 2 Dictionary section 3 air emission means a substance released into the air. air environment means the part of the environment of an area or place characterised by the air emissions that may be experienced there. air quality objective, for an area or place, means— (a) for an air quality objective for an indicator that is the amount of the visibility in the air environment—the minimum amount of visibility that should be in the air environment of the area or place despite the presence of the indicator; or (b) otherwise—the maximum level that an indicator should be in the air environment of the area or place. equivalent aerodynamic diameter, in relation to a particle (a measured particle), means a length equivalent to the diameter of a spherical particle with a density of 1g/cm3 that has the same settling velocity as the measured particle. health and biodiversity of ecosystems means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(a). health and wellbeing means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(b). indicator means a contaminant that may be present in the air environment. mg/m3 means milligram per cubic metre at 0 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1. ng/m3 means nanogram per cubic metre at 0 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1. Page 14 Current as at 1 September 2019 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel Schedule 2 Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2019 PM2.5 means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of not more than 2.5 microns. PM10 means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of not more than 10 microns. ppb means parts for each billion. ppm means parts for each million. ppm-hr, for an indicator, means the average concentration of the indicator measured in parts for each million, multiplied by the length of time in hours to which the average applies. protected area see the Nature Conservation Act 1992, schedule. protecting aesthetic environment means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(c). protecting agriculture means the environmental value mentioned in section 6(d). residence includes a building, or part of a building, capable of being used as a dwelling. total suspended particles means particles in the air environment with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of less than 100 microns. μg/m3 means microgram per cubic metre at 0 degrees Celsius and an atmospheric pressure of 1. Current as at 1 September 2019 Page 15 Authorised by the Parliamentary Counsel