[Greens-Media] Illawarra’s record air pollution highlights NSW govt failure

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE
3 May 2010

Illawarra’s record air pollution highlights NSW govt failure

Commenting on today’s report that the Illawarra has again failed to
meet national air quality targets Greens MP and health spokesperson
Lee Rhiannon stated that the problem lies with the NSW government’s
failure to adopt and enforce stricter air pollution guidelines.
(Illawarra Mercury http://bit.ly/91GvQo)

“It’s unacceptable that Illawarra residents are left to cop a larger
dose of pollution than others in NSW,” Ms Rhiannon said.

 “The Illawarra is shouldering the burden of poor air quality created
by its heavy industry base and being located down wind from a very
polluted Sydney.

“Every year since 2006 the Illawarra has recorded a higher number of
particle pollution breaches than Sydney.

“The Illawarra has for decades copped this fallout from its heavy
industry. The mining, power and transport industries have all taken
their toll and dirtied the region’s air.

“Successive Labor and Coalition governments are quick to talk up the
benefits of industry in the Illawarra but they have repeatedly fail to
safeguard public health.

 “NSW’s current air quality targets are not ambitious enough but still
the government consistently fails to meet them, particularly those
governing fine particles and ozone.

“Existing guidelines fail to take into account the ‘cocktail effect’
of multiple pollutants.

“NSW has been slow to adopt stricter standards and has fallen out of
step with new guidelines set by the World Heath Organisation and the
European Union.

 “If the government is serious about denting pollution levels it needs
to assist with the transition to cleaner, more sustainable industries
in the Illawarra, invest in world class public and freight transport
and tighten emission standards for vehicles.

“This is a clear social justice issue. The Illawarra has been an
economic powerhouse for the government but NSW Labor has turned a
blind eye to the resulting casualty of poor air quality,” Ms Rhiannon
said.

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