Additional real-time local air quality data is now available for Sydney's inner city residents following the launch of a new air monitoring station.
The Alexandria station is a joint partnership between City of Sydney and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE).
DPE Director of Climate and Atmospheric Science, Matthew Riley, said the new rooftop station will complement readings from the CBD monitoring station at Cook and Phillip Park.
"The community has a keen interest in healthy, clean air and this station will provide timely advice on local air quality," Mr Riley said.
"The station is located to provide detailed air quality information for the growing population of residents, workers and visitors to the Alexandria/Green Square area.
"Air quality is important for human health and the environment and this station will support continual air quality monitoring of the City of Sydney."
Readings from the Alexandria station will be used to assess compliance against the national health-based air quality standards. The station also provides locally specific information during air quality incidents such as bushfires or during heatwaves and supports the NSW air quality alert and forecasting system.
The new station will record and stream hourly data for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, PM10 and PM2.5 airborne particles, sulfur dioxide and visibility and collect meteorological data on humidity, temperature, wind speed and direction.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the partnership with the state government provides crucial, long-term data to help identify trends and respond accordingly.
"We have a responsibility to make sure the quality of the air we are all breathing every day is safe and acceptable, and you can't manage what you don't measure," the Lord Mayor said.
"Air quality monitoring provides invaluable data to our planners and our community.
"The biggest polluters across the City of Sydney are cars, trucks and buses. Having consistent and reliable information on air quality helps us understand where the challenges are and how best to identify ways to encourage uptake of active and cleaner modes of transport."
The Alexandria station is the 95th station in NSW's air quality monitoring network, which is Australia's most comprehensive.
The readings from the Alexandria station can be found on the Government's website Air quality concentration data - updated hourly, and also on the new dedicated website Air Quality NSW.
The public can sign up for air quality updates and alerts from the NSW Air Quality Monitoring Network on Current air quality in New South Wales or the department's website.
