Media Release 8 August 2019
Australia's air pollution standards are failing to protect the health of the nation's children and costing the nation $16 billion each year, the national peak body for health groups, the Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA), said today.
"Australian children are increasingly suffering from asthma, in rates that are among the highest in the world," CAHA Executive Director Fiona Armstrong said.
"Air pollution is having a negative impact on the health of the Australian community – a situation that is preventable and if rectified, would save thousands of lives each year."
The Climate and Health Alliance has contributed to the current review of Australia's Air Quality Standards being conducted by the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC). The review has attracted over 10,000 submissions, with Australians calling for stronger, health-based air quality standards, to replace those established over 20 years ago. Environment Ministers will meet to decide on new standards later this year.
Australia's minimum standards for many common air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) are well above the levels recommended by the World Health Organization. These pollutants are known to cause harm to health at levels below the current standards.
Ms Armstrong said health and medical experts, and leading professional bodies, including the Australian Medical Association and Royal Australasian College of Physicians, were calling for reform.
"The weight of scientific evidence is behind considerable strengthening of Australia's air pollution standards. People are suffering unnecessarily from strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, because of our outdated and inadequate regulations.
"This is unacceptable, and easily solved. The evidence shows cleaner air will reap health, climate and economic benefits that vastly outstrip the costs of taking action."
