Local government air quality toolkit

The EPA works with local councils on measures to reduce air pollution in their areas. In response to requests from council officers for information and guidance on the common air quality issues they manage, the EPA developed the Local Government Air Quality Toolkit.

The EPA commissioned Access Macquarie Ltd, the research/commercial arm of Macquarie University, to develop the resource.

The toolkit includes

  • information on the sources and impacts of air pollution
  • the regulatory framework for protecting air quality in NSW
  • air quality management procedures and technologies
  • managing air polluting activities that have been identified as priority issues by council officers

Contents

Introductory material

Introduction (PDF 121KB) and Glossary (PDF 73KB)

Module 1: The science and management of air quality (PDF 1.1MB)

  1. Measuring air pollution
  2. Meteorology and air quality
  3. Air pollutants
  4. Management of air quality

Module 2: Legislative and policy framework for air quality management (PDF 313KB)

  1. Introduction
  2. Policy framework
  3. Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997
  4. Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
  5. Businesses and premises regulated by local councils
  6. Avoidance and mitigation strategies
  7. Domestic premises
  8. Motor vehicles

Module 3: Guidelines for managing air pollution

Summary tables (PDF 75KB)

Part 1: Air pollution control techniques (PDF 1.7MB)

  1. Introduction
  2. Avoidance – cleaner production
  3. Dispersion
  4. Air pollution control devices
  5. Air pollution and agricultural industries

Part 2: Practical regulation of air pollution sources(PDF 83KB)

  1. Background
  2. Context
  3. Investigating problems
  4. Systematic investigations
  5. Developing solutions
  6. Assessing applications for consent

Part 3: Air quality guidance notes (for specific activities or operations) (PDF 8KB):

Visual guides

While seeking to be thorough in its discussion of air quality issues, the toolkit is not a design manual nor does it attempt to give a detailed scientific or engineering treatment of the matters covered.

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