Page 3738 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 17 October 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
In terms of air pollution, particularly in Civic, the situation is not nearly as environmentally problematic as one might infer from my previous statements. Metropolitan grade petrol has an upper limit of 0.4 grams of lead per litre, which I might add is less than half that of country grade petrol. I have recently been informed by the Environment Protection Service that, while there is no legislation limiting the sale of country grade petrol in the ACT, 95 per cent of leaded petrol now received in the ACT is of metropolitan grade. Mr Speaker, that figure was based on a 1989 survey of petrol outlets.
Research conducted in June-July of this year by the Environment Protection Service corroborates the earlier advice. An analysis of random samples of super grade petrol supplied from outlets in Canberra during those two months revealed that lead levels ranged from 0.28 grams per litre to 0.65 grams per litre, with an average level of 0.45 grams per litre for that petrol sold in Canberra, and 29 per cent of these samples were below the 0.4 grams per litre level, which is the upper limit specified for the Sydney metropolitan area.
As to the implications of leaded petrol, historically, airborne lead has been an environmental concern beside heavily trafficked arterial roads in parts of Canberra such as Barry Drive and Northbourne Avenue, particularly during winter months. There has never been any concern about lead levels in residential or less trafficked areas of the ACT. Civic air pollution is monitored by the ACT Department of Health. Since the introduction in 1985 of Australian Design Rule 37, which made it compulsory for all new cars to use unleaded petrol, there has been a drastic reduction of about 60 per cent in the 90-day lead concentrations in Civic and immediate regions.
Unleaded petrol appears to have captured around 30 per cent of the market in Canberra, and as old vehicles continue to be replaced by new models that figure is expected to rise to 45 per cent within the next 12 months. That percentage could rise even further if drivers of vehicles manufactured before the introduction of Australian Design Rule 37 were to use unleaded petrol, which, of course, there is nothing to stop them from doing.
Over the last two winter periods, the National Health and Medical Research Council guideline of 1.5 micrograms of lead per cubic metre of air, assessed over a 90-day average, has not been exceeded in Canberra or any part of the ACT. Mr Speaker, in general, our position is acceptable and far better, of course, than metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne or, for that matter, Brisbane. The current situation is clearly a vast improvement over that of a few years ago, and demonstrates the success of the controls contained in the Air Pollution Act.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .