Page 1829 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 1 May 1991
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Ambient Lead Levels
MR STEFANIAK: My question is addressed to Mr Humphries. Is the Minister aware of media reports that lead levels in the ACT are higher than was previously thought? If so, does this change the answer given to a question on notice asked by the Leader of the Opposition on 7 August last year?
MR HUMPHRIES: I thank Mr Stefaniak for that question. I am aware of these reports which are, in fact, due to a press release from the ACT Board of Health on 24 April. I am informed that it became known to the Director of the ACT Government Analytical Laboratory on 2 April this year that an error in methodology had occurred at some time prior to January 1990 whereby the results of ambient air level monitoring were determined to be inaccurate and lower than now known to be the case. It is not known how long this error had existed.
As a result of this review of methodology, ambient airborne lead levels for 1990 can now be restated as validated data. Prior to 1990 airborne lead levels cannot be validated. Consequently, I am now advised that, instead of there being no exceedances of the National Health and Medical Research Council's recommended levels - that is, 1.5 micrograms per cubic metre for three-monthly rolling averages - there was one instance when this level was exceeded; namely, in the May rolling average of 1990. A level of 1.51 micrograms was recorded at Civic and 1.67 micrograms per cubic metre at Woden - not matters of great alarm, I would have thought.
This is a time when, of course, historically there are very marked temperature inversion layers in the atmosphere of Canberra, and that would account for very still air which would contribute to a higher than usual reading.
Mr Wood: Are you happy with the lead levels?
MR HUMPHRIES: I said so yesterday, Mr Wood.
Mr Wood: You are?
MR HUMPHRIES: Yes. As mentioned in my reply to the Leader of the Opposition on 7 August, the data collected still shows cyclical trends associated with climatic conditions and a definite downward trend in lead levels since the introduction of unleaded petrol into the ACT. I am advised by the Chief Health Officer that the facts that I have just given indicate that there is no public health risk to residents of the ACT.
I can assure members of the Assembly that the Government Analytical Laboratory continually reviews its methodology for all tests and that this monitoring will continue to be carried out, and any perceived public health risk will be drawn to my attention.
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