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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (30 August) . . Page.. 2680 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

However, the ACT, like many other jurisdictions, only monitors particles every six days in accordance with the standard required. There is, however, a move nationally to collect continuous real-time data on particles using a nationally agreed method. When that agreed method is reached, the ACT government will ensure the agreed methodology is implemented. We are committed to the NEPM. In relation to particles of 2.5 microns and less, there is no requirement currently under the NEPM, but a review will commence in 2001. At this stage we comply with the standard, and under the NEPM we will look at future actions.

Ms Tucker says that we should initiate an air pollution warning system to request households with wood heating to use alternative forms of heating. We already have a strategy. Ms Tucker alluded to the firewood strategy and the code of practice. Since the strategy was launched in February last year is, data given to me by the department shows a 30 per cent decrease in the air pollution. The strategy is already working. How are we getting it to work? We are getting it to work through the voluntary better use of wood burners, and we are getting the industry to come on board and make sure that they are doing the right thing as well.

The reduction of smoke emissions from wood heaters is a key component of the ongoing community awareness. Teaching people how to use their wood burners appropriately is a very important issue. It is surprising how many people do not set a good fire. They do not understand what your fire does when you put the dampener on. We are saying, "Use your fire to best advantage. Reduce your wood. Increase the amount of heat you generate. Reduce the amount of air pollution." The initial advice I have from the department is that this is starting to work. We have seen a 30 per cent reduction since the introduction of this strategy last year.

We suggest that people let their wood heaters go out at night, but if they want to burn their fires overnight they should do so with a bright flame to make sure that smoke emissions are reduced. That is particularly important for older heaters. Shutting off the air supply to older heaters causes the wood to smoulder, creating some of the pollution.

The strategy includes the firework industry code of practice. We want to minimise the harm caused by harvesting hardwoods for firewood. There are other elements to our firewood strategy. It is not just about by how much we will reduce. It is also about protecting remnant stands of hardwoods. The code promotes a mixed use of hardwood and softwood loads, in accordance with the heater specifications. That is one of the dilemmas.

Most of the heaters in Australia have only been accredited to use hardwood. It is only recently that we have started accrediting them for both hardwood and softwood, which burn at different rates and at different temperatures. We want people to use the correct firewood in their heater to make sure they get the best value out of it. We have a strategy in place, and the trend analysis of the average monthly air monitoring data which correlates to visual distance indicates that since 1997 there has been a 30 per cent reduction in visible particles in the Tuggeranong Valley.

Ms Tucker asks that the government investigate giving low-income households that rely on wood heating assistance to install less polluting heating systems. There are some 10,000 households in the ACT that we believe use solid fuel heaters. We need to get

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