Sydney's Efforts To Reduce Air Pollution

Sydney's air quality is generally good compared to other major cities in Australia, but there is still room for improvement. The New South Wales (NSW) government has implemented various initiatives to reduce air pollution and protect communities from its adverse effects. The NSW Clean Air Strategy 2021-2030 outlines actions to mitigate community exposure to poor air quality, with priority areas including better preparedness for pollution events, cleaner industry and transport, healthier households, and better planning and design of places and buildings. The government also operates a network of air quality monitors and has established country-wide air quality standards. Additionally, the city has seen a shift towards low-emission vehicles and improved fuel efficiency, and there is a focus on phasing out coal-fired power and incentivising the use of clean energy options.

Phase out wood heaters in urban areas

Sydney's air quality is affected by a range of pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone, which often exceed national standards. The city experiences year-round exposure to these pollutants, as well as short-term extreme events such as wildfires and dust storms.

Wood heaters are a significant source of air pollution in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), with smoke from these heaters being the main source of air pollution in winter. Recognising the health and environmental impacts, including the risk of asthma, the ACT government has committed to phasing out wood heaters by 2045. This decision is in response to a report from the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, Sophie Lewis, which found that there is no safe level of air pollution for human health.

The phase-out plan will not affect properties in rural areas of the ACT, nor will it impact outdoor fire pits or meat smokers. However, the government acknowledges that the transition may be costly for some residents and that not everyone will be in favour of the change. To address these concerns, the government will incorporate financial considerations into its next steps and provide support for low-income households to transition to healthier ways of heating their homes.

Asthma Australia has welcomed the decision, noting that wood heater smoke is linked to serious health conditions, including asthma, chronic lung disease, heart problems, and premature births and deaths. They have also emphasised that there is no safe level of exposure to wood heater smoke pollution, and that even low levels can cause health problems.

The NSW government has also recognised the need to reduce air pollution from wood heaters. The NSW Clean Air Strategy identifies "healthier households" as one of its five priority action areas, with a focus on reducing emissions from wood heaters. While the strategy does not call for a complete phase-out of wood heaters, it aims to support residents in reducing their emissions.

Reduce vehicles on the road

Sydney has been taking several measures to reduce air pollution from vehicles, which is a significant contributor to emissions, accounting for 14% of PM2.5 and 62% of nitrogen oxides. Here are some ways Sydney is reducing the number of vehicles on the road:

Encouraging Active Transportation and Public Transit

• The city promotes walking and biking as alternative modes of transportation.
• It also encourages the use of public transportation, such as buses and trains, which can reduce the number of private vehicles on the road.

Improving Infrastructure for Alternative Transportation

• Sydney is developing better pedestrian and cycle paths to make walking and biking safer and more accessible.
• The city is also investing in public transportation infrastructure, making it a more attractive option for commuters.

Carpooling and Ride-Sharing

• The government encourages carpooling, where multiple people commute together in a single private vehicle, reducing the overall number of cars on the road.
• Ride-sharing services, such as ride-hailing apps, are also promoted as they can consolidate multiple trips into one vehicle.

Working Remotely and Flexible Scheduling

• Working from home, even if just a few days a week, can significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the road during peak commute times.
• Additionally, flexible scheduling for deliveries and choosing longer time windows can help optimise routes and reduce the number of vehicles needed for deliveries.

Emphasising Fuel Efficiency and Low-Emission Vehicles

• Sydney is encouraging the adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles, which can reduce emissions even when the number of vehicles remains the same.
• The city is also promoting the use of low-emission vehicles, such as electric cars, to reduce the environmental impact of transportation.

Encourage low-emission vehicles

Encouraging Low-Emission Vehicles in Sydney

Sydney has been taking steps to reduce air pollution by encouraging the adoption of low-emission vehicles. Here are some measures that have been implemented or proposed:

New Vehicle Efficiency Standard

Australia is introducing a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which will incentivize car companies to supply new vehicles that use less fuel per kilometre. This standard will apply to all new cars supplied to Australia from January 1, 2025. Each vehicle manufacturer will have a set average CO2 target, and over time, this target will be lowered. To meet or beat the target, companies must provide more fuel-efficient, low- or zero-emission vehicles. This will result in a wider range of vehicle options for consumers, including electric, hybrid, and more efficient petrol and diesel cars.

Incentives for Electric Vehicles

The New Vehicle Efficiency Standard is expected to encourage car companies to introduce more affordable electric vehicle options. This is particularly important for Sydney, where electric vehicles can help reduce emissions from motor vehicle exhausts, a major source of air pollution in the city. Additionally, the Australian government has introduced initiatives to support the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, such as the co-funding of fast-charging sites across the country.

Fuel Quality and Noxious Emission Standards

The Australian government is also implementing new fuel quality and noxious emission standards, which are expected to save $6.1 billion in health and fuel costs by 2040. These standards will reduce the amount of sulphur in petrol, lower aromatic hydrocarbons in 95 RON petrol, and protect Australians from the harmful health effects of noxious vehicle emissions.

State and Territory Vehicle Charges

States and territories can play a role in encouraging low-emission vehicles by revising stamp duty and registration charges. For example, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has implemented a Green Vehicles Duty Scheme, which reduces stamp duty costs for vehicles with improved green ratings. Other states and territories could follow a similar approach, creating incentives for purchasing low-emission vehicles.

Information and Labelling Programs

Providing clear and trustworthy information about vehicle efficiency can help consumers make informed decisions. Australia already has a fuel consumption label and the Green Vehicle Guide, an online resource that rates vehicles based on their emissions. However, there is scope to enhance these programs by adopting widely accepted star ratings and including information about operating costs.

Improve air-quality monitoring

Sydney's air pollution is dominated by human-created emissions, with residential wood-smoke, hazard-reduction burns, traffic emissions, and emissions from industry and power generation contributing significantly to air pollutants. Natural sources, especially bushfire smoke and dust storms, also play a role.

To improve air-quality monitoring, the New South Wales (NSW) government runs a number of air quality management initiatives. The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) operates a network of governmental air quality monitors around the Sydney region, which monitor six different 'criteria air pollutants': ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (including both PM2.5 and PM10), and visibility.

The NSW government also follows the national Australian Air Quality Index system to report a Sydney Air Quality Index (AQI) figure. The national AQI system adopts a scale of 0-200+, where 0-33 represents ‘Very Good’ air quality, and the top end of 200+ represents ‘Hazardous’ air quality. The Sydney AQI numbers are calculated in the same way as the nationwide calculation, whereby ‘100’ represents the maximum allowance of the relevant air quality target; 200+ therefore represents an exceedance of at least 100%.

The NSW Clean Air Strategy 2021–2030 outlines actions and integration with other major government initiatives to improve air quality and protect communities. The strategy sets out five priority action areas to mitigate community exposure to poor air quality, both during extreme events and on a day-to-day basis. One of the priority areas is "better preparedness for pollution events", which includes improving information and how it is communicated to help reduce the health impacts of air pollution on NSW communities, including impacts from bushfires, hazard reduction burns and dust storms.

The Clean Air Strategy is supported by substantial evidence from monitoring, modelling and assessment of population exposure and health impacts from air pollution. The strategy commits to improving and building the evidence base on air pollution and its health impacts. Monitoring long-term trends in air quality is important to understanding the ongoing exposures of NSW populations to pollution and the effectiveness of strategies to improve air quality. Air quality monitoring information is provided in annual air quality statements and near real-time data are also available for managing personal exposure day-to-day.

Tighter vehicle emission standards

Sydney's air quality is impacted by a range of pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone, which often exceed national standards. Motor vehicle exhausts, particularly for nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5, are a major year-round source of air pollution in the city. To address this issue, Sydney and the New South Wales (NSW) government have implemented various measures to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.

One key strategy is the introduction of tighter vehicle emission standards. The NSW government is committed to harmonising with international vehicle standards set by the United Nations to improve the health of all Australians. The Australian Design Rules (ADRs) specify the maximum levels of noxious emissions permitted for light and heavy vehicles under specified tests. These standards have been progressively tightened over the past 40 years, playing a major part in maintaining good air quality in Australia.

The ADRs do not mandate specific technologies, but vehicle manufacturers have had to fit catalytic converters and other related technologies to light petrol vehicles to meet the emission limits. Additionally, the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 provides the legislative framework for the Australian Government to set national fuel quality and information standards. This Act has helped reduce fine particle pollution by decreasing the sulphur content of fuel and facilitating the use of exhaust after-treatment devices.

The NSW government's Clean Air Strategy 2021–2030 outlines a comprehensive approach to improving air quality and protecting communities. One of its five priority action areas is "cleaner transport, engines and fuels", which aims to further reduce air emissions and impacts from vehicles, fuels, and non-road diesel sources. This strategy includes enhancing the efficiency of light vehicles, introducing mandatory emissions standards, and promoting the adoption of electric, hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles.

The implementation of mandatory standards for light vehicles is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions significantly. The proposed standard aims to decrease emissions to 105g/km by 2025, almost half of the current level of 192g/km. This target broadly aligns with the United States and trails the tighter European Union targets. While the average cost of a new car is projected to increase by about $1500, motorists will benefit from fuel savings of around $8500 over the vehicle's lifetime.

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