Written to comply with the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure

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PAPER

1

2017 Western Australia air monitoring report

Written to comply with the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure

Version: Final July 2018

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Perth Western Australia 6000 Telephone +61 8 6364 7000 Facsimile +61 8 6364 7001 National Relay Service 13 36 77 www.dwer.wa.gov.au

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation.

Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

Disclaimer

This document has been published by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. Any representation, statement, opinion or advice expressed or implied in this publication is made in good faith and on the basis that the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and its employees are not liable for any damage or loss whatsoever which may occur as a result of action taken or not taken, as the case may be in respect of any representation, statement, opinion or advice referred to herein. Professional advice should be obtained before applying the information contained in this document to particular circumstances.

This publication is available at our website www.dwer.wa.gov.au or for those with special needs it can be made available in alternative formats such as audio, large print, or Braille.

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Department of Water and Environmental Regulation iii

Contents ... iii

Summary ... v

A. Monitoring summary ... 1

A.1 Current monitoring stations ... 1

A.2 Carbon monoxide ... 10

A.3 Photochemical oxidants as ozone ... 11

A.4 Nitrogen dioxide ... 12

A.5 Sulfur dioxide ... 13

A.6 Lead ... 14

A.7 Particles as PM10 ... 14

A.8 Particles as PM2.5 ... 16

A.9 Variation to the NEPM ... 16

A.10 Exceedence summary ... 17

B. Assessment of compliance with standards and goals ... 19

C. Analysis of air quality monitoring ... 22

C.1 Carbon monoxide ... 22

C.2 Nitrogen dioxide ... 23

C.3 Photochemical smog as ozone ... 24

C.4 Sulfur dioxide ... 26

C.5 Particles as PM10 ... 28

C.6 Particles as PM2.5 ... 30

D. Data analysis ... 32

D.1 Maxima and percentiles by pollutant in 2017 ... 32

D.2 Maxima and percentiles by site 2008 – 2017 ... 36

D.3 Maxima by pollutant 2008 – 2017 ... 57

E. Graphical trends ... 62

E.1 Carbon monoxide ... 63

E.2 Nitrogen dioxide ... 65

E.3 Ozone ... 69

E.4 Sulfur dioxide ... 75

E.5 Particles as PM10 ... 78

E.6 Particles as PM2.5 ... 82

F. Exceedence summary ... 85

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Department of Water and Environmental Regulation v

Summary

Western Australia is a signatory to the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (AAQ NEPM) and is required to report annually on air monitoring results.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 13 air quality monitoring sites in WA with a total capital cost of over $1.5 million. Eight of these sites are within the Perth metropolitan region:

• Caversham

• Duncraig

• Quinns Rocks

• Rolling Green

• Rockingham

• South Lake

• Swanbourne

• Wattleup.

And there are five regional sites located in:

• Albany

• Bunbury

• Busselton

• Collie

• Geraldton.

The Quinns Rocks site was decommissioned in early 2017 due to redevelopment of the site. DWER is negotiating with the relevant council to reinstate the site at another suitable location.

One additional site was commissioned in Kalgoorlie in December 2017. The site contains instruments to monitor PM

10

and PM

2.5

particles, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Data from this site have not been included in this 2017 report.

During 2017 the AAQ NEPM goal was not met for PM

10

particles at Albany,

Caversham, Collie and Geraldton. PM

2.5

particles did not meet the AAQ NEPM goal at Bunbury, Caversham, Duncraig and South Lake.

Across all monitoring sites there were 38 exceedences in 2017, comprising 20 exceedences of PM

10

particles (including 13 exceptional events) and 18 of PM

2.5

particles (including 12 exceptional events).

Of the 25 particle exceedences that were classed as exceptional events 24 were due

to prescribed burning activities and one due to a combination of bushfires and

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prescribed burning activities. These exceptional event exceedences are not included in the NEPM goal assessment.

The carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide goal of no more

than one exceedence was met.

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Department of Water and Environmental Regulation 1

A. Monitoring summary

A.1 Current monitoring stations

The DWER monitoring network (Figure A1) was the subject of careful design for the purposes of the Perth Photochemical Smog Study, the Perth Haze Study and the management of sulfur dioxide in the Kwinana area.

The network’s design was based on the knowledge of emissions sources, pollutant chemistry and important features of the meteorology.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Atmospheric Research (CSIRO) provided advice on monitoring site locations for the Perth Photochemical Smog Study and Perth Haze Study.

The Bunbury station (Figure A2) was established in the southwest of the state to monitor fuel reduction burns, with stations in Busselton and Collie also in operation for that purpose.

The Geraldton station (Figure A3) was established in the midwest of the state to monitor windblown crustal material and smoke from bushfires, hazard reduction or stubble burning and possibly wood-fired home heaters. A particle monitoring station was also established in Albany (Figure A4). Table A1 indicates the pollutants

monitored at each site.

Figure A1: DWER air quality monitoring stations operating in the Perth Metropolitan

Region

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Figure A2: DWER air quality monitoring stations operating in Bunbury, Busselton and Collie

Figure A3: DWER air quality monitoring station operating in Geraldton

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Figure A4: DWER air quality monitoring station operating in Albany

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Table A1: Air quality parameters measured at DWER monitoring stations

Monitoring site CO O3 NO2 SO2 PM10

TEOM

PM2.5

TEOM

Albany 07/06 to

present

Bunbury 06/99 to

present

04/97 to present

Busselton 11/06 to

present Caversham 08/93 to

Present

11/89 to present

09/90 to present

01/04 to present

03/94 to present

Collie 02/08 to

present Duncraig 08/95 to

Present

08/95 to present

06/96 to present

01/95 to present

Geraldton 09/05 to

present Kalgoorlie‡ 12/17 to

present

12/17 to present

12/17 to present Quinns Rocks * 11/92 to

03/17

11/92 to 03/17

07/06 to 03/17

Rockingham 12/95 to

present

12/95 to present

07/88 to present

Rolling Green 01/93 to

present

01/93 to present South Lake 03/00 to

present

03/00 to present

04/06 to present

Swanbourne 01/93 to

present

03/93 to present

Wattleup 01/88 to

present

‡ Kalgoorlie has been commissioned but has collected insufficient data to include within this report

* Quinns Rocks was decommissioned in March 2017 but will be re-established at a new location

DWER has, from time to time, performed campaign monitoring for various projects.

While these short-term projects are not reported within this document detailed reports and/or data can be obtained by:

• visiting www.dwer.wa.gov.au

• emailing [email protected]

• telephoning (08) 6364 7000.

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Table A2: Methods used to monitor air quality at DWER monitoring stations

Pollutant Standard Method

Carbon monoxide AS/NZS 3580.7.1 2011 – Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air – Determination of carbon monoxide – Direct-reading instrumental method

Gas filter correlation spectrophotometry

Ozone AS 3580.6.1 2011 – Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air – Determination of ozone – Direct- reading instrumental method

Ultraviolet absorption

Nitrogen dioxide AS 3580.5.1 2011 – Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air – Determination of oxides of nitrogen – Chemiluminescence method

Chemiluminescence

Sulfur dioxide AS 3580.4.1 2008 – Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air – Determination of sulfur dioxide – Direct-reading instrumental method

Ultraviolet fluorescence

Particles as PM10 AS 3580.9.8 2008 – Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air – Determination of suspended particulate matter – PM10 continuous direct mass method using a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) analyser

TEOM^*

Particles as PM2.5 AS/NZS 3580.9.13 2013 – Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air – Determination of suspended particulate matter – PM2.5 continuous direct mass method using a tapered element oscillating microbalance analyser

TEOM^*

*TEOMs within the DWER network are not fitted with filter dynamic measurement

systems (FDMS)

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Table A3: Monitoring in WA.

Site CO O3 NO2 SO2 PM10 PM2.5

Albany P/T

Bunbury P/T P/T

Busselton DWER

Caversham DWER P/T P/T P/T P/T

Collie DWER

Duncraig P/T DWER P/T P/T

Geraldton P/T

Quinns Rocks DWER DWER DWER

Rolling Green DWER DWER

Rockingham DWER DWER DWER

South Lake P/T P/T P/T P P/T P/T

Swanbourne P/T P/T

Wattleup DWER

Symbols key:

• P: Performance monitoring station

• T:Trend performance monitoring station

• DWER Instrument will be maintained by DWER for the foreseeable future

Table A4: Standards for pollutants

Pollutant Averaging

period

Maximum concentration standard

Maximum allowable exceedences

(goals)

Carbon monoxide 8 hours 9.0 ppm 1 day a year Nitrogen dioxide 1 hour

1 year

0.12 ppm 0.03 ppm

1 day a year None

Photochemical oxidants (as ozone)

1 hour 4 hours

0.10 ppm 0.08 ppm

1 day a year 1 day a year Sulfur dioxide 1 hour

1 day 1 year

0.20 ppm 0.08 ppm 0.02 ppm

1 day a year 1 day a year None

Lead 1 year 0.05 µg/m

³

None

Particles as PM

10

1 day 1 year

50 µg/m

³

25 µg/m

³

None None Particles as PM

2.5

1 day

1 year

25 µg/m

³

8 µg/m

³

None

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Table A5: Monitoring site description

Site Description

Albany Large rural town located 380 kilometres south-southwest of Perth with moderate density housing and typical local traffic flows.

Bunbury Large rural town located 145 kilometres south of Perth with moderate density housing and typical local traffic flows.

Busselton Small rural town located 185 kilometres south of Perth with moderate density housing and typical local traffic flows.

Caversham Semi-rural northeast metropolitan suburb located in the Swan Valley – a grape growing region next to the Perth foothills –

14 kilometres northeast of the Perth CBD. The region mainly comprises low density housing and paddocks. Some brick manufacturing occurs in the region.

Collie Small rural town located within a forested region 152 kilometres south of Perth with moderate density housing and typical traffic flows. Coal mining and power generation industries are located within the region.

Duncraig North metropolitan suburb located 16 kilometres north-northwest of the Perth CBD with moderate/high density housing and moderate to high traffic flow. The site is located 200 metres west of the Mitchell freeway, a main north–south arterial road carrying approximately 98,000 vehicles daily.

Geraldton Large rural town located 377 kilometres north of Perth in the midwest with moderate density housing and typical traffic flows.

Kalgoorlie Large rural town located 500 kilometres east-northeast of Perth in the goldfields with dry climate, moderate density housing and typical traffic flows.

Quinns Rocks Outer north coastal suburb located 35 kilometres north of Perth with moderate density housing and typical local traffic flows

Rolling Green Outer east rural suburb located 56 kilometres northeast of Perth with low density rural housing and low traffic flows. The closest road is 80 metres east of the site supporting a traffic flow of 3,200 vehicles per day.

Rockingham A south coastal site located 35 kilometres south of Perth with moderate density housing and typical traffic flows, and adjacent to the southern border of the Kwinana Industrial Area. A major arterial road carrying 34,700 vehicles per day runs 1 kilometre east of the site.

South Lake Southeast metropolitan site located 17 kilometres south of Perth with moderate/high density housing and moderate to high traffic flow. The site is located 1.6 kilometres west of the Kwinana freeway, a main north–south arterial road carrying approximately 87,000 vehicles daily and is 4 kilometres northeast of the northern border of the Kwinana Industrial Area.

Swanbourne An inner coastal site located on coastal sand dunes 9 kilometres west of the Perth CBD, and 150 metres west of a major north–south arterial road carrying approximately 27,200 vehicles per day.

Wattleup A south metropolitan site located 25 kilometres south of Perth within a defined buffer area for the Kwinana Industrial Area. Surrounding land uses are retail outlets and market gardens.

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Table A6: Screening procedures used to demonstrate whether pollutants are consistently below standards

Screening procedures

A. Campaign monitoring at a Generally Representative Upper Bound (GRUB) monitoring location (with no significant deterioration expected over 5–10 years).

B. Use of historical data within a region which will contain one or more GRUB monitoring stations to demonstrate that the full number of stations is not required, either to detect exceedences or gain a more representative depiction of pollutant distribution.

C. Use of modelling within a region which will contain one or more GRUB monitoring stations to demonstrate that the full number of stations is not required, either to detect exceedences or gain a more representative depiction of pollutant distribution.

D. In a region with no performance monitoring, use of validated (1) modelling with detailed and reliable estimates of emissions and meteorological data.

E. In a region with no performance monitoring, and in the absence of emissions and detailed meteorological data, use of generic model results based on gross emissions estimates, ‘worst case’ meteorology estimates, and other conservative assumptions.

F. In a region with no performance monitoring, comparison with a NEPM compliant region with greater population, emissions and pollution potential.

P. Performance monitoring.

T. Trend monitoring.

C. Campaign monitoring.

Table A7: Screening procedures satisfied at each station

Site Pop’n^a CO O3 NO2 SO2 Pb PM10

Perth and Rockingham

1,944,000 B&C A

Mandurah^b 80,800 P P P F F P

Albany 29,400 F F F F F

Bunbury 71,000 A&F E&F E&F D&F F Kalgoorlie-

Boulder^c

29,900 M E&F E&F T F P

Geraldton 32,000 F E&F E&F D&F F

Grey shaded cells represent performance, trend or campaign sites where monitoring is currently underway.

a. 2016 data (http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au) b. Mandurah station has yet to be established

c. Kalgoorlie station was commissioned in December 2017

Details of screening procedures are given in the monitoring plan available at:

http://www.nepc.gov.au/resource/ephc-archive-ambient-air-quality-nepm.

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Table A8: Stations’ site compliance with AS/NZ 3580.1.1 – 2007

Height above ground Minimum distance to support structures Clear sky angle of 120o Unrestricted airflow of 270o/360o 20m from trees No extraneous sources nearby Minimum distance from road or traffic Sample line material Sample line length

Comments Perth region

Caversham         

Duncraig          6 metres to medium-sized trees and presence of power pole.

Quinns Rocks          15 metres to small to medium- sized trees. Surrounding area dominated by low scrub.

Rockingham          12 metres to trees. Northern vector dominated by grain storage facility.

Rolling Green          South Lake          Swanbourne          Wattleup          Southwest region

Albany         

Bunbury          15 metres to small to medium- sized eucalyptus trees.

Busselton          5 metres to small to medium-sized eucalyptus trees.

Collie          Some trees and shipping containers nearby

Midwest region

Geraldton         

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A.2 Carbon monoxide

Duncraig monitoring station is an upper bound site for monitoring the combined effects of emissions from vehicles on the nearby Mitchell Freeway, and from domestic wood fires.

The site is located approximately 200 metres west of the Mitchell freeway, so it is well beyond the distance of roadside measurement. By Perth’s standards the site is representative of dense population and lies in a depression through which the freeway passes. The effect of stable air pooling in the depression is likely to lead to elevated concentrations. This feature would be found in many other places across the coastal plain.

South Lake monitoring station lies in a growing urban area and is likely to see moderate levels of carbon monoxide (CO) from wood fires in particular. It is not as close to major roads as the Duncraig site, and is therefore more typical of a

population-average site.

Caversham monitoring station is located in a region of low population density and is therefore not considered a performance monitoring station.

In summary, Western Australia maintained performance monitoring of carbon monoxide at the nominated trend stations of Duncraig and South Lake.

Trend analysis for each of these sites shows that, overall, the maximum of the eight- hourly averages at each site have consistently declined between 0.1 and 0.03 ppm per year as shown in Figure A5. Distinct seasonal influences can be seen in Figure A5 with CO concentrations peaking during winter months and falling during summer.

Figure A5: Smoothed trend (dark lines) for CO at Duncraig (left), South Lake (centre) and Caversham (right).

During the 2015/16 National Pollutant Inventory reporting year, CO emissions in urban areas were evenly distributed between motor vehicles (2 million tonnes (MT)) and combustion products from fuel reduction burns and wildfires (2.1MT)

¹

. These two sources account for over 90 per cent of the CO emissions in urban areas with the next highest emission from domestic solid fuel burning at 0.2MT per annum.

1 http://www.npi.gov.au/npidata/action/load/emission-by-source-

result/criteria/substance/20/destination/ALL/source-type/ALL/substance-

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Figure A6: The PM10 maximum (blue), 99th (red) and 95th (black) percentiles for each hour of the day at Duncraig over two year periods 1996-1997 (left), 2006-2007 (centre) and 2016-2017 (right)

Percentile concentrations for CO for each hour of the day during three two-year periods at Duncraig are shown in Figure A6. The CO profile shows a marked

decrease in overnight concentrations over a 20 year timespan. One possible reason for this is the introduction of the Environmental Protection (Domestic Solid Fuel Burning Appliances and Firewood Supply) Regulations 1998 which require heating appliances (wood heaters) sold to meet emission standards set out in the relevant Australian and New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS4013:1999) and regulate the moisture content of wood sold as firewood.

Over the same period motor vehicle engine technologies have also improved, reducing the emissions of harmful exhaust products and further driving the overall reduction of CO concentrations.

A.3 Photochemical oxidants as ozone

Statistics for the coastal sites of Quinns Rocks, Swanbourne and Rockingham indicate there is little difference between each station over the long-term.

Swanbourne was selected as a performance monitoring station, while monitoring stations at Quinns Rocks and at or near Rockingham were maintained to provide additional information on ozone events.

Given its location, there is reason to be confident that Caversham monitoring station represents an upper bound, middle distance, inland site. Accordingly, Caversham was selected as a performance monitoring station site.

A third performance monitoring station was located at South Lake which has the following desirable attributes:

• provides spatial spread of stations (it will measure ozone returning on shore in the southern part of the metropolitan area)

• is a moderate distance inland in a growing urban area, hence it is well classed as a population average station

• may occasionally detect the interactions of ozone (O

3

) rich air with the nitrogen oxide (NO

x

) rich plumes from Kwinana industry (potentially giving elevated nitrogen dioxide (NO

2

) concentrations.

Caversham, Swanbourne and South Lake sites are all nominated as trend stations.

DWER will continue to maintain the stations at Rockingham, Quinns Rocks and

Rolling Green as part of its wider ozone network to enable a better understanding of

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ozone events.

Long-term analysis is presented in Figure A7. The number of periods when the one hour ozone concentration exceeded the long-term site average at Swanbourne has increased for every five-year period, with the ratio climbing from 0.46 in 1996–00 to 0.54 in 2011–15. For the two year period 2016-2017 the ratio at Swanbourne increased to 0.63.

Figure A7: Ratio of the number of hourly averaged ozone concentrations at Swanbourne and Rolling Green (top panel) and, Caversham and Rockingham (lower panel) that was higher (red) or equal to or lower (blue) than the 25-year average concentration for that site

A similar increasing pattern is evident at the other coastal site of Rockingham. The inland sites of Caversham and Rolling Green have a less distinct pattern.

A.4 Nitrogen dioxide

Owing to the close chemical reactivity relationship, nitrogen dioxide (NO

2

) is currently being monitored at all stations where O

3

is monitored. Caversham, Swanbourne and South Lake sites were chosen as performance monitoring stations for NO

2

as they provided a good spatial distribution.

Caversham, Swanbourne and South Lake sites are also trend stations.

DWER will continue to measure NO

2

at Quinns Rocks, Rolling Green and Duncraig as part of its wider network to enable a better understanding of photochemical smog formation.

Figure A8 demonstrates how nitrogen oxides (NO

X)

(NO + NO

2

) monthly means have decreased at all sites. The median of the daily one hour nitrogen monoxide (NO) maximum has also seen a general decrease over time, with Duncraig experiencing an average of 0.5 ppb per annum decrease since 1996.

A possible unintended result of these decreasing concentrations of oxides of nitrogen

is the inability to fully suppress ozone formation by (typically) producing NO

2

(NO +

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O

3→ NO²

+ O

2

). The general build-up in O

3

therefore commences earlier (and consequently closer to populated areas) than it otherwise would

²

.

Figure A8: Smoothed trend (dark lines) at Swanbourne and Rockingham (top panel) and South Lake and Caversham (lower panel) using the monthly mean concentration of NO

X

(green) and O

3

(violet).

A.5 Sulfur dioxide

DWER operates one performance monitoring station at South Lake for sulfur dioxide, while maintaining a source management network which includes Wattleup and

Rockingham monitoring stations.

South Lake site is an upper bound performance monitoring station for sulfur dioxide, and a trend station. South Lake is near the southern extent of the main urban

population and downwind of Kwinana in sea breeze conditions.

Heavy industries in Kwinana are the only significant sources of sulfur dioxide in the Perth/Kwinana/Rockingham region. Concentrations of sulfur dioxide have reduced markedly since the late 1970s due to the conversion from high to low sulfur fuels and the installation of sulfur dioxide control technologies. Emissions are controlled

through conditions of licences issued by DWER under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, in concert with the Environmental Protection (Kwinana)

(Atmospheric Wastes) Policy 1999 (EPP), to ensure ambient concentrations do not exceed ambient standards set in the EPP

2 D.H.Stedman, Environ. Chem. 2004, 1, 65-66

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Figure A9: Trend line for maximum hourly averaged sulfur dioxide concentration at Wattleup, located within the Kwinana Industrial Buffer (left) and South Lake (right).

A.6 Lead

Since 1995, lead levels within the Perth CBD have been below 60 per cent of the 0.5

μg/m³

annual NEPM standard. In 2001, the average lead level in Perth was

0.022μg/m³

, less than 5 per cent of the NEPM standard.

In accordance with AAQ NEPM Technical Paper No. 4, Screening Procedures, and the WA Monitoring Plan, a performance monitoring station for lead has not been maintained since 2001.

Figure A10: Trend line for annual moving averaged lead concentration within the Perth CBD

A.7 Particles as PM

10

Duncraig site is an upper bound performance monitoring station site for PM

10

. High levels of PM

10

here are caused by a combination of vehicle and domestic wood heater emissions during strongly stable meteorological conditions.

Likewise, the site at South Lake measures significant PM

10

concentrations arising from wood fires and some industrial emissions.

Duncraig and South Lake sites are both nominated as trend stations.

Monitoring stations were established at Geraldton in September 2005, Albany in July

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2006 and Collie in February 2008.

All Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalances (TEOMs) used by DWER are

operated continuously and unadjusted for temperature. All TEOM data presented in this report has the manufacturer’s recommended equivalency factor of 1.03x + 3.00 applied.

A frequency distribution, such as that shown in Figure A11 for three metropolitan sites, can indicate differences in the ratio of PM

2.5

:PM

10

, and also provides some information as to the source of the pollutant. A high ratio of PM

2.5

:PM

10

indicates a high proportion of smaller particles and is generally caused by particles originating from smoke or fumes, while a lower ratio of PM

2.5

:PM

10

may indicate anthropogenic dust or crustal materials.

The lower (blue) plots in Figure A11 represent periods where the one hour averaged PM

10

exceeded an arbitrary concentration of 50µg/m

³

. This cut-off was chosen to limit the analysis to those at the higher end of the spectrum. Whereas Duncraig exhibits a larger number of high-ratio events, both Caversham and South Lake display a larger number of low-ratio events. These differences can be explained based on the site locations

Figure A11: Frequency distribution of PM

2.5

:PM

10

ratios of hourly averages at Duncraig (left), South Lake (centre) and Caversham (right) since installation using all data (top) and data where hourly averaged PM

10

was greater than, or equal to 50µg/m

³

(bottom)

Duncraig is located 3.5 km from the coast within a moderate/high density housing area with no industry close by and will therefore be predominantly influenced by vehicles, sea salt and smoke from the occasional bush fire or prescribed burn. One therefore expects to see a larger proportion of high PM

2.5

:PM

10

ratio which is

characteristic of combustion products. Caversham is in a semi-rural setting northeast

of Perth CBD and has a number of vineyards and some brick manufacturing close

by. These two industries combine to more likely produce coarse fraction particles

producing a lower PM

2.5

:PM

10

ratio. South Lake, located within a moderate/high

density housing area, is close to the Kwinana Industrial Area, market gardens and a

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cement manufacturing plant, providing more opportunity to be influenced by lower PM

2.5

:PM

10

ratios.

A.8 Particles as PM

2.5

To make assessments against the NEPM standard, four PM

2.5

TEOMs were installed in the greater Perth Metropolitan Region Area at Quinns Rocks, Caversham,

Duncraig and South Lake, and one each in Bunbury and Busselton. All will remain in use at these locations indefinitely with the intention of developing trend data.

All TEOMs used by DWER are operated continuously (unadjusted for temperature).

All TEOM data presented in this report has the manufacturer’s recommended equivalency factor of 1.03x + 3.00 applied.

Figure A12: The PM2.5 99th (blue), 95th (red), 75th (black) and 50th (mauve) percentiles for each hour of the day at Duncraig over winter months spanning two year periods 1996-1997 (left), 2006-2007 (centre) and 2016-2017 (right)

Percentile concentrations for PM

2.5

for each hour of the day over winter months during three two-year periods at Duncraig are shown in Figure A12. The PM

2.5

profile shows a marked decrease in overnight concentrations over the initial ten year

timespan with a much smaller improvement over the second decade. As indicated in section A2 on carbon monoxide, one possible reason for this initial and dramatic decrease in fine particle concentrations during winter is the introduction of the Environmental Protection (Domestic Solid Fuel Burning Appliances and Firewood Supply) Regulations 1998 which require heating appliances (wood heaters) sold to meet emission standards set out in the relevant Australian and New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS4013:1999) and regulate the moisture content of wood sold as firewood.

In addition, in 2006 and 2007 Wood Heater Replacement Programs were conducted by the then Department of Environment and Conservation, which offered up to $600 as an economic incentive to encourage people using wood heaters or fireplaces as the main source of heating in their homes to convert to an alternative heating source.

A.9 Variation to the NEPM

In February 2016, the AAQ NEPM was varied to, among other things:

• provide for a PM10

annual standard of 25µg/m

³

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• create two standards for PM2.5

of 25µg/m

³

averaged over 24 hours, and 8µg/m

³

averaged over one year

• remove the five allowable exceedences for PM10

one-day average standards when determining compliance with the NEPM goal

• allow for exceptional events when determining compliance for one-day PM10

and PM

2.5

with the NEPM goal. An exceptional event means a fire or dust occurrence that adversely affects air quality at a particular location, and causes an exceedence of one-day average standards in excess of normal historical fluctuations and background levels, and is directly related to:

o

bushfire

o jurisdiction authorised hazard reduction burning o continental scale windblown dust

• for the purpose of reporting compliance against PM10

and PM

2.5

one-day average standards, jurisdictions are required to exclude monitoring data that has been determined as being directly associated with an exceptional event.

For the purpose of reporting compliance against PM

10

and PM

2.5,

one-year average standards, jurisdictions are required to include all measured data, including monitoring data that is directly associated with an exceptional event.

This report has been prepared to comply with these NEPM reporting requirements.

A.10 Exceedence summary

There were a number of exceedences of PM

2.5

and PM

10

in 2017. The NEPM goal for particles was not met at:

• Albany

• Bunbury

• Caversham

• Collie

• Duncraig

• Geraldton

• South Lake.

Detailed summaries of all exceedences are provided in Attachment 2.

(24)

Table A9: Air NEPM standard exceedences recorded during 2017

Site Pollutant Concentration Date Event cause

Albany PM10 61.8 µg/m³ 04/01/2017 AS

Albany PM10 52.3 µg/m³ 10/11/2017 AS

Bunbury PM2.5 28.1 µg/m³ 05/04/2017 AS

Bunbury PM2.5 26.6 µg/m³ 13/05/2017 PB

Bunbury PM2.5 33.9 µg/m³ 10/06/2017 PB

Bunbury PM2.5 31.4 µg/m³ 15/09/2017 PB

Bunbury PM2.5 30.5 µg/m³ 04/11/2017 PB

Bunbury PM2.5 25.6 µg/m³ 05/11/2017 PB

Busselton PM2.5 28.8 µg/m³ 13/05/2017 PB

Caversham PM2.5 26.6 µg/m³ 05/04/2017 AS

Caversham PM2.5 44.2 µg/m³ 13/05/2017 PB

Caversham PM10 53.4 µg/m³ 13/05/2017 PB

Caversham PM10 79.2 µg/m³ 01/06/2017 AS

Caversham PM2.5 65.2 µg/m³ 07/06/2017 PB/BF

Caversham PM10 79.1 µg/m³ 07/06/2017 PB/BF

Collie PM10 53.7 µg/m³ 29/03/2017 PB

Collie PM10 57.8 µg/m³ 28/04/2017 PB

Collie PM10 53.7 µg/m³ 02/05/2017 PB

Collie PM10 54.9 µg/m³ 03/05/2017 PB

Collie PM10 51.0 µg/m³ 31/05/2017 PB

Collie PM10 57.6 µg/m³ 09/06/2017 PB

Collie PM10 81.5 µg/m³ 10/06/2017 PB

Collie PM10 55.4 µg/m³ 11/06/2017 PB

Collie PM10 68.2 µg/m³ 12/06/2017 PB

Collie PM10 54.7 µg/m³ 13/06/2017 PB

Collie PM10 51.2 µg/m³ 14/09/2017 AS

Duncraig PM2.5 25.9 µg/m³ 05/04/2017 AS

Duncraig PM2.5 31.8 µg/m³ 13/05/2017 PB

Duncraig PM2.5 40.5 µg/m³ 07/06/2017 PB/BF

Duncraig PM10 51.4 µg/m³ 07/06/2017 PB/BF

Geraldton PM10 54.2 µg/m³ 08/02/2017 AS

South Lake PM2.5 26.1 µg/m³ 05/04/2017 AS

South Lake PM2.5 33.8 µg/m³ 13/05/2017 PB

South Lake PM2.5 46.6 µg/m³ 06/10/2017 PB

1. All concentrations are 24-hour averages (midnight to midnight) unless otherwise stated

2. All TEOMs used by DWER are operated continuously (unadjusted for temperature) and have the manufacturer’s recommended equivalency factor of 1.03x + 3.00 applied. All particle concentrations are displayed as a daily average

AS Assessable event

BF Bushfire (exceptional event)

PB Prescribed burning activities (exceptional event)

(25)

B. Assessment of compliance with standards and goals

Table B1: 2017 compliance summary for carbon monoxide

AAQ NEPM standard

9.0 ppm (eight-hour average) Regional performance

monitoring station

Data availability rates (% of hours)

Number of exceedences

Performance against the standards and

goal Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annual (days)

Perth region Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 99.3 97.7 95.4 97.8 97.5 0 Met Duncraig

(North Metro) 99.6 97.3 96.2 94.4 96.9 0 Met

South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 100 95.1 99.7 99.9 98.6 0 Met

Performance against the standards and goal: “met”, “not met”, “not demonstrated”

Table B2: 2017 compliance summary for nitrogen dioxide

AAQ NEPM standard

0.12 ppm (one-hour average) 0.03 ppm (one-year average) Regional

performance monitoring station

Annual mean

goal Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annual (ppm) (days) 1-hour 1-year Perth region

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 99.3 98.4 88.1 95.6 95.3 0.005 0 Met Met Duncraig

(North Metro) 99.5 97.4 98.6 97.1 98.2 0.006 0 Met Met Quinns Rocks

(Outer North Coast) 87.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 21.5 0.002 0 ND ND Rockingham

(South Coast) 98.7 85.9 94.8 94.4 93.4 0.004 0 Met Met Rolling Green

(Outer East Rural) 96.9 100 99.9 99.7 99.1 0.002 0 Met Met South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 99.9 95.0 95.0 99.2 97.3 0.007 0 Met Met Swanbourne

(Inner West Coast) 99.9 99.8 99.6 99.9 99.8 0.004 0 Met Met

Performance against the standards and goal: “met”, “not met”, “not demonstrated” (ND)

(26)

Table B3: 2017 compliance summary for ozone

AAQ NEPM standard

0.10 ppm (one-hour average) 0.08 ppm (four-hour average) Regional performance

monitoring station

(days)

goal Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annual 1-hour 4-hour 1-hour 4-hour Perth region

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 99.3 98.4 97.4 99.8 98.7 0 0 Met Met Quinns Rocks

(Outer North Coast) 87.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 21.5 0 0 ND ND Rockingham

(South Coast) 99.1 99.7 97.7 99.9 99.1 0 0 Met Met Rolling Green

(Outer East Rural) 98.1 100 99.9 96.3 98.6 0 0 Met Met South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 99.6 95.0 99.4 100 98.5 0 0 Met Met Swanbourne

(Inner West Coast) 99.0 100 99.7 100 99.5 0 0 Met Met

Performance against the standards and goal: “met”, “not met”, “not demonstrated (ND)”

Table B4: 2017 compliance summary for sulfur dioxide

AAQ NEPM standard

0.20 ppm (one-hour average)

0.08 ppm (24-hour average)

0.02 ppm (one-year average)

Regional performance monitoring station

Annual mean

Number of exceedences (days)

Performance against the standards and goal

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annual (ppm) 1-hour 24-hour 1-hour 24-hour 1-year Perth region

Rockingham

(South Coast) 96.9 94.6 94.8 97.1 95.8 0.001 0 0 Met Met Met South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 92.7 93.0 97.1 97.8 95.2 0.003 0 0 Met Met Met Wattleup

(South Metro) 95.7 94.5 97.7 97.4 96.3 0.001 0 0 Met Met Met

(27)

Table B5: 2017 compliance summary for particles as PM

10

AAQ NEPM standard 50 μg/m³(24-hour average) 25 μg/m³(annual average) Regional performance

monitoring station

Data availability rates (% of days)

goal Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annual (days) 24-hour Annual Perth region

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 99.1 98.4 97.4 99.7 98.6 3 Not met Met Duncraig

(North Metro) 99.7 97.4 99.5 97.1 98.4 1 Met Met

South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 99.6 94.9 99.4 99 98.2 0 Met Met

Southwest region

Albany 99.5 99.8 99.2 99.4 99.5 2 Not met Met

Bunbury 99.4 99.2 99.8 99.8 99.6 0 Met Met

Collie 97.5 97.6 92.6 99.6 96.8 11 Not met Met

Midwest region

Geraldton 99.7 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.8 3 Not met Met

Table B6: 2017 compliance summary for particles as PM

2.5

AAQ NEPM standard 25 μg/m³ (24-hour average) 8 μg/m³(annual average) Regional performance

monitoring station

Data availability rates (% of days)

goal Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Annual (Days) 24-hour annual Perth region

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 99.3 98.3 97.4 99.8 98.7 5 Not met Not met Duncraig

(North Metro) 99.7 97.4 99.5 97.3 98.5 3 Not met Not met Quinns Rocks

(Outer North Coast) 83.8 0 0 0 20.7 0 ND ND

South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 99.7 95.0 99.5 99.3 98.4 3 Not met Not met Southwest region

Bunbury

99.3 99.1 99.8 99.8 99.5 6 Not met Not met Busselton

99.6 99.6 92.6 99.5 97.8 1 Met Not met

Performance against the standards and goal: “met”, “not met”, “not demonstrated” (ND)

(28)

C. Analysis of air quality monitoring

C.1 Carbon monoxide

The NEPM standard for carbon monoxide of 9.0 ppm averaged over eight hours was not exceeded at any site during 2017. The NEPM goal of no more than one

exceedence at each site was met. Table C1 contains the summary statistics for daily peak eight-hour carbon monoxide in WA.

Table C1: 2017 summary statistics for daily peak eight-hour carbon monoxide

AAQ NEPM standard

9.0 ppm (eight-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 2nd highest 2nd highest

(%) (ppm) (date) (time) (ppm) (date) (time) Perth region

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 97.5 2.9 07/06/2017 1300 2.5 02/06/2017 0500 Duncraig

(North Metro) 96.9 1.4 07/06/2017 1500 1.3 06/08/2017 0400 South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 98.6 1.9 06/10/2017 0700 1.5 30/06/2017 0100

(29)

C.2 Nitrogen dioxide

The NEPM standard for nitrogen dioxide of 0.12 ppm averaged over one hour and the 0.03 ppm annual average were not exceeded at any site during 2017. The NEPM goal of no more than one exceedence at each site was met. Table C2 contains the summary statistics for daily peak one-hour nitrogen dioxide in WA.

Table C2: 2017 summary statistics for daily peak one-hour nitrogen dioxide

AAQ NEPM standard

0.12 ppm (one-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 2nd

highest

2nd highest

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 95.3 0.042 18/09/2017 1900 0.038 15/09/2017 2100 Duncraig

(North Metro) 98.2 0.032 13/06/2017 2000 0.032 08/06/2017 1900 Quinns Rocks

(Outer North Coast) 21.5 0.019 08/03/2017 2300 0.016 17/03/2017 0700 Rockingham

(South Coast) 93.4 0.074 10/07/2017 0900 0.054 06/07/2017 1000 Rolling Green

(Outer East Rural) 99.1 0.018 21/04/2017 2100 0.018 01/08/2017 0800 South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 97.3 0.045 24/02/2017 2000 0.036 06/09/2017 2000 Swanbourne

(Inner West Coast) 99.8 0.033 12/06/2017 2000 0.033 09/06/2017 2000

(30)

C.3 Photochemical smog as ozone

The NEPM standard for ozone of 0.10 ppm averaged over one hour was not

exceeded at any site during 2017. The NEPM goal of no more than one exceedence at each site was met. Table C3 contains the summary statistics for daily peak one- hour ozone in WA.

Table C3: 2017 summary statistics for daily peak one-hour ozone

AAQ NEPM standard

0.10 ppm (one-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 2nd

highest

2nd highest

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 98.7 0.099 07/06/2017 1000 0.089 07/03/2017 1500 Quinns Rocks

(South East Metro) 98.5 0.074 04/01/2017 1300 0.071 01/03/2017 1600 Swanbourne

(Inner West Coast) 99.5 0.079 05/04/2017 1500 0.079 04/01/2017 1300

(31)

The NEPM standard for ozone of 0.08 ppm averaged over four hours was not

exceeded at any site during 2017. The NEPM goal of no more than one exceedence at each site was met. Table C4 contains the summary statistics for daily peak four- hour ozone in WA.

Table C4: 2017 summary statistics for daily peak four-hour ozone

AAQ NEPM standard

0.08 ppm (four-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 2nd

highest

2nd highest

Caversham

(Northeast Metro) 98.7 0.077 07/03/2017 1600 0.072 01/03/2017 1800 Quinns Rocks

(South East Metro) 98.5 0.067 01/03/2017 1600 0.058 08/11/2017 1500 Swanbourne

(Inner West Coast) 99.5 0.070 05/04/2017 1600 0.066 03/01/2017 1600

(32)

C.4 Sulfur dioxide

The NEPM standard for sulfur dioxide of 0.20 ppm averaged over one hour was not exceeded at any site during 2017. The NEPM goal of no more than one exceedence at each site was met. Table C5 contains the summary statistics for daily peak one- hour sulfur dioxide in WA.

Table C5: 2017 summary statistics for daily peak one-hour sulfur dioxide

AAQ NEPM standard

0.20 ppm (one-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 2nd

highest

2nd highest

Rockingham

(South Coast) 95.8 0.030 07/08/2017 2200 0.028 30/06/2017 0600 South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 95.2 0.037 14/01/2017 1600 0.027 02/12/2017 1700 Wattleup

(South Metro) 96.3 0.068 02/12/2017 1500 0.062 25/01/2017 1500

The NEPM standard for sulfur dioxide of 0.08 ppm averaged over 24 hours was not exceeded at any site during 2017. The NEPM goal of no more than one exceedence at each site was met. Table C6 contains the summary statistics for daily peak 24- hour sulfur dioxide in WA.

Table C6: 2017 summary statistics for 24-hour sulfur dioxide

AAQ NEPM standard 0.08 ppm (24-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 2nd

highest

2nd highest

Rockingham

(South Coast) 95.8 0.009 30/06/2017 2400 0.008 07/08/2017 2400 South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 95.2 0.009 04/01/2017 2400 0.009 01/01/2017 2400 Wattleup

(South Metro) 96.3 0.007 24/11/2017 2400 0.006 02/10/2017 2400

(33)

The NEPM standard for sulfur dioxide of 0.02 ppm averaged over one year was not exceeded at any site during 2017. Table C7 contains the summary statistics for annual sulfur dioxide in WA.

Table C7: 2017 summary statistics for annual sulfur dioxide

AAQ NEPM standard 0.02 ppm (annual average) Regional performance monitoring

station

Data availability rates

(%)

Annual average (ppm)

Perth region Rockingham

(South Coast) 95.8 0.001

South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 95.2 0.003

Wattleup

(South Metro) 96.3 0.001

(34)

C.5 Particles as PM

10

The NEPM standard for particles as PM

10of 50 μg/m³

averaged over 24 hours was exceeded a number of times as detailed in Table A9 during 2017. The NEPM goal was not met at Albany, Caversham, Collie and Geraldton. Table C8 contains the summary statistics for daily peak 24-hour PM

10

in WA.

Table C8: 2017 summary statistics for 24-hour particles as PM

10

AAQ NEPM Standard 50 μg/m³ (24-hour average) Regional

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 6^th Highest 6^th Highest

(%) (μg/m³) (date) (time) (μg/m³) (date) (time) Perth region

Caversham¹

(Northeast Metro) 98.6 79.2 01/06/2017 2400 40.0 27/01/2017 2400 Duncraig¹

(North Metro) 98.4 51.4 07/06/2017 2400 32.1 06/04/2017 2400 South Lake¹

(Southeast Metro) 98.2 49.6 06/10/2017 2400 34.9 12/11/2017 2400

Albany¹ 99.5 61.8 04/01/2017 2400 44.8 27/04/2017 2400 Bunbury¹ 99.6 45.5 10/06/2017 2400 34.9 14/05/2017 2400 Collie¹ 96.8 81.5 10/06/2017 2400 54.9 03/05/2017 2400

Midwest region

Geraldton¹ 99.8 73.5 12/06/2017 2400 41.3 31/03/2017 2400

1. TEOM operating continuously (unadjusted for temperature) and includes the manufacturer’s recommended equivalency factor of 1.03x + 3.00

Bold numerals indicate where a relevant standard has been exceeded

(35)

The NEPM standard for particles as PM

10

of 25 micrograms per cubic metre averaged over one year was met at all sites during 2017. Table C9 contains the summary statistics for annual PM

10

in WA.

Table C9: 2017 summary statistics for annual particles as PM

10

AAQ NEPM standard 25 μg/m³ (annual average) Regional performance monitoring

station

Data availability rates (%)

Annual average (μg/m³) Perth region

Caversham¹

(Northeast Metro) 98.6 16.1

Duncraig¹

(North Metro) 98.4 15.7

South Lake¹

(Southeast Metro) 98.2 16.7

Albany¹ 99.5 16.6

Bunbury¹ 99.6 16.5

Collie¹ 96.8 21.7

Midwest region

Geraldton¹ 99.8 21.3

(36)

C.6 Particles as PM

2.5

The NEPM standard for particles as PM

2.5

of 25 micrograms per cubic metre averaged over 24 hours was exceeded a number of times as detailed in Table A9 during 2017. The NEPM goal was met at all sites. Table C10 contains the summary statistics for daily peak 24-hour PM

2.5

in WA.

Table C10: 2017 summary statistics for 24-hour particles as PM

2.5

AAQ NEPM standard 25 μg/m³ (24-hour average) Regional

Performance Monitoring Station

Data availability

rates

Highest Highest 6^th

highest

6th highest

(%) (μg/m³) (date) (time) (μg/m³) (date) (time) Perth region

Caversham¹

(Northeast Metro) 98.7 65.9 01/06/2017 2400 23.0 06/04/2017 2400 Duncraig¹

(North Metro) 98.5 40.5 07/06/2017 2400 21.1 06/04/2017 2400 Quinns Rocks¹

(Outer North Coast) 20.7 12.2 15/01/2017 2400 11.0 13/01/2017 2400 South Lake¹

(Southeast Metro) 98.4 46.6 06/10/2017 2400 21.0 06/04/2017 2400 Southwest region

Bunbury¹ 99.5 33.9 10/06/2017 2400 25.6 05/11/2017 2400 Busselton¹ 97.8 28.8 13/05/2017 2400 18.4 05/11/2017 2400

1. TEOM operating continuously (unadjusted for temperature) and includes the manufacturer’s recommended equivalency factor of 1.03x + 3.00.

Bold numerals indicate where a relevant standard has been exceeded.

(37)

The NEPM standard for particles as PM

2.5

of 8 micrograms per cubic metre averaged over one year was not met at all sites during 2017. Table C11 contains the summary statistics for annual PM

2.5

in WA.

Table C11: 2017 summary statistics for annual particles as PM

2.5

AAQ NEPM standard 8 μg/m³ (annual average) Regional performance monitoring

station

Data availability rates (%)

Annual average (μg/m³) Perth region

Caversham¹

(Northeast Metro) 98.7 8.5

Duncraig¹

(North Metro) 98.5 8.2

Quinns Rocks¹

(Outer North Coast) 20.7 7.8

South Lake¹

(Southeast Metro) 98.4 8.7

Bunbury¹ 99.5 8.7

Busselton¹ 97.8 8.2

Bold numerals indicate where a relevant standard has been exceeded

(38)

D. Data analysis

D.1 Maxima and percentiles by pollutant in 2017

Table D1: 2017 percentiles of daily peak eight-hour carbon monoxide concentrations

AAQ NEPM standard 9.0 ppm (eight-hour average) Regional performance

monitoring station

Data availability

rates

Max conc.

99th percentile

98th percentile

95th percentile

90th percentile

75th percentile

50th percentile

(%) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

(Northeast Metro) 97.5 2.9 1.1 0.8 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.1

Duncraig

(North Metro) 96.9 1.4 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.3

South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 98.6 1.9 1.4 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.4

Table D2: 2017 percentiles of daily peak one-hour nitrogen dioxide concentrations

AAQ NEPM standard 0.12 ppm (one-hour average) Regional performance

monitoring station

Data availability

rates

Max conc.

99th percentile

98th percentile

95th percentile

90th percentile

75th percentile

50th percentile

(%) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

(Northeast Metro) 95.3 0.042 0.032 0.031 0.028 0.025 0.019 0.014 Duncraig

(North Metro) 98.2 0.032 0.031 0.030 0.027 0.026 0.021 0.015 Quinns Rocks

(Outer North Coast) 21.5 0.019 0.017 0.016 0.015 0.014 0.010 0.007 Rockingham

(South Coast) 93.4 0.074 0.047 0.034 0.026 0.023 0.017 0.010 Rolling Green

(Outer East Rural) 99.1 0.018 0.017 0.016 0.014 0.013 0.009 0.006 South Lake

(Southeast Metro) 97.3 0.045 0.034 0.030 0.028 0.026 0.021 0.016 Swanbourne

(Inner West Coast) 99.8 0.033 0.032 0.030 0.026 0.022 0.016 0.010