sydney-city-centre-review-of-environmental-factors

the United States Environment Protection Authority and UK Department of
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). In the case of the proposal, it is clear
that the ambient average conditions in the afternoon are sufficient to warrant dust
control and suppression measures, notwithstanding the potential
shielding/channelling effect provided by the urban environment that may lessen or
worsen the conditions on site.
Existing ambient air quality
The existing ambient air quality of the proposal footprint is heavily influenced by road
traffic emissions, principally comprising oxides of nitrogen (NO x ), oxides of sulphur
(SO x ) and particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5 ). Other anthropogenic air pollutant
sources include the industrial areas located in Botany Bay (to the south) and
Homebush (to the west).
The nearest locations where long-term ambient air quality is monitored are in Rozelle
and Randwick. These sites are typical of the inner suburbs and representative of the
city centre and therefore the study area.
The long-term monitored air quality classification in these two locations is assessed
as ‘good-to-very-good’ for approximately 60 per cent of the time and ‘fair’ for 30 per
cent of the time. For the remaining 10 per cent of the time it is ‘poor’ due to high
ozone levels (taken from the Classification of Air Quality, (EPA, 2013)).
Table 6-61 shows the ambient air quality recorded for the key road traffic pollutants in
the above two locations from 1 January 2013 until 1 January 2014 (EPA, 2014).
Table 6-61
Ambient air quality of the key road traffic pollutants
Pollutant
8-hour/one day averaging period
National ambient air
quality standards and
goals (averaging period)
Annual average mean
concentration and (annual
average maximum
concentration)
Carbon monoxide (CO) 9.0 ppm (8-hours) 0.27 (1.3) microgram per cubic
metre (μgm -3 )
Particulate matter (PM 10 ) 50 μgm -3 (one day) 18.9–18.3 (55.3–58.5) μgm -3
Annual average
Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) 0.02 ppm 0.001 ppm
Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) 0.03 ppm 0.007–0.011 ppm
Ambient air quality within the city centre is likely to reflect the concentrations
recorded in Rozelle and Randwick. The daily and annual average concentrations are
several orders of magnitude below the Air NEPM goals with the exception of PM 10 .
The Air NEPM PM 10 criterion was exceeded for three days between 1 January 2013
and 1 January 2014. Despite this, it can be concluded that the local ambient air
quality in terms of the principal road traffic pollutant concentrations is favourable
when compared to other major global cities around the world.
Sydney City Centre Capacity Improvement 397
Review of Environmental Factors