Australia’s air pollution standards, known as National Environment Protection Measures (NEPM), were set in 1998 and are long overdue for revision. These standards are intended to protect public health, but they have not kept up with new research on the health impacts of air pollution. Health effects occur at lower concentrations than previously thought. Many foreign jurisdictions review their air standards every five or ten years and have progressively lowered permissible levels over time. The particle standards were updated in 2015, and the current review is for sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone. These three pollutants are quick acting respiratory irritants, but NO₂ and possibly ozone also have long term effects. 

Proposed variation to the ambient air quality measure standards for ozone, NO₂ and SO₂ Submission 07-19