Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015 1 Spring 2015 Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015 Air quality in the Newcastle region from 1 September to 30 November 2015 was generally good. Levels of fine particulate matter PM2.5 (particles less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3) were all below benchmark concentrations. Daily average levels for particulate matter PM10 (particles less than or equal to 10 microns in diameter) were above the 50 μg/m 3 benchmark on 20 days during spring (3–9 and 28–29 October and 5, 12, 19–20, 22-23 and 25–29 November). o Beresfield and Carrington recorded elevated levels on one day (26 November) with daily averages of 57.5 and 56.4 μg/m 3 respectively. o Mayfield recorded elevated levels on three days (19 and 26–27 November) with daily averages up to 53.8 μg/m 3 on these days. o Newcastle recorded elevated levels on two days (25-26 November) with daily averages up to 54.8 μg/m 3 . o Elevated levels on 2627 November may have been influenced by a bushfire at Stanford Merthyr, northwest of Newcastle 1 . o Stockton recorded elevated levels on all 20 days (with maximum values ranging from 51.0 to 101.4 μg/m 3 and averaging 65.1 μg/m 3 on these days). The maximum PM10 level occurred on 4 October during seven consecutive days of elevated particle levels. During this time, elevated levels occurred under north-easterly to north-westerly winds. Stockton particle levels may be influenced by sea salt spray from onshore winds, becoming more predominant during this warmer season. Days above benchmark concentrations The most widespread particle event occurred from 25–27 November, when all sites except Wallsend recorded days with PM10 levels over the 50 μg/m 3 benchmark. A 58-hectare bushfire at Stanford Merthyr, (approximately 20 kilometres northwest of Newcastle) starting on 26 November may have elevated particle levels during this period. Winds on this day were generally north-westerly with a southerly change in the evening. Table 1: Number of days above the relevant benchmarks – spring 2015 Station PM10 daily [50 μg/m 3 benchmark] PM2.5 daily [25 μg/m 3 benchmark] SO2 hourly [20 pphm benchmark] SO2 daily [8 pphm benchmark] NO2 hourly [12 pphm benchmark] NH3 hourly [46 pphm benchmark] Beresfield 1 0 0 0 0 - Carrington 1 0 0 0 0 - Mayfield 3 0 0 0 0 - Newcastle 2 0 0 0 0 - Stockton 20 0 0 0 0 0 Wallsend 0 0 0 0 0 - μg/m 3 = microgram per cubic metre and pphm = parts per hundred million by volume (i.e. parts of pollutant per hundred million parts of air) - = not monitored 1 Rural Fire Service ICON database
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Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015 1
Spring 2015
Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015
Air quality in the Newcastle region from 1 September to 30 November 2015 was generally good.
Levels of fine particulate matter PM2.5 (particles less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter),
nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3) were all below benchmark
concentrations.
Daily average levels for particulate matter PM10 (particles less than or equal to 10 microns in
diameter) were above the 50 µg/m3 benchmark on 20 days during spring (3–9 and 28–29 October
and 5, 12, 19–20, 22-23 and 25–29 November).
o Beresfield and Carrington recorded elevated levels on one day (26 November) with daily
averages of 57.5 and 56.4 µg/m3 respectively.
o Mayfield recorded elevated levels on three days (19 and 26–27 November) with daily
averages up to 53.8 µg/m3 on these days.
o Newcastle recorded elevated levels on two days (25-26 November) with daily averages up to
54.8 µg/m3.
o Elevated levels on 2627 November may have been influenced by a bushfire at Stanford
Merthyr, northwest of Newcastle1.
o Stockton recorded elevated levels on all 20 days (with maximum values ranging from 51.0 to
101.4 µg/m3 and averaging 65.1 µg/m3 on these days). The maximum PM10 level occurred on
4 October during seven consecutive days of elevated particle levels. During this time,
elevated levels occurred under north-easterly to north-westerly winds. Stockton particle levels
may be influenced by sea salt spray from onshore winds, becoming more predominant during
this warmer season.
Days above benchmark concentrations
The most widespread particle event occurred from 25–27 November, when all sites except Wallsend
recorded days with PM10 levels over the 50 µg/m3 benchmark. A 58-hectare bushfire at Stanford Merthyr,
(approximately 20 kilometres northwest of Newcastle) starting on 26 November may have elevated
particle levels during this period. Winds on this day were generally north-westerly with a southerly
change in the evening.
Table 1: Number of days above the relevant benchmarks – spring 2015
Station PM10
daily [50 µg/m3
benchmark]
PM2.5
daily [25 µg/m3
benchmark]
SO2
hourly [20 pphm
benchmark]
SO2
daily [8 pphm
benchmark]
NO2
hourly [12 pphm
benchmark]
NH3
hourly [46 pphm
benchmark]
Beresfield 1 0 0 0 0 -
Carrington 1 0 0 0 0 -
Mayfield 3 0 0 0 0 -
Newcastle 2 0 0 0 0 -
Stockton 20 0 0 0 0 0
Wallsend 0 0 0 0 0 -
µg/m3 = microgram per cubic metre and pphm = parts per hundred million by volume (i.e. parts of pollutant per hundred million parts of air) - = not monitored
1 Rural Fire Service ICON database
Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015 2
Daily time series plots
Daily average PM2.5 concentrations and one hour maximum concentrations of NO2, SO2 and NH3
remained below the benchmarks.
Daily average PM10 concentrations were above the benchmark on 20 days throughout spring 2015,
predominantly at Stockton which is influenced by sea salt spray under onshore winds. Elevated PM10
levels at a number of sites late in November may have been influenced by a nearby bushfire. More
information on the elevated days at Stockton from 3–9 October are included in a detailed section below.
Figure 1: Daily average PM10 during spring 20152
Figure 2: Daily average PM2.5 during spring 2015
Figure 3: Daily 1-hr maximum NO2 during spring 2015
Figure 4: Daily 1-hr maximum SO2 during spring 2015
Figure 5: Daily 1-hr maximum NH3 during spring 2015
2 Daily PM10 and PM2.5 data are not available at Stockton on 30 October, due to a scheduled calibration.
Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015 3
Pollution roses
The seasonal pollution rose maps show that a small percentage of elevated hourly PM10 levels (>75 µg/m3)3
occurred at some sites during spring, in particular at Stockton. These occurred predominantly with winds from
the northeast, but also on occasion from north to northwest. Hourly PM2.5 levels generally remained low
during the season.
Figure 6: Hourly PM10 pollution roses for the Newcastle region for spring 2015
Figure 7: Hourly PM2.5 pollution roses for the Newcastle region for spring 2015
3 Note: There are no standards for hourly PM10/PM2.5 in the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Air NEPM). The value of 75 µg/m3 was chosen to highlight only those hours with relatively elevated hourly PM10 levels.
Air quality in Newcastle: Spring 2015 4
Seasonal comparisons
This section compares air quality levels in spring 2015 with previous spring seasons, where data were
available. Monitoring at Stockton commenced in October 20124 and at Mayfield and Carrington in August
2014. Monitoring of PM2.5 at Newcastle commenced in December 2013.
All days were below benchmark concentrations for NO2, SO2 and NH3 in spring during the past three years at
Beresfield, Newcastle, Stockton and Wallsend and since monitoring began at Carrington and Mayfield.
All days were below the PM2.5 daily average benchmark during spring 2015. In the previous two years, there
was one day over the benchmark in 2014 and eight days in 2013.
Beresfield and Carrington recorded one day with average concentrations above the PM10 benchmark in
spring 2015, Newcastle recorded two days, Mayfield recorded three days, and Stockton recorded 20 days.
This result was comparable to previous spring seasons.
Figure 8: Number of days above the PM10 and PM2.5 benchmarks: spring 2015, 2014 and 2013
Stockton
The Stockton monitoring site continued to record
a higher number of days over the PM10
benchmark compared to other sites in the region.
In spring 2015, elevated hourly PM10 levels
(>75 µg/m3)5 occurred 9.8% of the time,
predominantly under onshore north-east winds.
This indicates the potential contribution of sea salt
spray to the particle levels. More information on
the composition of airborne particles in the region
is being obtained through the Lower Hunter
Particle Characterisation Study6.
Some elevated levels also occurred under north-
west winds, with the majority occurring from 4–7
October. Other sites in the region also had
elevated levels during this time.
Figure 9: Stockton spring 2015 pollution rose – proportion of hourly averaged PM10 levels >75 µg/m3 by wind direction
4 Orica originally undertook Stockton air quality monitoring; from October 2014 it was undertaken by the Office of Environment and Heritage as part of the Newcastle Local Air Quality Monitoring Network. 5 75 µg/m3 was chosen as a lower cut-off point to highlight only those hours with relatively elevated hourly PM10 levels. There is no standard for hourly PM10 in the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure (Air NEPM).
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