Page 3393 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 18 September 1990
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QUESTION ON NOTICE
MINISTER FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION AND THE ARTS
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION.
Ambient Lead Levels
QUESTION NO 211
MS FOLLETT - Asked the Minister for Health, Education and
the Arts on notice on 7 August 1990:
What are the public health implications of the high airborne lead levels recorded in Civic and Phillip?
MR HUMPHRIES - The answer to Ms Folletts question is as follows:
I am pleased to inform you that there is no public health risk from lead levels recorded in Civic and Phillip in recent times.
The National Health and Medical Research Council, Australias peak advisory body on such levels and standards, recommends that
the level should not exceed 1.5 micrograms per cubic metre for three month rolling averages (90 day lead levels). This is also the standard set by the World Health Organisation and the United States of America.
During the period from January 1988 to May 1990 in Civic, there were three exceedances of this guideline in 1988, none in 1989 and none to date in 1990. Prior to 1988, there was a greater number of exceedances per year (five in 1987, four in 1986, ten in 1985 and ten in 1984 ) . During this same period in Woden, there were two exceedances in 1988, none in 1989 and none to date in 1990. There was also noted a greater number of exceedances prior to 1988 (four in 1987, five in 1986, eight in 1985 and three in 1984).
The data collected shows cyclic trends associated with climatic conditions. Lead in air levels tend to be higher in winter due to the formation of inversion layers and stable air masses.
It should be noted that unleaded petrol was introduced into the ACT in 1985. A definite downward trend in lead levels is developing on the statistical graphs.
The highest level in the period January 1988 to May 1990 was 1 .77 micrograms per cubic metre in the three month period May to July 1988 in Civic and 1.70 micrograms per cubic metre in the same three month period in Woden.
3393
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