Environment ministers have backed air quality measures that include tougher controls on particle pollution, but Australians will no longer have a consistent level of protection from the serious health effects of fine particles.
South Australia will overhaul its 20-year-old air quality policy to update stack limits, introduce new odour controls and empower the EPA to declare airshed-specific goals.
South Australia's EPA has imposed a $21,000 civil penalty on smelting company Nyrstar, for failing to follow NATA standards in its handling of air samples.