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The Australian National Pollutant Inventory Fails to Fulfil Its Legislated Goals

Author

Listed:
  • Nathan Cooper

    (Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney 2052, Australia
    Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, Canberra 2601, Australia)

  • Donna Green

    (Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney 2052, Australia
    Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, Canberra 2601, Australia)

  • Katrin J. Meissner

    (Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney 2052, Australia
    Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, Canberra 2601, Australia)

Abstract

Publically accessible pollution databases, such as the Australian National Pollutant Inventory, contain information on chemical emissions released by industrial facility and diffuse sources. They are meant to enable public scrutiny of industrial activity, which in turn, is meant to lead to industries reducing their pollution. In Australia, however, concerns have been consistently raised that this process is not occurring. To assess whether Australia’s National Pollutant Inventory is fulfilling its legislated goals, we examined the accuracy and consistency of the largest facility and diffuse source of airborne lead, a major pollutant of concern for public health. Our analysis found that the emissions estimates provided by the Inventory were not accurate and were not consistent with other sources of emissions within the Inventory, potentially distorting any user interpretation of emissions estimates provided by the National Pollutant Inventory. We conclude that for at least these important public health pollution sources, the Inventory does not fulfil its legislated goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathan Cooper & Donna Green & Katrin J. Meissner, 2017. "The Australian National Pollutant Inventory Fails to Fulfil Its Legislated Goals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:5:p:478-:d:97589
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Scott Marchi & James Hamilton, 2006. "Assessing the Accuracy of Self-Reported Data: an Evaluation of the Toxics Release Inventory," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 57-76, January.
    2. Stacey Cowan & Craig Deegan, 2011. "Corporate disclosure reactions to Australia’s first national emission reporting scheme," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 51(2), pages 409-436, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Hendryx & Mohammad Saidul Islam & Guang-Hui Dong & Gunther Paul, 2020. "Air Pollution Emissions 2008–2018 from Australian Coal Mining: Implications for Public and Occupational Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-11, February.

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