Wollongong City Council has toughened its stance on air pollution, calling for permanent air quality monitoring in Port Kembla and an air particles action plan, in light of growing health concerns.
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Councillor Ann Martin put forward the motion on Monday night, calling for support from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, and the EPA, to establish a permanent monitor.
At the moment, the closest monitor is in Albion Park.
Labelling current monitoring "inadequate", Cr Martin said there was a need for a permanent monitor in Port Kembla, given the continued expansion of the port and the development of its industrial precincts.
The move also comes in light of ongoing concerns from residents over the cumulative impact on air quality from long-running companies, as well as engineering company Vesuvius, which moved from Bulli to Port Kembla.
Councillors unanimously endorsed the plan.
They also supported a motion by Cr Chris Connor, calling on the NSW government to formulate an "Illawarra Air Particles Action Plan", similar to one already operating in the Hunter.
The Hunter plan created a network that continuously monitors dust particles at 14 sites in the upper Hunter Valley.
Cr Connor said the Illawarra needed the plan just as much as the Hunter, given the region's industrial history.
"The current system is totally inadequate for the size of the region and the amount of mining and heavy industrial activities being carried out," he said.
"Heavy industries have left a legacy here and it's an ongoing legacy that needs to be monitored ... Illawarra residents should be afforded the same guarantee [as the Hunter] from the state government that air particles will be monitored as a matter of public health and safety."
Cr Connor believed the plan, which would be driven by the EPA, should not only monitor air quality but set targets for particle reduction, establishing a regional "baseline" for emissions and building limits into mining licences.
Calls for stronger air pollution standards peaked last month after new European studies showed airborne dust particles were linked to increases in lung cancer and heart failure.
Port Kembla residents have long held fears about the possible health impacts from air pollution, reiterating their concerns recently with the movement of Vesuvius' operations.
The council has since been working with residents, Vesuvius management and the state government to establish baseline monitoring in the area. The councillors this week also endorsed plans to work with the government and the Port Kembla Pollution Committee to find the best location for the monitor.
