National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) set up

27/2/98

Western Australians will have better access to information about pollutants entering our atmosphere with the establishment of the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI), Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said today.

The National Environmental Protection Council today announced the establishment of the inventory, saying that people had a right to know what pollutants were being emitted into the air, land and water.

From July 1 this year, larger Australian industry will be required to estimate and report to the NPI on the emissions of the chemicals listed on the NPI.

The inventory lists specific substances, where in Australia they are emitted, what they are used for and the risk they pose to human health.

Thirty six substances will be reported in the first phase of the NPI implementation.

Mrs Edwardes welcomed the NPI and said it would provide detailed information on the amounts and types of pollutants entering different regions of WA.

"From January 2000, people will be able to log on to the NPI Internet site and access information about what is being released into their local environment," the Minister said.

"Having access to this type of information not only helps people make choices about where they live, it also helps industry and Government set priorities and activities to reduce emissions and the impacts they have on the community and the environment."

Mrs Edwardes said that WA played an important part in widening the scope of the NPI to include nutrient levels in catchment.

"Nutrient overload in catchments, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, is one of WA's most important environmental issues," she said.

"The NPI will help us identify the source of catchment nutrients allowing us to develop strategies to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing into catchments."

Mrs Edwardes said that consultation with industry was under way in WA to ensure that once implemented, the NPI measure would be achievable.

This included implementing a standardised approach to the collection of data.

Also included in the consultation would be a trial conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection, Environment Australia and Western Mining Corporation in Kalgoorlie to work though the NPI.

Data from the preliminary trials being undertaken around Australia are currently on the Internet at : www.environment.gov.au/net/npi.html

Media contact: Nicole Trigwell 08 9421 7777