Steps to prevent air pollution recurring (A/Min)

Acting Environment Minister Jim McGinty says air pollution which has covered Perth over the past two days is unacceptable and steps will be taken to try to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Mr McGinty said the haze, which sent Environmental Protection Authority monitors off the scale yesterday, was largely caused by smoke from bushfires and burning off.

"I will ask the EPA to look at its regulations to see if there are ways to tighten controls on controlled burning," he said.

"Meanwhile, the EPA is evaluating complaints in relation to specific causes with the view to possibly taking further action.

"I am disappointed that despite wide media coverage yesterday, it appears that some people still chose to burn off today.

"The meteorological conditions experienced this week were ideal for trapping smoke and blowing smoke carried offshore back inland."

Mr McGinty said the Department of Conservation and Land Management had shown good sense by postponing several large burns until the weather improved.

The main sources of the smoke were bushfires at Gidgegannup and Lancelin, windrow burning at Hepburn Heights and many small controlled burns by members of the public.

Mr McGinty said although conditions in Perth could lead to the formation of photochemical smog, the haze being seen over Perth was smoke.

He said hospitals around the metropolitan area had reported no increase in the number of people reporting respiratory problems.