LEVELS of sulphur-dioxide in several parts of NSW, including the Upper Hunter, exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) standards 336 times over the past four years, according to the Nature Conservation Council.
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The group, which undertook air quality testing in parts of the Hunter, Newcastle and Sydney from May 2015 to the same time in 2019, claims the local region was most polluted of the tested areas.
Muswellbrook and Singleton showed exceeded standards a combined 139 times, with the former registering 120.
"These figures are shocking, but what's even more shocking is that the Australian standard for SO2 pollution is 11 times weaker than those recommended by the WHO, and weaker than levels set by the EU, US and China," Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said.
"High SO2 levels are associated with low birthweight in newborns, respiratory disease and premature death.
"SO2 also helps form highly-hazardous fine particles (PM2.5) that are associated with increase death rates and a range of diseases.
"The primary source of SO2 is the burning of fossil fuels, especially emissions from coal-fired power stations and vehicle emissions."
Levels of S02 were recorded at 17 air-quality monitoring stations in the Hunter, Central Coast and Sydney between May 2015 and May 2019: Sydney Central-East (Randwick, Rozelle, Lindfield, Chullora, Macquarie Park) 1, Illawarra (Wollongong, Kembla, Albion Park South) 5, Lower Hunter (Wallsend, Newcastle, Beresfield 9), Newcastle Port (Carrington, Stockton, Mayfield) 180, Muswellbrook 120, Singleton 19, Wyong 2 (source: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/aqms/search.htm).
Nature Conservation Council is urging state and federal governments to raise national emissions standards to match the World Health Organisation and force compliance from coal-fired power companies.
"They must protect people's right to breathe healthy air, but at the moment that is simply not happening," Ms Smolski said.
"Billion-dollar corporations like AGL, Origin and Energy Australia have been dumping millions of tonnes of pollution into the air we breathe.
"So, we're calling on the federal government to strengthen pollution standards to bring them in line with world's best practice.
"We also ask the Berejiklian government to conduct a public inquiry into all the health impacts of the state's coal-fired power stations and plan an orderly transition from coal to clean energy."
