Local air pollution begins at home
Useful Sites
Tracking acidification in Australia and Asia (CSIRO Atmospheric Research, Australia)
Shows that atmospheric pollutants can affect the acidity of rainwater.
Motor vehicle emissions (Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Australia)
Describes the pollutants from motor vehicles and ways to improve vehicle emissions.
Outdoor air pollution and lung disease (Australian Lung Foundation)
Information about what air pollution is and how it can harm people.
Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Lead alert facts: Lead and your health
Outlines the effects of lead on human health.
Air pollutants
Provides information on different groups of air pollutants with links to specific air pollutant fact sheets.
Breathe the benefits
Explains how to reduce woodsmoke.
Air quality factsheet – air toxics
Defines air toxics, how they affect human health and what is being done to manage air toxics in Australia. Links to factsheets on carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particles, sulfur dioxide; smoke from biomass burning, woodheaters and woodsmoke are also available.
Total Environment Centre (Australia)
Working together to clear the air – A report on chemicals in the home, including a section on indoor air pollution.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Asian pollution slowed global warming: study (News in Science, 5 July 2011)
Discusses how air pollution can act to mitigate global warming.
Plants clean air better than expected (News in Science, 22 October 2010)
Describes the role plants can play in ridding the air of toxic chemicals.
Tree leaves monitor pollution levels (News in Science, 19 Many 2009)
Reports on how trees can not only clean the air of pollution but also potentially serve as pollution monitors.
Clearer Asian skies may worsen drought (News in Science, 13 December 2006)
More of Australia could become affected by drought if its nearest neighbours start reducing air pollution, a study suggests.
South in hot water over cleaner air (News in Science, 30 October 2006)
Reports that a projected drop in air pollution will affect global ocean currents and could cause a marked rise in water temperature in the southern hemisphere.
Air pollution – the hidden health hazard (Health Matters, 4 May 2006)
Looks at the health affects of fine particles in pollution from vehicles.
Incineration nation – burn or bust? (Radio National, 14 January 2006)
Covers efforts in Japan to increase recycling and the problems of incinerators causing air pollution.
Using pot plants to clean indoor air (Technical Nursery Papers, Nursery and Garden Industry Australia)
Describes research indicating that plants can take up volatile organic compounds and clean indoor air.
Page updated February 2012.