Pollution Data for Launceston
The ambient air quality monitoring station for Launceston is located at Ti Tree Bend, approximately 2.5km north-west of the city centre. Regular monitoring of airborne particles has been conducted at this site since 1992, providing valuable records showing the long-term trends in Launceston's air quality.
The station is being upgraded in 2005 as part of a four year $800,000 program, aimed at bringing Tasmania's ambient air quality monitoring system into line with the National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) for Ambient Air Quality 
.
There is a strong seasonal cycle of air pollution in Launceston, with lowest levels occurring during the warmer months and greatest levels during the cold months between May and August. This occurs because there are more woodsmoke particles released during winter, associated with wood heaters and open fireplaces, and during these months the atmosphere is least able to effectively disperse pollutants.
Wood heaters and open fires account for 85% of the PM10 particles released in Launceston during winter. During winter, calm conditions are more frequent, and are often associated with temperature inversions. The well-defined walls of the Tamar Valley also limit pollution dispersion.
The National standard for particles (50 micrograms per cubic metre) has been exceeded every year, however peak concentrations and the number of exceedences do appear to be slowly falling.
Most of the data is maintained in an Access database, which is used to manage and analyse the data. Using the links below you can view tabular and graphical information about the air quality in Launceston:
PM10 and PM2.5 Data for April 2008
Graph of daily pollution readings
Monthly PM10 and PM2.5 Data for 2008
Graphs of daily pollution readings for each month
PM10 and PM2.5 Data for 2007
Graph of daily pollution reading 1 January - 31 December
PM10 and PM2.5 Data for 2006
Graph of daily pollution reading 1 January - 31 July
PM10 Data for 2005
Graph of daily pollution readings 2005.
PM10 Data for 2004
Graph of daily pollution readings in 2004.
PM10 Data for 2003
Graph of daily pollution readings in 2003.
PM10 Data for 2002
Graph of daily pollution readings in 2002.
PM10 Data for 2001
Graph of daily pollution readings in 2001.
PM10 Data for 2000
Graph of daily pollution readings in 2000.
Overview of PM10 Data from 1992 to mid 2006
Graph of maximum yearly pollution readings and the yearly average.
PM10 Data from 1992-2006
Measurements have been made at Ti Tree Bend for over 14 years, so it is possible to see trends over time. This graph shows each daily measurement since 1992 as a dot. This graph clearly shows the strong seasonal cycle, with lowest levels occurring during the warmer months and greatest levels during the cold months between May and August.
PM10 Data from 1992-2005
Graph of average monthly pollution readings from 1992 to 2005.
PM10 Data from 1992-1995
Graph of average monthly pollution readings from 1992 to 1995. Readings were taken on average every 6 days.
PM10 Data from 1996-1999
Graph of pollution readings from 1996 to 1999. Readings were taken on average every day.
Ti Tree Bend Monitoring Site Location
This site meets all the requirements of the relevant Australian Standards for an air quality monitoring station. Pollution measurements over several years have demonstrated that the air quality at Ti Tree Bend is a reliable indication of the overall air quality in the Launceston area.
Exceedences per Year
Daily monitoring has been conducted at Ti Tree Bend since 1997. The following graph outlines the number of exceedences of the air pollution goals in Launceston during that time. The number of exceedences appears to be decreasing over time. If the trend continues, by 2008 the number of exceedences should be below the National goal of no more than five exceedences per year.
An Average Winter's Day
Many people are aware of high wood smoke concentrations at some time during the day and may be later surprised if the day doesn’t breach the national standard. The graph for the hypothetical day shows that relatively high concentrations can be experienced for long periods at a time, but because of the lower concentrations experienced at night and during the late morning the daily average falls below the national standard.
Seasonal Variation
Woodsmoke pollution is associated with the cooler months of the year when the days are still and when woodheaters are used to a greater degree. Therefore it is not surprising that exceedences of air pollution standards generally occur between May and August. Averaged out over the last 10 years of Launceston data, over 70% percent of the worst pollution days occur during the winter months or 98% during autumn and winter combined.
See also
Further Information
For more information, please contact:
Air Specialist
134 Macquarie Street
GPO Box 1751
Hobart TAS 7001
Phone: 03 6233 3373
Fax: 03 6233 3800
Email: EnvironmentEnquiries@environment.tas.gov.au
