Lead concentrations
You are viewing the archived 2015 report.
Key finding
Routine monitoring of lead in air is no longer undertaken in South East Queensland due to the removal of lead in petrol. Lead monitoring results from Mount Isa and Townsville show that lead levels are below the National Environmental Protection Measures (NEPM) Air Quality Standard.
Historically motor vehicles that used leaded fuel accounted for almost all the airborne lead in Queensland’s urban areas. A reduction in the lead content of leaded petrol in the 1990s and a complete phase-out of leaded petrol in 2002 resulted in lead levels in South East Queensland (SEQ) falling so dramatically that routine monitoring of lead no longer became necessary. Lead monitoring in SEQ ceased in December 2013.
Monitoring of lead levels continues in Mount Isa where the mining and smelting of mineral ores takes place and in Townsville where mineral concentrates are exported and imported. In neither area does the level of lead exceed the National Environmental Protection Measures (NEPM) Air Quality Standard.
More information:
Indicator: Trends in average lead concentrations
Trends in annual average lead concentrations by monitoring site for 1980-2014.