Final Report on the Independent Review of Rail Coal Dust Emissions Management Practices in the NSW Coal Chain NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer August 2016 http://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/reports/review-of-rail-coal-dust-emissions 5 August 2016 The Hon. Mark Speakman SC MP Minister for the Environment Minister for Heritage Assistant Minister for Planning 52 Martin Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 Dear Minister, Final Report – Independent Review of Rail Coal Dust Emissions Management Practices in the NSW Coal Chain In September 2015 you requested that I undertake a review of coal dust emissions management practices in the NSW coal chain. I now submit the final report of that Review. This report presents the Review’s finding and recommendations. As you would be aware from the Initial Report provided in November 2015, there remains uncertainty about air quality within and near the rail corridor. This Report recommends a path forward to address these uncertainties, which draws on consultations with the community, industry, government and researchers, and is informed by an expert workshop convened for this purpose. Released with this report are two expert papers commissioned about technological advances for sampling and monitoring air emissions from the coal chain in the rail corridor. In presenting this final report I would like to acknowledge the assistance of many people – in particular industry and community members who took the time to explain their initiatives and concerns, government colleagues who provided technical advice and the experts who made an important contribution towards addressing the issues raised. Yours sincerely, Mary O’Kane Chief Scientist & Engineer Chief Scientist and Engineer GPO Box 5477, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia | Tel +61 2 9338 6786 www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In September 2015 the Minister for the Environment asked the Chief Scientist & Engineer to conduct an independent review of rail coal dust emissions management practices in the NSW Coal Chain (the Review). The Review is part of the Government’s response to the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into the performance of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). Community members and groups expressed concerns to the Legislative Council Inquiry and other reviews about the environmental and human health impacts of dust and particle emissions associated with the NSW coal supply chain, particularly in the Hunter region. These concerns in part relate to dust and diesel emissions from coal trains that connect the region’s mines to the Port of Newcastle and the effectiveness of current monitoring and management practices. The Review scoped the scale and nature of the issues through consultations with community, industry stakeholders, EPA staff, and discipline experts, together with a review of available literature. This included studies undertaken locally and internationally to identify the sources of coal dust and emissions in the rail corridor, possible mitigation strategies and analyses of gaps in our knowledge and understanding. It became evident to the Review that a substantial set of activities has been undertaken over a number of years in the Hunter rail corridor both to measure and to reduce dust and particulates. However, there are no existing studies or sets of studies available to date that can definitively determine if there is a problem associated with dust in the rail corridor. The available studies provide partial information about specific issues. We do know that the ambient air quality of the Hunter Valley region is well measured and monitored. It compares well with similar regions in Australia and overseas, and mostly meets national goals of the National Environment Protection Measures (NEPM) system, including allowable exceedances. Ambient air quality is generally within the 24-hour average PM 2.5 and PM 10 standards, but occasionally particle levels spike and exceed standards because of industrial and domestic activities, proximity to the ocean (sea salt), bushfires or seasonal weather patterns. However, we know much less about localised air quality, in and near the rail corridor. Current studies suggest that an average of 10% of the deposited dust found in or near the rail corridor is attributable to coal, but much more information is needed. There is a general consensus from the examined studies that dust levels increase when some loaded and unloaded coal and freight trains pass through the corridor; but less well understood is the composition of the dust, its source, quantity, concentration, and pattern and distance of dispersal. Given the known health impacts of particulate matter, more precision is required about localised air quality in the rail corridor, and the likelihood of its impacting people living and working near the corridor. The EPA is the main regulator ensuring that operators in the coal chain minimise air pollution, including cost dust emissions. Apart from its regulatory and monitoring role, the EPA has been active in conducting or initiating studies to understand pollution impacts in and near the rail corridor, and in encouraging industry to undertake studies to understand coal train impacts. Given the insufficient knowledge and data about the amount and distribution of coal dust emissions in the rail corridor, it is not possible to recommend at this stage any additional mitigation measures. This is because there are no reference points against which the iv effectiveness of the mitigation can be assessed. In addition, without data, no meaningful cost/benefit analysis of the economic, environmental or health impacts of any proposed mitigating measures can be undertaken. That does not mean that current mitigation strategies should be reduced. The Review recommends that the mitigation strategies currently employed be continued, and encourages the adoption of new strategies as information becomes available to enable their effectiveness and net benefit to be assessed. The lack of knowledge and data is a concern. The Review’s main recommendations focus on addressing the gaps in this knowledge. A workshop of experts convened by the Review proposed a staged approach to gathering the most essential data required to understand coal dust impacts in the rail corridor, working through questions sequentially and using a mix of desktop modelling and in-field measurements. This could be used as the basis for a pilot study which should be designed and implemented for the rail corridor to capture more detailed information and data on particulate levels and profiles within and near the corridor, and whether there are any increases in health risks for people living there. The Review notes that methodologies can be adapted from international studies on other linear sources, such as roads and freeways. Lessons can also be learned from the ‘peak’ site approach taken in New Zealand to measuring air quality, and, accordingly, it is proposed that an analysis of potential hotspots be undertaken to inform decisions about the placement of monitors for the pilot study. Monitoring technology is rapidly advancing and becoming cheaper, smarter and more versatile. A combination of new technologies built to appropriate quality standards has considerable potential for application in the rail corridor. The Review suggests that NSW needs to adopt a two-pronged approach to air quality monitoring. One prong would maintain the State’s current focus on background ambient air quality by way of its well-structured network of NEPM monitors. The second prong would be a more systematic focus on spatial and temporal distribution of air pollutants associated with pollutant-generating sources extending the approach of local monitoring required of some licensed industry activities; and broadening this to other locations and pollution sources which may or may not be subject to licenses. In addition, the data and models derived from the data should be made publicly available in close to real time. An initial focus would be on particulates from local sources in the coal chain (including moving sources such as trains). v FINDING & RECOMMENDATIONS Finding The Review is unable to make a formal determination on specific mitigation techniques because there is not enough known about the amount and distribution of particulates in the rail corridor and thus no reference point against which to assess mitigation effectiveness. That said, there is a significant body of literature pointing to moisture as a major factor in reducing dust mobilisation at various components of the coal chain (including for coal trains). Recommendations Recommendation 1 It is recommended that NSW adopt a dual approach to ensuring air quality through: i. the current focus on background ambient air quality by way of a well-structured network of standardised (including NEPM) monitors ii. a systematic focus on spatial and temporal distribution of air pollutants attributable to specific sources, with an initial focus on particulates from local, though possibly moving, sources (e.g. trains) in the coal chain. This will require banks of dedicated monitors, that form separate networks to the NEPM network, the data from which will allow real-time monitoring and will provide input for new specific local air quality models of pollution from source to where air quality is at background levels. The data for both foci must be of high quality and publicly available. Recommendation 2 It is recommended that a pilot study be designed and implemented for the rail corridor that would capture more detailed information and data on whether there is a statistically significant increase in particulate levels within the corridor, how far out from the corridor the particulate profile extends, and whether this would result in an unacceptable increased health risk for people living in the vicinity of the corridor. In order to allow for worst cases, it is suggested that an initial analysis of potential hotspots be undertaken to inform decisions about the placement of the banks of monitors for the pilot. Recommendation 3 It is recommended that following the pilot study, a process of monitoring pollutant sources at close range be rolled out.