By Molly Magennis
Maribyrnong council will consider introducing a comprehensive air pollution monitoring network and will discourage vehicles from idling outside schools, shopping centres and hospitals as part of a plan to improve air quality in the municipality.
Councillors adopted the draft Air Quality Improvement Plan during last week’s council meeting.
The draft plan was prepared in response to ongoing concerns about air quality in the city, largely due to the number of trucks that drive through the municipality.
According to the draft plan, about 34,000 trucks pass through the city of Maribyrnong daily.
“The residents of Maribyrnong have been exposed to known vehicle and industrial pollutants for many years, with very little commitment from the state or federal governments to improve the situation,” the plan stated.
“Maribyrnong residents are continuing to subsidise the movement of goods around the country with their environment and their health and, unless action is taken now, this will persist for many future generations.
“Breathable air for the community must not be relegated as an ‘economic privilege’. Caring for our environment and our community in Maribyrnong, and elsewhere impacted by poor air quality, is important for maintaining a city with a healthy, safe and liveable environment.”
The draft plan states that according to research published by Torrens University in 2019, the city of Maribyrnong has some of Victoria’s worst health statics.
“Maribyrnong has the worst cardiorespiratory outcomes across all metrics, even though it has the youngest demographic and the lowest smoking and adult obesity rates in the Inner West. This suggests that air pollution could be an important contributory factor,” the plan stated.
The plan recommended the council introduces a comprehensive air pollution monitoring network, implement a strategy to discourage vehicle idling outside schools, shopping centres and hospitals, develop an air quality map of the city to identify pollution hotspots and implement strategies to reduce exposure and ensure air quality monitors are installed at all ‘sensitive use facilities that are located close to areas of industrial pollution and transport corridors.
Councilor Simon Crafword said the plan was something the city desperately needed.
“Air quality has been a problem for a long time. Obviously the truck issue has been a big issue for a long time and that’s probably, I think it’s fair to say, that that’s sort of the most important part of this plan,” he said.
“We really need to focus, not just here in the city of Maribyrnong, but across the country and across the globe on improving our air quality for both our own health and the health of our planet.”
“It is going out for community consultation so residents will be able to have a look at it and provide any feedback for how they think we can improve it.”
