About the RAC Air Health Monitor

The RAC Air Health Monitor’s near real-time data for hourly, daily, and annual measurements aligns closely with the Australian Government’s National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure 2021, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s (DWER) Western Australian Air Quality Index (WA AQI), and World Health Organisation’s (WHO) WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (2021).

The RAC Air Health Monitor map has a simplified range of categories, reflecting latest scientific research and regulatory guidelines.

The categories and bandings for each pollutant ensure the community can clearly understand local air quality in line with state, national and international standards.

 

The WHO recommends values for annual averages and 24-hour averages for particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), particulate matter 10 (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂); 24-hour averages for carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂); and peak season and 8-hour averages for ozone (O3). The guideline value averages set a level that nations should aim not to exceed over the set timeframe.

The WHO emphasises that there is no ‘safe’ or ‘risk free’ level of air pollution. So, it’s important to understand what’s happening even when the air quality is ‘good’.  
Within the RAC AHM Index, the WHO guideline advises the potential thresholds between “Good” and “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” categories.  

The Australian Government’s National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure influences the potential thresholds between “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” and “Unhealthy” categories. Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s (DWER) Western Australian Air Quality Index (WA AQI) informs the potential thresholds across all categories within the 1H average. When a threshold isn't explicitly provided by these standards, especially for different time periods (i.e., 1 hour, 24 hours and annual), RAC has used the power law method (Eq. 5.12, Turner 1972) to derive an appropriate threshold.  
 
In instances where the three standards (e.g., WHO, Australian Government, DWER WA AQI) advise conflicting thresholds, particularly for various time frames (i.e.,1 hour, 24 hours and annual), we adhere to the most stringent standard to prioritise public health and the environment.

Exceptions occur where thresholds derived using the power law method are marginally lower than those cited by the standards. In these instances, we use the cited thresholds, ensuring the RAC AQI remains rigorously aligned with established guidelines and rigorous research.

The Australian Government works with states and territories to improve air quality and reduce people’s exposure to air pollution under the National Clean Air Agreement. The Australian Government takes the lead on issues that need a national approach, such as setting national standards and regulating imports of polluting products. States and territories are responsible for air quality in their jurisdictions - they have laws and strategies in place to manage pollution.

The RAC Air Health Monitor aims to make local air quality information available to everyone in a way that is easy to view and understand, and which empowers people to respond.

RAC commissioned air pollution and health experts led by Professor Gavin Pereira from Curtin University’s School of Population Health through the Planning and Transport Research Centre to review and validate the RAC Air Health Monitor.

References:

• Turner, D. B. (1972). Workbook of Atmospheric Dispersion Estimates.
  
• Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (2024). Air quality.
• World Health Organization. (2021). WHO global air quality guidelines. Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. 
• Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Government of Western Australia. (n.d.). Air Quality Index for Western Australia. 
• National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure. (2021, May 26).