Key messages
- Adelaide and SA’s air quality is generally good and improving.
- Annual average concentrations of ambient particles have declined since 2005, and remain below the national standard.
- Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide have been stable and remain below the national standard.
- Concentrations of airborne lead and sulfur dioxide are low across SA, except in Port Pirie. Airborne lead levels have been variable and concentrations of sulfur dioxide have increased in Port Pirie, but both remain below the national standard and are expected to decline as a result of the Port Pirie Transformation Project.
- Motor vehicles, industrial sources, domestic wood heaters and climate change continue to place pressure on our air quality.
- We expect the health risks from air quality to increase as a result of SA’s growing proportion of vulnerable, elderly people and people in urban areas.
- We expect that decreased rain and increased temperatures resulting from climate change will intensify pollution.