The concentration of lead in Canberra’s air is well below the maximum permitted for good health, according to figures issued yesterday.
The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends a maximum lead level over three months’ average of 1.5 micrograms per cubic metre (1.5 units).
Readings taken in the past year at five Canberra sites show Woden to have the worst maximum three month average at 0.97 units. Kambah had 0.80; Belconnen 0.71; Civic 0.56 and Gowrie 0.36.
The winter levels were higher at all places. The maximum winter level was usually twice has high as the minimum summer level.
The figures were issued by the director and government analyst of the ACT Government Analytical Laboratory, Brad Duck.
The figures prompted the ACT Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Tony de Domenico, to say that Canberra’s motorists were paying for a problem they did not have.
Extra levies on leaded petrol proposed by the Federal Government were a revenue measure, not a health one, as far as Canberra was concerned.
If the government was really concerned about health, it could have lowered the price of unleaded petrol or set aside the extra revenue for leaded petrol to subside lower-income families to purchased cars that used unleaded petrol.