John Young
MR Barry Watson’s leading article in the March 2024 edition of Eastsider News (see https://stopnortheastlink.net.au/air-pollution-from-the-north-east-link-and-school-childrens-health/) succinctly covers the risks to the residents of the north eastern suburbs from air pollution resulting from the exponential increase in air pollution from the North East Link. He continues this discussion in an accompanying article in the current edition.
Mr. Watson expresses the concerns of many opponents to this project including Stop North East Link Alliance (SNELA). SNELA has actively and unsuccessfully lobbied government decision makers about this project over a long time. The numerous submissions and letters they have written opposing this project have been ignored by NELP and the government.
Whilst SNELA’s concerns relates to the entire project including the widening of the Eastern Freeway to accommodate thousands more vehicles, we consider that a ‘hot spot’ exists at the southern tunnel portal, the unfiltered ventilation stack and the Los Angeles style ‘spaghetti junction’ in Bulleen.
The area chosen by NELP for the portal where thousands of vehicles come off the freeway could not be worse from an air pollution perspective surrounded by schools and sports playing fields as it is.
Impact on children
Children are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of air pollution including asthma, heart attacks, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, stroke and cancer (Reference: Walter C et al; (2023), Health Impacts Associated with traffic emissions in Australia, Melbourne Climate Futures, University of Melbourne).
Impaired cognitive development, respiratory infections and reduced lung development in children are some of the other health issues associated with vehicle emissions. A study of children’s health and air pollution in Australia cited in the above reference states that a 54% increased risk of children developing asthma occurred with just a four parts per billion increase in nitrogen dioxide. Note that several other vehicle emission pollutants also cause asthma.
Sensitive Receptors
Sensitive receptors include unborn children, children, the elderly, indigenous Australians, people with underlying health problems and disadvantaged groups.
A look at a map will show that a substantial number of ‘sensitive receptors’ to health effects caused by motor vehicles are located within 500 metres of the proposed road. The locations include:
- the sporting fields and playgrounds of schools including Marcellin College and sports playing fields, Belle Vue Primary School, St. Clements Primary School, Kalker Montessori Kindergarten, Ivanhoe East Primary School, Trinity Grammar sporting complex, and Carey sporting complex,
- the grounds of AFL, cricket, archery, soccer, aero modellers’ club facilities and Freeway Public Golf Course,
- the Veneto Club and The Manningham Club and Hotel.
Other sensitive receptors within one kilometre are Boroondara Park Primary School and Boroondara Pre-school.
Action is needed now
Tunnelling on North East Link is expected to begin soon. Two 4,000-tonne tunnel boring machines are in the final stages of assembly, concrete tunnel segments are being built and a covered conveyer belt and shed are now in place to load dirt and rock onto trucks. And yet these concerns are still to be addressed. \
These concerns are heightened by the knowledge that the Victorian Environment Protection Authority has no specific legislation controlling pollutant emissions from road traffic. The EPA relies on Environmental Reference Standards which whilst adopted in legislation for the control of emissions from industry and the like they have no statutory powers to enforce compliance by NELP or intervention action.
SNELA has prepared a leaflet titled How safe is it for your kids to play sport at Marcellin College or Belle Vue Primary School?. This is being distributed in a large area surrounding the catchment of these two schools and some other schools and kindergartens nearby They will also be sent to key decision makers, politicians and environment groups.
To learn more about why SNELA opposes this project, go to https://stopnortheastlink.net.au/ The many resources on this site will provide useful material when advocating to politicians and other decision makers that they need to pay serious attention to the negative impacts of this project. These include the Premier, local politicians, the Ministers for Education, Health, Transport Infrastructure, the Environment Protection Authority and to the Media.
From The Eastsider, July 2024.