Northern Territory tightens air quality monitoring after Inpex under-reporting
The Northern Territory government has announced a new air quality monitoring plan covering toxic pollutants, including carcinogenic emissions. The move follows a review that found Japanese gas major Inpex had under-reported emissions at its Darwin facility. The new monitoring framework is scheduled to be rolled out over the next twelve months.
Northern Territory environment minister Joshua Burgoyne said the government would install real-time air-quality monitoring stations covering the Inpex Ichthys LNG site at Darwin's Wickham Point and the surrounding residential areas. The system will measure pollutants including volatile organic compounds, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter such as PM2.5, with the data published on an open public portal.
The decision follows a review by the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority of Inpex's Ichthys LNG operations. The review found the company had reported below actual levels in some categories of its annual emissions data. Inpex said it took the findings seriously and would propose a corrective action plan; no fines or enforcement measures have yet been announced.
Darwin residents have for years reported odour and respiratory complaints they attribute to gas facilities at Wickham Point. Local health authorities welcomed the new monitoring system. Environmental groups said monitoring alone is not enough and called for tighter emission limits as well. The new monitoring framework is to be phased in over the next twelve months.
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