Air Quality

The City of Maribyrnong has some of the worst health statistics in Australia, including the highest hospital admissions for young people, with respiratory illnesses at 171 per cent higher than the national average.

Council is calling on State and Federal Governments to take action on air quality in Melbourne’s inner west. This includes undertaking initiatives such as:

• Funding an expansive air quality network.
• Adopting fuel efficiency standards for heavy vehicles.
• Transition the freight and passenger train networks from diesel to electro-diesel.
• The installation of air filters to the West Gate Tunnel ventilation stacks.

In May 2023, the City of Maribyrnong declared a health emergency.

It is well established that air pollution leads to adverse health effects including asthma, cancer, strokes, heart attacks, adverse birth outcomes, neurotoxicity and multiple respiratory effects.

Key ask

Council is seeking actions that reduce emissions and facilitate zero-emission freight and industry. This includes upgrading and reducing the number of trucks on our local roads, encouraging our community to mode shift to active and public transport, reducing reliance on wood heaters and establishing low emission zones.

Our proximity to the Port of Melbourne results in significant freight movements through our municipality.

These major freight movements occur along our main roads passing housing, childcare centres, hospitals, and schools.

This, combined with a significant presence of industry, means that reducing air pollution will be difficult without targeted investment.

Find out more in our Air Quality Improvement Plan.