EPA Launches Lead Dust Monitoring in Tasmanian Towns Amid Health Concerns
LUTANA, TASMANIA - The Tasmanian Habitat Protection Authority (EPA) is initiating a comprehensive lead dust monitoring program in Lutana, Hobart, and Rosebery, prompted by growing concerns over potential health risks associated with past lead emissions.The program, beginning later this month in Lutana, aims to assess lead levels in dust - a factor previously not fully incorporated into risk assessments – and will inform a review of the EPA’s regulatory framework.
The initiative follows previous assessments, conducted 15 years ago, which primarily focused on lead in soil and concluded no immediate health harm was occurring. Though, Dr. veitch, a health expert involved in the assessments, acknowledged that lead in dust is “quite properly now considered one of the more critically important indicators of human health risk.”
The EPA will establish 45 monitoring sites across three zones in Lutana: areas with known soil contamination, a buffer zone to account for wind and plume migration, and background sites for baseline comparison. some residents will be asked to host monitoring equipment in their backyards. Testing in Rosebery is scheduled to follow before the end of the year.
The monitoring will measure both lead on surfaces and the amount of dust deposited daily. While the EPA currently offers precautionary advice to residents – including frequent handwashing before eating and consuming regular, well-balanced meals – Dr. Veitch stated he would not recommend blood testing for residents unless new assessments indicate increased risk. he also advised residents renovating older properties to test for lead-based paint before undertaking any stripping or sanding.
The initial design phase of the program is estimated to cost between $60,000 and $90,000, with total costs dependent on the program’s scope. Funding will come from the EPA and the state government, exceeding the EPA’s current budget.
Environmental and human health risk assessments for both Lutana and Rosebery are expected to be completed by mid-2026. A key outcome of the program will be a review of dust management regulations, with the EPA noting the current lack of an Australian standard for lead in deposited dust.
