MOD 3 - ventilation outlet limit

The potential pollution level for surrounding areas is unacceptable.

The pollution will hurts thousands kids around the area. There are lots primary schools around the area. I am one of the mums getting so worried.

I object to increasing the limit from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3. The stack is located within 1 km of Hornsby hospital, a healthcare facility that cares for acutely unwell patients, many with respiratory illnesses. In 2014, a group of 200 local medical doctors signed a petition that the emission stack should be filtered. As a medical doctor that works and also lives in the local area, I demand that the emission stack be filtered. My children also attend schools within 500m of the emission stack, and it is a known health risk to release volatile organic compounds into the air. There is NO KNOWN SAFE LEVEL of exposure to VOCs. The health risk and long-term harm of exposure to these carcinogens should not be dismissed, and if a filter is not installed, there will no doubt be an increase in respiratory and other illnesses in this area near the emission stack. Not filtering and increasing the level of VOCs from the emission stacks is an unacceptable health risk, that NorthConnex are only proposing to make more money.

I OBJECT to the degradation to the proposed modification which represents even higher level of tunnel emissions.

Our local community including Abbotsleigh Junior School, Abbotsleigh Senior School and Abbotsleigh Parents Association strongly condemns this request for modification of VOC (Volatile organic compounds) levels. Think about what will happen when our children are exposed to the tunnel and diesel emissions day in day out!!!!!

I demand for filtration of the tunnel emissions from the Wahroonga ventilation stack. It is absolutely unacceptable to have no filtration planned for the pollution stack or in-tunnel air. It is considered to be extremely irresponsible on the part of NorthConnex as well as NSW Government requesting an increase in the allowable levels of pollutants. This is in contrary to the practice of most modern and developed cities around the world, like Madrid, Rome and Hong Kong to name a few.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified diesel emissions as a Group 1A carcinogen, which is the same class as asbestos, arsenic and mustard gas. The tiny and invisible particulates deposit deep into lung tissue permanently and can pass into the blood and end up in any organ including the brain. Short and long-term exposure can include asthma attacks, bronchitis, and respiratory issues, hear attacks, strokes, cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer and the list goes on. These particulates are known to cause or exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses, impair lung development in children and cause heart disease and cancers. Children show reduced lung function growth which persist later into life, even when exposure stops, i.e. the damage for growing lungs is permanent.

Thank you in advance for your attention and your support in implementing filtration of the tunnel emissions from the Wahroonga ventilation stack.

Regards,
Andy Cheung

Please find below my submission in response to - EXHIBITION OF STATE SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATION REQUEST NORTHCONNEX(M1-M2) PROJECT- MODIFICATION- SS6136 MOD 3

Firstly I would like to state that I/we OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

I have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. I am highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations in the previous two years

Please find below my submission in response to - EXHIBITION OF STATE SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATION REQUEST NORTHCONNEX(M1-M2) PROJECT- MODIFICATION- SS6136 MOD 3

Firstly I would like to state that I OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

I have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. I am highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations in the previous two years

Please find below my submission in response to - EXHIBITION OF STATE SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATION REQUEST NORTHCONNEX(M1-M2) PROJECT- MODIFICATION- SS6136 MOD 3

Firstly I would like to state that I OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

I have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. I am highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations in the previous two years

The NSW Government should install filtration systems on all current and future motorway tunnels to reduce the level of pollutants emitted from ventilation stacks. Whilst the levels of Volatile Organic Compounds are being deemed safe by our current medical and scientific knowledge, this knowledge is constantly changing. My daughters school Abbotsleigh is at Wahroonga, close to a ventilation stack. Please don't use my daughters life to gamble on being right.
Regards
Penelope Gleen
BSc Dip Chem Ind

Firstly we would like to state that we OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

We have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

Our kids go to school in this suburb and will be for the next 13 years.

2. We are highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my/our concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations.

11th September 2019 5 Bedford Road
North Epping 2121
[email protected]


Director, Transport Assessments
Major Projects Team
NSW Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment

Re: Submission in Response to State Significant Infrastructure Modification SSI-6136-Mod-3 – Modification to Northconnex Ventilation Outlet Limit.

Dear Sir,

I am making this submission as the grandparent of two young girls (aged 4 and 8) currently attending Abbotsleigh Junior School. I would like to express my strong objection to the modification request by the RMS to amend Condition of Approval E11 to raise the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg / m3 to 4mg / m3. This is based on the following concerns:

1) Potential adverse impacts of this change on the 17 schools and childcare centres within a km of the stack (including Abbotsleigh Junior School) have not been adequately considered
2) Concerns regarding adverse health impacts, particularly on children and the elderly, have been raised by the Australian Medical Association NSW and the Asthma Foundation NSW.
3) NorthConnex will emit 500 micrograms per cubic metre of diesel particulates. The normal level across Sydney is between 8 and 25 micrograms. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified diesel emissions as a Group 1A carcinogen, which is the same class as asbestos, arsenic and mustard gas. These particulates are known to cause or exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses, impair lung development in children and cause heart disease and cancers. As my four-year-old granddaughter has been diagnosed with asthma, this is of particular concern to me.
4) The WHO, as well as other scientific reviews, have concluded that there is no safe level of fine particulate matter (such as that which will be released from the NorthConnex stack) for children.
5) Original modelling of the dispersal of air pollution used weather patterns from other parts of Sydney, including Terrey Hills, 20 kilometres away, and Sydney Airport. Actual weather patterns in the Wahroonga area are likely to result in less dispersal of air pollution.
6) My understanding is that many of the health impacts of pollution from exhaust stacks are caused by ultrafine particles, which are difficult to measure and as such may be under-measured in tests of local air quality around these stacks.


There has been inadequate consultation by the RMS with the local community, including the parents of children attending local schools, about the potential impact of the proposed modifications. Further, this modification request is quite sudden, and the limited time allowed for submissions is manifestly insufficient.

I would respectfully make the following requests of the NSW Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment:

1) Withhold approval of State Significant Infrastructure Modification SSI-6136
2) Mandate the installation of filtration at ventilation outlets by RMS to reduce VOC emissions into the air, noting that filtration at tunnels is an international standard and is Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the impact of the Westconnex Project. Further, I would request that it be mandated that such filtration be operational at all times.


I have not made any political donations in the last two years.



Sincerely,


Gwenda Charlson.

I object to the request for modification of VOC (Volatile organic compounds) levels; This stack is in close proximity to school - namely Abbotsleigh School (Junior and Senior).

The NorthConnex tunnel operators have requested a 400% increase in the allowed level of pollutants known as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) to be emitted unfiltered from the Wahroonga pollution stack near my daugther's school- Abbotsleigh.

Elevated levels of VOC’s, diesel particulates and other pollutants are a health risk. A letter of concern about NorthConnex signed by over 200 local doctors in 2014 warned:
“International air pollution experts state there is no safety threshold to the amount of air pollution causing health impacts, hence there is no “safe level”. The smallest amount of air pollution will have a corresponding amount of health impact. Even low dose exposures to particulate matter have been demonstrated to have significant health risks.”

As such, I demand for filtration of the tunnel emissions from the Wahroonga ventilation stack OR at the minimum no modiciation should be allowed to the current VOC level.

11 September 2019

Director – Transport Assessments
MAJOR PROJECTS TEAM
NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Application Number: SSI 6136 MOD3
GPO Box 39
SYDNEY NSW 2001

EXHIBITION OF STATE SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATION REQUEST NORTHCONNEX PROJECT (SSI-6136 MOD 3) MODIFICATION REQUEST- Amendment of VOC ventilation outlet limit

I do not agree with the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets - Limits, of the approval, to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3.

I note that the NorthConnex Tunnel is not to be installed with filtration despite the 17 December 2018 NSW Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee ‘The Impact of the WestConnex Project’ – Recommendation 13: “That the NSW Government install, on all current and future motorway tunnels, filtration systems in order to reduce the level of pollutants emitted from ventilation stacks”.

NorthConnex is primarily designed for trucks and forms the missing link in Australia’s Eastern Freight Corridor. At 9km in length, it is approximately twice the recommended length to be fitted with a Longitudinal Ventilation system. Assuming normal traffic travelling at 80Km/hr, peak in-tunnel pollution will be massive at the end of the tunnel and 18kms (2 lanes x 9km) of emissions will be pumped out unfiltered 24/7 near the end of Burns Rd, Wahroonga, close to homes, many schools and Hornsby Hospital.
Volatile Organic Compounds contained in diesel emissions are very dangerous to human health, and there is no safe level of exposure. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable and many thousands of children attend schools located within 1.5km of the northern stack. Any increase in the emissions will increase the risk and likely severity of the impacts.

Over recent years, the medical profession, including the World Health Organisation and the Public Health Association of Australia have given very clear warnings about exposure to diesel pollution – Diesel particulates are a Group 1A carcinogen, just like asbestos and there is no safe level of exposure. The approved NorthConnex EIS will mean more toxic diesel particulates for Wahroonga. If this amendment is approved, the level of VOCs in Wahroonga will be higher than the current approval. This cannot happen and must be refused.

In November 2013, Adam Cougle, Head of Advisory & Equity Solutions at Commonwealth Bank supported a proposal to the NSW Government, the Equilibria Proposal. It took advantage of local topographic conditions to resolve a flat tunnel (0% gradient) alignment which would have located the stack outside the residential area, in the Hornsby industrial area, reducing in-tunnel emission by some 50%. The reclaimed redundant M1 land was then given back to the suburb for housing within walking distance of Wahroonga village and train station, in tune with the December 2010 NSW Government Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036. The 10 hectares of up-zoned land was calculated to be worth some $500M, a figure similar to the cost of the relevant tunnel extension. A win, win solution.
See: https://www.facebook.com/equilibriaproposal

Why should the community of Wahroonga now accept an 400% increase in VOC pollution emitted from the unfiltered stack when the rejected Equilibria Proposal was an option back in 2013?

The NSW Government has a duty of care to prevent any increase in zero threshold pollutants, such as VOCs and diesel particulates, both to tunnel users and the community living in the vicinity of the stack. To facilitate this, a critical examination of options, including in-line filtration, stack filtration and/or additional ventilation facilities along the tunnel, should be undertaken.

It is my opinion that the NorthConnex tunnel, as designed, is too dangerous to use even without an approval to increase VOC pollutants by 400%.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Georgiades
Principal

E Q U I L I B R I A
_________________________________________
A+ Member of the NSW Institute of Architects
NSW Architects Registration Board No. 6789.

Firstly we would like to state that we OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

We have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

Our grandkids go to school in this suburb and will be for the next 15 years.

2. We are highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my/our concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations.

Firstly we would like to state that we OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

We have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

Our grandkids go to school in this suburb and will be for the next 15 years.

2. We are highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my/our concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations.

Firstly we would like to state that we OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

We have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. We are highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address our concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations in the previous two years

Charlotte Liu

Firstly I would like to state that I OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

I have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. I am highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

I have not made any political donations in the previous two years.

The air coming out of North Connex at both Wahroonga or West Pennant Hills needs to be filtered. We have such a good transport intiative, why can't it be better by providing a filtration so the particals are collected disposed in the places (or the way) it should be.

Firstly I would like to state that I OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. That is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3.

I have a high level of concern regarding the following issues:

1. The increased level of VOC's from 1mg/m3 to 4mg/m3 will increase the concentrations of emissions from the northern ventilation stack in a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. I am highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems. Specifically, many of the VOC's, including benzene and formaldehyde from vehicle exhaust, are classified as Group 1 carcinogens to humans (IARC 2009). When VOC's and NOx react in the presence of sunlight, ozone is formed. In the short term, exposure to ozone can result in reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as irritation and inflammation of eyes, nose, throat and lower airways. In the long term, as well as causing cancer, there is a growing body of evidence to support that exposure to ozone increases death from respiratory and cardiovascular causes. There is currently inconsistent evidence to indicate there is a threshold below which exposure to ozone is not associated with adverse health effects. That is to say, there is NO SAFE LEVEL.

To address my concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:
1. Due to the significant health concerns that will occur in the community, I request the department of planning does not approve of the proposed modifications
2. That the ventilation outlet emissions are filtered before release into the air, as per Recommendation 13 in the December 2018 NSW Parliament Legislative Council Public Accountability Committee Report on the Impact of the WestConnex Project.

attached

SUBMISSION Re: SS1-6136-Mod-3
I OBJECT to the modification request by RMS to amend condition of approval E-11- Ventilation Outlets-Limits. This is to modify the approved Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) limit from 1mg/m3 to 4 mg/m3. This is apparently due to an oversight.
This is extremely concerning for many reasons.
1. A project’s viability is based upon its original EIS process. This can't be changed due to a typographical error. It makes a mockery of the process and smacks of a poorly thought through project.
Where are the studies indicating a 400% increase in VOC levels is safe to human health?
You have a duty of care to ensure projects are done properly or not at all, particularly when there is so much risk to health of human beings. There has been so much more evidence since 2014 of the extremely negative impact this type of pollution has on people. It was dangerous at 1mg/m (cubed) and by raising it to to 4mg/m (cubed) is unconscionable.
2. The increase in emission levels is four times the original submission and sweeping statements are made by the RMS that are not qualified. This includes a statement made by S.Shand that ”An amended VOC limit will result in little, if any change to local air quality for the surrounding community and no mitigation measures are required.” I strongly take issue with this statement.
3. There is no level of confidence in other technical aspects of the project now that such a fundamental error has only just been identified?
4. The design of the 9km tunnel which was to have been made to accommodate diesel trucks does not have adequate ventilation. Tunnel ventilation engineers know that the efficiency of longitudinal ventilation reduces with length and added fans need to be installed to pull the air through. Without regular exhausting and the addition of fresh air, the quality of the air in tunnels (especially heavily trafficked or with a high proportion of diesel vehicles) becomes increasingly problematic. Overseas practice includes filtration for long urban/high trafficked tunnels, and if this is not attainable, diesel vehicles are prohibited from using the tunnels.
Also ventilation stacks should not be placed in urban areas.
In essence, the proposed raising of the VOC limit is ridiculous.
Please consider the following:
1. Keep the original emission rate limit 1mg/m3, so that any abnormal emission can be exposed and trigger a notification for proper handling
2. Install more pollution monitor stations, and collect as much as possible so that in future ther eis a way to verify if the tunnel has no impact on our environment
3. Increase the stack height; current stack height is ~26m only
4. Most importantly install filters into stacks, to actually reduce the emissions.

Future governments will rue the day this project was not handled responsibly. And it will be on your head should litigation from health affected proponents materialise in 5, 10, 20+ years’ time.
Yours faithfully
Ian Frame