Air quality and your health
The quality of air we breathe directly impacts our health. Air pollution can be found in both indoor and outdoor environments, and air quality is categorised on a scale from ‘good’ to ‘extremely poor’. While air quality in South Australia is generally reported by the EPA as ‘good’, exposure to air pollution can lead to health concerns such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
Air quality can be impacted by:
- industrial works
- vehicle emissions
- gas appliances, wood-burning fireplaces, and barbeques
- natural events, such as dust storms and bushfires
- pollen particles
- mould and dampness.
Symptoms
Children, pregnant people, older people, and people with pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions are more vulnerable and highly sensitive to air pollutants.
See your doctor if you experience symptoms, including:
- shortness of breath
- eye or skin irritation
- coughing or wheezing.
If you have an existing medical condition, such as asthma, follow your action plan or talk to your doctor about updating your plan.
Air quality and natural events
Some natural events can impact air quality which may subsequently impact your health:
Air quality and industry
Communities around some industries may be concerned about the air quality in their community and impacts on their health:
- Respirable Crystalline Silica for communities around mines and quarries (PDF 120KB)
- Lead in Port Pirie
- Dust in Port Augusta
More information
- Download this information as a fact sheet: Air quality and your health (PDF 136KB).
- The South Australian Environmental Protection Authority publishes the air quality category across South Australia. Health advice and recommended actions for the community depend on the air quality category.
- During the pollen season only, the daily pollen count for Adelaide is available via the Asthma Australia website.