The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation assumed responsibility for the Port Hedland Ambient Air Quality Network on 1 January 2022.
This fulfills a recommendation of the Port Hedland Dust Management Taskforce accepted by State Government in 2018. The Port Hedland monitoring network was established by port users in 2009 as part of developing an integrated approach to air quality monitoring in Port Hedland. The network has provided data and informed the work of the Dust Management Taskforce, supported the work of the regulator, provided the community with real-time information and assisted industry in the development of strategies and evaluation of dust impacts from the Port of Port Hedland.
Industry remains committed to implementing leading dust mitigation practices in Port Hedland and will continue to work with DWER to develop best-practice dust management guidelines for port operators.
Port users have invested heavily over the past decade to reduce dust emissions, and this will continue.
The network continues to be funded by industry and operated by a third-party dust specialist consultant with oversight from DWER.
PHIC members use real-time operations monitoring and meteorological data, and information from the DWER network, to inform operational decisions and alter on-site activities to minimise dust.