Air quality

Ensuring good air quality for Western Sydney

Ensuring air quality is maintained is an important consideration for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI). 

As a minimum, the airport must meet the standards as set out in the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 1997. However, the design requirements of WSI takes these regulations as a starting point only and strives to do better wherever possible.

The construction phase is likely to generate some dust pollution. This will be suppressed with water sprays and revegetation. Some odour may be generated due to asphalt work, but this will largely be contained within the airport site.

The completed airport will incorporate best practice features such as clean-energy ground support vehicles, energy-efficient heating and cooling plants, fixed electrical ground power for aircraft sitting at gates, and preconditioned air supply to reduce aircraft burning fuel when stationed at gates.

As a result of these efforts, the effects on Western Sydney's air quality resulting from the airport will not be a significant increase for the region.

The Environmental Impact Statement found the emissions from the airport would be within relevant standards and represent a small increase of just 0.1 to 0.7 per cent of total emissions in the Sydney basin.

For more detailed information, see the Air quality factsheet and the Environmental Impact Statement.