What is the Air Quality and Respiratory Health Study (study)?

The Air Quality and Respiratory Health Study is looking at the health of residents who live in the Ryde, Lane Cove and Willoughby areas near the soon to be completed Lane Cove Tunnel. The study will see whether changes in traffic patterns after the opening of the Lane Cove Tunnel will improve, worsen or not influence residents’ health.

Why is the study being conducted?

The study is being conducted because the local community and local councils have expressed concerns about possible health impacts related to the opening of the Lane Cove Tunnel. The study provides an opportunity to further our understanding of possible health effects related to this tunnel and other transport infrastructure projects more broadly. This is the only study of its kind to be conducted in Australia and is expected to provide valuable information on the relationship between local road pollution and health.

Who is conducting the study?

The NSW Health Department has contracted the Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways who has engaged the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research to conduct the study. The institute is internationally renowned for its research into respiratory health and illness, is accredited by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) as an independent research institute and is a member of the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes and Research Australia.

The analysis and reporting of the study’s findings will be independent and the NSW Health Department will not have a direct role in planning, conducting, analysing or reporting the study’s findings. The Environmental Health Branch of the NSW Health Department is providing secretariat support to the expert advisory group. Further information on the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research may be found on their website http://www.woolcock.org.au

How will the study run and who will be involved?

Adults and children from three regions with varying changes in pollution levels near the Lane Cove Tunnel and a control region away from the Lane Cove Tunnel will be surveyed. One of these regions will be the area adjacent to the two ventilation stacks. It is planned that the residents of 2000 households will be involved in the study.

People will be surveyed by face-to-face interviews to ask about respiratory symptoms including symptoms such as eye, nose & throat irritation and cough, wheeze and shortness of breath. Changes in symptoms will be related to changes in pollution levels between the four areas to see if there have been any health impacts following the opening the tunnel.

In addition to the main part of the study a sub group of children will be asked to participate in a “diary study”. This part of the study will ask children & their parents to record respiratory symptoms and will involve some tests of respiratory function.

Are health impacts expected as a result of opening the tunnel?

An Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted as part of the approval process for the construction of the Lane Cove Tunnel. The assessment predicted local air quality would improve for the majority of the area although there would be a small increase in pollution levels around the feeder roads to the tunnel. However, these predicted increases are below those that have been demonstrated to cause adverse health impacts. Overall, adverse health impacts are unlikely and there may be beneficial health impacts given the predicted improvements in the majority of the area. The study will allow us to measure the overall impacts upon health related to the opening of the tunnel.

How can I be involved in the study?

The Woolcock Institute for Medical Research will approach local community members and invite them to be involved in the study. There will not be a call for volunteers to participate because it is important in this study for residents to be randomly selected. This will ensure a truly representative group of residents is involved in the study.

Who was involved in determining the study design?

The study design has been determined by the Woolcock Institute for Medical Research. The NSW Chief Health Officer has convened an independent expert advisory group to provide the researchers with advice and assistance on study design options. Professor Bruce Armstrong, Professor of Public Health from the University of Sydney, chairs this expert group. The advisory group includes experts in epidemiology, public health, air modelling, air pollution research and biostatistics. Lane Cove council has nominated an independent expert to be part of the group.

When will the results be available?

Information on health status prior to the opening of the tunnel will be available before the end of the year. The most important information will relate to a change in health symptoms, therefore, the main results will not be available until after the tunnel opens.

The follow-up results will be collected in the second half of 2007 with the final results likely to be available in early 2008. In the interim local air pollution levels may give us an indication of the impact of the tunnel’s opening. Air pollution levels are already available from the local community monitoring stations and changes in levels will be able to be detected as these are constantly monitored.

Is the local community involved in planning the study?

Designing a study such as the one proposed is scientifically complex and as a result the NSW Chief Health Officer established an expert advisory group to advise the Woolcock Institute on study design. Lane Cove Council has accepted an offer to nominate an expert to participate in the group on behalf of the local community it represents.

How will the results be reported to the community?

The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research will provide a final report on the tudy in 2008. This report will be publicly released and its findings will be presented to interested community members in a public forum.

What will be done with the findings of the study?

The findings of this study will be presented to other government agencies and its implications for present and future transport infrastructure operation and planning discussed.

The study does not have the capacity to directly evaluate possible future options for the management of traffic related pollution nor technologies that may be able to achieve this, however it will be able to help us identify when management options are needed.

The findings of this research will also be used to improve the general understanding between air pollution, transport infrastructure and health effects in Australia.