CASANZ Innovation and Excellence in Air Quality Awards 2019: Winners announced
For immediate release
The 2019 Innovation and Excellence in Air Quality Awards were presented last week at the 24th International Clean Air
and Environment Conference, held in Queenstown, New Zealand.
The Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (CASANZ) conference brings together delegates from a variety of
disciplines within the air quality industry. The awards, presented at the conference’s Gala Dinner by special guest Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Associate Minister for the Environment include the prestigious Clean Air Medal, which is given to those who have gone beyond the call of duty in the name of
improving and preventing atmospheric pollution, and awards for Innovation, Industry Excellence, and Air Quality
Champions.
The recipients of this year’s Clean Air Medals were Dr John Innis, Dr Andrea Hinwood and Jack Chiodo.
Senior Scientific Officer, Air, at EPA Tasmania, Dr John Innis has been dedicated to innovating and enhancing novel methods for measuring and assessing the impact of wood smoke in
Tasmania, through the implementation of a low-cost automatic air quality monitoring network known as BLANkET (Base-Line
Air Network of EPA Tasmania).
Innis has been an active CASANZ member for many years and introduced a number of new initiatives to the Society,
including establishing the Biomass Smoke in the Human Environment workshops and the creation of BIOMASS SIG, for which
he acted as Chairman. He has also played pivotal roles in many other initiatives and programs throughout Australia.
Dr Andrea Hinwood became Chief Environmental Scientist at EPA Victoria in 2017. Since then, she has revitalised air quality science in Victoria through her contributions to several agencies,
government departments, universities and the community, as well as instigating a successful Air Quality Strategy for
Victoria that was adopted by the Minister. She also participates in national committees, and stands as a board member of
the Centre for Air Pollution, Energy and Health Research. She is a tireless advocate for keeping the Australian people
better informed about the air quality they enjoy and value, and in making sure that quality is maintained.
Jack Chiodo has been an active member of CASANZ for many years. He was awarded the honour of Distinguished Serviceman more than 10
years ago for contributions to the Society. He was instrumental in the development of the National Environmental
Protection Measures (NEPMs), working with the EPA in Victoria. He has been pushing to promote and improve standards in
submissions from the Society to government in many areas relating to air quality.
The Innovation Award was presented to Auckland company Aeroqual. This award recognises an innovation that has widespread application, a new technology or approach to a problem that
can benefit air quality. It can be awarded to an individual or to a company, and the project can be at any stage of
development.
Aeroqual has been an integral part of a team, led by the University of Auckland, which developed a system of low-cost, high
density, air quality monitors for Los Angeles. The project involved the deployment of a network at scale in association
with the South Coast Management District in Los Angeles, and showed how these systems can create data within a city with
a variety of air qualities. These systems were monitored from the Aeroqual operations centre in Auckland.
The Industry Excellence Award was presented to BHP Mt Arthur Coal. This award is given to an organisation that has shown to be having a demonstrable effect on air quality.
BHP Mt Arthur Coal is a mine in the Upper Hunter Valley, an area that is subject to scrutiny from surrounding communities due to high
airborne particulate levels. In order to mitigate this problem, BHP Mt Arthur Coal leveraged expert teams across
Australia to develop a Dust Control System. This system involves an extensive network of real-time dust and
meteorological monitors, which trigger alerts via a Business Intelligence Platform when the risk of airborne
particulates is high, enabling timely decision-making on site and rapid determination of dust sources. This in turn
helps the company to gain confidence from the community, and results in a more environmentally friendly operation.
The 2019 Air Quality Champion Award winners were Dr Fay Johnston and Bill Hackshaw These awards are given to individuals who played notable roles through their leading involvement in a project that
aided awareness, education and/or improvement in air quality over the past two years.
Dr Fay Johnston of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research is one of Australia’s leading epidemiologists studying the health impacts of wood smoke. She is the principal leader
and one of the creators of the AirRater project and smartphone app, which provides users with real-time air quality
information and pollen count estimates. The app can be customised for particular health concerns so that users can
receive tailored air quality alerts. Symptoms are also recorded and used for statistical epidemiology research into
smoke related health studies.
Bill Hackshaw, Managing Director of Brolube in Auckland, has been involved in a series of training days run by the Minerals and Extractions Safety Council and
WorkSafe NZ, to mitigate the risk from Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) exposure. He has introduced Cabin
Overpressure and Filtration to these groups, a system which eliminates the presence of RCS exposure in the enclosed area
of a machine cab or site control room. He will be following up this series of training days, which carry through to the
end of 2019, with site visits to increase awareness of the diseases caused by harmful airborne materials.
Nominated by other members of their team and the Society, the winners of these awards are much applauded by CASANZ and a
great night was had by all.
ENDS