Centre for Safe Air

10/12/2025

New research from the Centre for Safe Air shows simple measures can protect health during smoke events. 😷🔥💨

Collaborators from HEAL and the Centre for Safe Air found that surgical masks, while less effective at filtering smoke, still had a positive benefit to cost ratio along with P2/N95 masks and portable air cleaners with HEPA filters. All options provide health benefits that outweigh their costs—making them valuable tools for reducing PM₂.₅ exposure during bushfires and wood heating seasons. 🔗 Read more here

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution related to biomass combustion is an established driver of poor health outcomes. While interventions such as face masks and portable air cleaners (PACs) reduce exposure, the health benefits and cost effectiveness of these interventions are not well understood...

13/11/2025

Register now for the Centre for Safe Air's November webinar https://utas.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nsNzsRi3R-W7W0b3ZA5w-A

12/11/2025

🎉 Huge congratulations to Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska, Chief Investigator at the Centre for Safe Air, on receiving the 2025 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science! Her world-leading research into airborne particles and disease transmission has shaped global health policy and helped protect communities worldwide. We’re proud to have her leadership guiding our work. 👏🌏💨

09/10/2025

Register now to attend the Centre for Safe Air's October webinar, 'Climate and air: risks and solutions'. https://utas.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C_OTzZfsQIqmwq1a_alqFg

09/10/2025

Early bird registration for our landmark conference Safer shared air: Making the invisible visible ends tomorrow - don’t miss out!

We spend 90% of our time indoors - yet the air we breathe is often overlooked. This conference puts a spotlight on how indoor air quality affects health, equity and inclusion - and what we can do to make indoor air safer for everyone to breathe. We hope to see you there!

🗓 Thursday 6th November
📍 Parliament House, Canberra & online
🎟 Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/ssa-2025

06/09/2025

A reminder from the United Nations on this International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies https://www.un.org/en/observances/clean-air-day

The Centre for Safe Air is calling for Australia to develop a national health and clean air strategy. With more than 3000 deaths and hundreds of thousands more suffering air pollution related illnesses each year, we have a lot to gain.

05/09/2025

Register now for our September webinar, 'Traffic, cars and air' Presented by Dr Nicolás Borchers Arriagada –University of Tasmania & Jason Smith – Program Director, Real World Testing, Australian Automobile Association
https://utas.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-j00npt9TVm4xN7E4LFeHQ

22/08/2025

Professor Fay Johnston said Centre for Safe Air research showed "traffic pollution is the single-most important source of air pollution".

"If we're wanting to reduce chronic heart disease and illness and deaths, traffic pollution is a good place to look."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-22/traffic-pollution-study-estimates-1800-premature-deaths-per-year/105677620

Vehicle emissions may contribute to more than 1,800 premature deaths in Australia each year, according to the nation's first assessment of the health impact of traffic-related pollution.

11/08/2025

Register now for our August webinar, 'Gases and air' 💨🔥 with Dr Kathryn Emmerson (CSIRO) and Dr Nigel Goodman (University of Canberra)
https://utas.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WDtjQyUAROy8xhTNoslVAg

10/08/2025

“When people think of pollution they often picture smokestacks, vehicle exhaust and coal-fired power stations, but wood heaters pollute more fine particulate matter into the air we breathe than any of these sources,” said Professor Fay Johnston.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/09/a-burning-issue-why-its-time-to-ditch-the-wood-fired-heater-and-opt-for-eco-alternative

Wood burning is one of the biggest sources of fine particulate pollution in Australia. Here are ways to reduce emissions and improve your health

04/08/2025

The Centre for Safe Air was delighted to launch FireLab3, a globally-significant research facility for the study of bushfires, plant flammability, smoke emissions, air pollution and human health University of Tasmania.

FireLab3 combines three crucial research capabilities:
🔥 🌿 A flammability lab to conducting assessments of plant flammability,
🔥 🪵 A bioenergy lab to test domestic wood heater emissions, and
💨 😷 An exposure lab to simulate controlled smoke and temperature exposures

Watch the launch seminar: https://studio.youtube.com/video/mpFb_eY8eXI/edit
Read more: https://www.utas.edu.au/about/news-and-stories/articles/2025/firelab3-ignites-world-leading-research-in-climate,-fire-and-air-quality

30/07/2025

Australian wood heater standards do not reflect how much air pollution they produce.

As a result, Dr John Todd said, new wood heaters were up to 10 times more polluting than the standards suggested.

Professor Fay Johnston said, "No matter how good those standards get, they're not going to tell you much about how much we pollute."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-07-31/uleb-wood-heaters-emit-less-pollution-smoke-particulate/105544358

A new generation of low-emission wood heaters that produce a fraction of the particulate pollution of current models could save lives by improving air quality, researchers say.