Carbon monoxide forms through the incomplete combustion of fuels containing carbon.
Carbon monoxide monitoring takes place in Queensland at:
- four locations next to major roads in Southeast Queensland (since 2000)
- two coal seam gas production areas in South West Queensland (2018 to June 2023)
- one site near industry in Gladstone (since 2009).
Maximum eight-hour average concentrations at roadside locations have declined by 80% or more over the past two decades. Current levels are less than 15% of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM air quality standard of 9ppm.
In urban areas, motor vehicles are the largest carbon monoxide producers. Despite more vehicles on the road, emission controls such as catalytic converters have helped significantly reduce carbon monoxide emissions and corresponding levels in the air in recent years.
Concentrations of carbon monoxide at the South West Queensland and Gladstone monitoring locations are well below the Ambient Air Quality NEPM air quality standard of 9ppm. In these non-roadside locations, carbon monoxide levels often correlate with bushfire or hazard-reduction burning emissions.
