Eddy Haddad's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/level-33">Level 33</a> is levelling up its approved Wollongong development, as the coastal city south of Sydney continues to prove popular in the high-density development space.

Level 33, a longtime developer in the Wollongong area, has gone through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority to upsize its approved two-tower development on the corner of Crown Street and Gladstone Avenue, just 100 metres from Wollongong Station.

The developer currently has approval for 252 apartments across two buildings rising to 19 storeys. It is now seeking approval for 33 and 38-storey towers that would deliver 467 apartments, including 67 affordable homes.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bka-architecture">BKA Architecture</a>, the development would comprise apartments above a three-level podium with around 1,100 sqm of retail space, along with basement parking for 448 vehicles.

According to the Urban Design Report by BKA, the proposal has the capacity to "reinforce the precinct's identity by strengthening links between health, education, and transport services, while also contributing to Wollongong's ongoing evolution as a key regional centre."

Wollongong is somewhat in vogue. Between Level 33 and Urban Property Group, the two developers have several thousand apartments planned across the city.

Level 33 is currently delivering Easterly Wollongong, one of its most boutique projects to date with just 21 high-end apartments, as well as Atchison &amp; Kenny, a 329-apartment development due for completion later this year. The developer also plans to redevelop the 13,088 sqm WIN Grand megasite into a new $500 million precinct with nearly 600 apartments and has more than 900 apartments planned for the former Bunnings Warehouse site at the intersection of Gipps and Flinders streets.

Urban Property Group is also playing a major role in the city's transformation. Its five-tower Keira Place precinct will deliver more than 800 homes, and it has recently lodged plans for a further 300 apartments near Wollongong Station.

Joel Robinson

First look: Level 33 upsizes Wollongong apartment towers

Just a week after filing plans for the final stage of its major Keira Place masterplan, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has unveiled another significant housing proposal in Wollongong, this time targeting a prominent site opposite North Wollongong Station.

The developer has lodged a State Significant Development Application for a 38-storey mixed-use tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-4a-flinders-street-north-wollongong-nsw-2500">4-4A Flinders Street</a>, around one kilometre north of the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/keira-place-wollongong-120-122-smith-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Keira Place precinct</a> currently taking shape on the edge of the CBD.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 38-storey North Wollongong tower as Keira Place expansion gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b6428f1-6405-4038-8476-897de440e90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/flinders%20podium.png?VersionId=QLqEvK0OuCEwRC47oHNftrw2B1YqaHF8" />

Designed by Studio.SC, the proposal comprises a 38-storey mixed-use development containing 303 apartments, including 45 affordable housing units, alongside 174 co-living residences. The scheme also includes ground-floor retail space, extensive landscaping and public domain improvements.

Studio.SC noted in the proposal it "outlines a vision for a landmark transit-oriented mixed-use development centred around North Wollongong Station, designed to support the city’s future growth while responding to the NSW Government’s housing and planning reforms."

The architecture firm said the proposal responds to the opportunities and constraints shaping future growth within the 400-metre catchment of the station and represents "a coordinated and future-focused approach to urban intensification, contributing to the long-term evolution of North Wollongong as a connected, walkable and high-density station precinct."

The site occupies a strategic corner bounded by Flinders Street, Station Street, Stafford Street and the Princes Highway, directly opposite North Wollongong Station.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 38-storey North Wollongong tower as Keira Place expansion gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7863adad-1f71-4022-b850-f44b252738fd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/flinders%20podium%20a.png?VersionId=WsU7av0g8_8R2tGHWxgHeFSlhu7yeY1V" />

The proposal follows Urban Property Group's recent submission for the second and final stage of Keira Place, which would deliver a further three buildings comprising 657 homes opposite Beaton Park. It builds on the first stage, which features 150 apartments across two towers and recently commenced construction.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said breaking ground on the first stage marked a significant milestone for Wollongong and reflected the developer's long-term commitment to regional cities.

"Today's groundbreaking is about turning approvals into homes and moving quickly to deliver much-needed housing in Wollongong's city centre," Elias said.

"Keira Place will provide a diverse mix of homes close to jobs, transport and services, while setting a high benchmark for quality, durability and consumer protection."

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/urban-property-group-unveils-trio-of-towers-for-next-stage-of-new-wollongong-precinct-keira-place">Urban Property Group unveils trio of towers for next stage of new Wollongong precinct, Keira Place</a>

First look: Urban Property Group plans next major Wollongong tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/arada">Arada</a> has wasted little time expanding its ambitions in Campsie, lodging plans for a second major project in the rapidly transforming town centre just months after unveiling its three-tower One Campsie proposal on Beamish Street.

The UAE-backed developer has now taken aim at one of the suburb’s most strategically positioned sites, filing a State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/10-north-parade-campsie-nsw-2194">33-storey mixed-use tower</a> at 10 London Street and 43 North Parade, directly opposite the future Campsie Metro Station. The proposal is currently on public exhibition and represents another significant vote of confidence in Campsie's emergence as one of Sydney’s key transit-oriented growth centres.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the development would deliver 156 apartments above a podium containing retail and commercial space, creating a new residential and commercial gateway to the town centre. The scheme also includes a four-level above-ground parking podium and a dedicated residential amenity floor featuring wellness and recreation facilities. At least 10 per cent of the apartments would be allocated as affordable housing for a period of 10 years.

The proposal occupies a 1,631 sqm site bounded by London Street, North Parade and Dispensary Lane, immediately adjoining the future Metro station precinct and just metres from Beamish Street’s retail and dining strip. According to the Urban Design Report, the project seeks to deliver "a great place that prioritises human-scaled experience and provides spatial improvements to the area."

<img alt="First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="175a8324-015b-4856-abe3-ce6f23199fa7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium%20campsie.png?VersionId=742UGwXFhFBX4GEl6wX4PYIWREAgn6il" />

Woods Bagot describes the tower as a key marker within Campsie's next phase of growth.

"Located directly opposite the new Campsie Metro Station on North Parade, 10 London Street is a thoughtfully composed 33-storey mixed-use tower that contributes to the ongoing transformation of the town centre," the Architectural Design Report states. The report says the project is intended to provide "high-quality homes within a vibrant, connected urban environment, while helping define Campsie's future skyline."

A strong emphasis has been placed on the public realm. The ground floor incorporates over 500 sqm of retail space and active frontages along both London Street and North Parade, while the podium is wrapped by extensive landscaped planting intended to soften the building's scale and strengthen the pedestrian experience. The development would also widen surrounding footpaths and improve connections between the Metro station and the broader town centre.

Above the podium, residents would have access to more than 1,400 sqm of communal amenities, including a pool, gym and landscaped recreation spaces. A distinctive green-wall treatment extending across four podium levels forms a major architectural feature, helping differentiate the project within the emerging high-density precinct.

The tower's design is closely tied to the broader Campsie Town Centre Master Plan and the arrival of Sydney Metro. The Urban Design Report notes the proposal "directly supports the Campsie Town Centre Master Plan by delivering new homes in a location explicitly identified for growth, improved accessibility, and high-quality urban renewal." It adds that the project contributes to the master plan's vision for a strengthened town centre supported by thousands of new homes around the future Metro station.

<img alt="First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfd17654-253e-489a-bade-6278d63db412" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/base%20campsie.png?VersionId=3roJPMQGs36dazpkhvpvbDDP73Ld.Ica" />

The application follows Arada's recently lodged One Campsie project at 124–142 Beamish Street and 16–18 Ninth Avenue, where the developer is seeking approval for 346 apartments across three towers rising 24, 32 and 39 storeys. Together, the two proposals would cement Arada as one of the most influential developers shaping Campsie's future urban form.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-arada-files-for-trio-of-apartment-towers-in-campsie-town-centre">First Look: Arada files for trio of apartment towers in Campsie town centre</a>

Arada entered the Australian market in 2024 and has rapidly assembled a significant development pipeline across Sydney. Alongside its Campsie holdings, the developer is soon to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wattle-green-2-fishburn-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Wattle Green</a> in Castle Hill, and has expanded its local operations following its acquisition of construction firm Roberts &amp; Co.

Located around 14 kilometres south-west of the Sydney CBD, the site sits at the centre of one of Sydney's fastest-changing middle-ring precincts. The Metro conversion of Campsie Station, combined with Canterbury-Bankstown Council's master planning framework, is driving significant residential intensification around Beamish Street and North Parade, with thousands of new homes expected over coming decades.

First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans

For the first time in a long time, Australia's inflation story is starting to look more like a landing than a fight.

The latest Consumer Price Index figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed annual inflation eased to four per cent in May, down from 4.2 per cent in April. On the surface, that might not seem like a major move. Inflation remains above the Reserve Bank's target range and some categories continue to record stubborn price growth.

But the significance of this result lies less in where inflation sits today and more in what it means for where interest rates are likely heading next.

The biggest takeaway is that inflation continues to move in the right direction.

Markets had been bracing for another sticky result after a period where progress appeared to stall. Instead, headline inflation came in softer than expected, helped by falling fuel prices and easing transport costs. Annual transport inflation halved from 6.6 per cent in April to 3.3 per cent in May, while automotive fuel prices fell 11.9 per cent during the month following lower oil prices and the impact of reduced fuel excise measures.

While petrol prices don't solve Australia's affordability challenges, they are one of the most visible and immediate costs for consumers. Falling fuel costs feed through the economy quickly, helping ease pressure on household budgets and business operating expenses.

The ABS data also showed headline inflation is now sitting at its lowest annual level in several months, reinforcing the broader trend that price growth is gradually moderating.

That trend is important because it aligns with what many economists and lenders have been saying for the last month.

Prior to this week's inflation data, ANZ, NAB and Commonwealth Bank had all shifted their forecasts, now believing the Reserve Bank had likely reached the peak of the interest rate cycle. Following the May inflation release, ANZ reaffirmed that view.

In its latest economic update, ANZ said it expects quarterly trimmed mean inflation to come in at 3.7 per cent for the June quarter, slightly below the Reserve Bank's forecast of 3.8 per cent. Importantly, the bank said that outcome, when combined with slowing economic activity, "supports our view that the cash rate has peaked".

The Reserve Bank has spent the better part of three years attempting to bring inflation under control through higher interest rates. If Australia's major banks are correct and rates have now peaked, the conversation shifts from how much higher rates could go to when they might begin coming down.

Westpac's caution comes from underlying inflation. The trimmed mean, the measure most closely watched by the Reserve Bank, increased from 3.4 per cent to 3.6 per cent annually. Housing inflation remains elevated at 6.5 per cent, reflecting ongoing increases in rents, electricity costs and new dwelling construction.

Electricity prices remain particularly problematic, rising 21.1 per cent over the past year following the removal of government rebates.

Housing construction costs are also showing signs of renewed pressure. ANZ noted new dwelling costs rose 0.9 per cent in May and are now running at an annualised pace of 8.6 per cent over the past three months. Builders continue to face higher labour, fuel and material costs, a reminder that inflationary pressures have not completely disappeared.

Housing affordability has deteriorated largely because of higher interest rates rather than higher property prices alone. Even modest reductions in mortgage rates would improve borrowing capacity, increase buyer confidence and reduce repayment pressure on existing homeowners.

While August is far from a certainty, the latest inflation result has strengthened the view that the next move in rates is more likely to be down than up. For borrowers, buyers and the development sector, that alone represents a significant shift from the conversation that dominated much of the past two years.

The inflation result the property market was waiting for

Commercial property group FiveX is doubling down on its move into the residential space.

The group, founded by Joshua and Marko Berger more than five decades ago, has followed up its plans for a 39-storey tower on North Sydney's Alfred Street with a proposed 61-storey tower in Chatswood.

The new tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/815-pacific-highway-chatswood-nsw-2067">815 Pacific Highway</a>, which would be one of the tallest proposed in Chatswood in recent years, will comprise 490 apartments, 76 of which will be dedicated affordable housing and managed by Evolve Housing for a minimum of 15 years.

The project will replace the long-standing Panorama Building, originally known as the BMA Tower, a 14-storey office building completed in 1972 and designed by Hungarian-born architect Hugo Stossel. At the time of its completion, the building was the tallest structure in Chatswood and became a local landmark due to its distinctive curved form and external glass lift.

<img alt="FiveX" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="956bd299-3864-47a0-8ea6-162b5524c5d8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-24%20at%201.02.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=EWx7teUr7RcYrI9mgRytwppwt5AdUDtb" />

fjcstudio is behind the designs. Its Architectural Design Report argues the ageing commercial building no longer reflects Chatswood's role as one of Sydney's key strategic centres and that the site is ideally positioned to support significantly higher residential density.

"The site is located at the heart of Chatswood, within the TOD accelerated rezoning area that supports higher density development around the new Metro station," the report states.

"The site's role within a walkable 400-metre radius catchment is where housing, employment, retail and community uses are encouraged to cluster in support of transit-oriented living."

<img alt="fjc" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8d198f5e-cc71-4175-9357-be6ec7207473" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-24%20at%201.18.27%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=5WUFc3IYBPvhQMBUYLCsjJhzdcVeYodE" />

The proposal has undergone two rounds of review by the NSW State Design Review Panel, with the design evolving through an extensive assessment process focused on design excellence, public realm outcomes, residential amenity and the integration of affordable housing.

fjcstudio says the residential component provides a diverse mix of apartment typologies, supporting a broad demographic and contributing to housing supply in a highly accessible location close to major transport, employment and retail infrastructure.

The application follows FiveX's plans for a 39-storey tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">275 Alfred Street</a>, which it <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">submitted through the same NSW Government pathway</a> in December. That's for 184 apartments.

Recent activity in Chatswood includes Hyecorp launching its Archer Street project, Celine, and Develotek securing approval for a 34-storey tower.

First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans

Air Pollution

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Air quality on Australia’s roads matters. On any given day (when we’re not in lockdown) people meet, commute, exercise, shop and walk with children near busy streets. But to date, air quality monitoring at roadsides has been <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/4/217">inadequate</a>.
I and my colleagues wanted to change that. Using materials purchased from electronics and hardware stores for around A$150, we built our own air quality monitors.
Our <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231778">newly published research</a> reveals how our devices detected particulate pollution at busy intersections at levels ten times worse than background levels measured at official air monitoring stations.
Our open-source <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=info%3Adoi/10.1371/journal.pone.0231778.s001&amp;type=supplementary">design</a> means citizen scientists can make their own devices to measure air quality, and make the data publicly available.
This would provide more valuable data about city traffic pollution, giving people the information they need to protect their health.
Particulate matter: a tiny killer
Everyone is exposed to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/08958378.2011.593587">airborne particulate matter</a> emitted by industry, transport and natural sources such as bushfires and dust storms.
Particulate matter from traffic is a mixture of toxic compounds, both solid and liquid. It’s a well-known health hazard, particularly for children, the elderly, pedestrians, cyclists and people working on or near roads.
Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, referred to as PM2.5, is particularly harmful. To put this in context, a human hair is about <a href="http://npi.gov.au/resource/particulate-matter-pm10-and-pm25">100 micrometres</a> in width.
When inhaled, these fine particles can damage <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201404-0613ED">heart and brain function, circulation</a>, <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201410-1875OC">breathing</a> and the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S100107421732764">immune and endocrine systems</a>. They have also been linked to <a href="http://npi.gov.au/resource/particulate-matter-pm10-and-pm25">cancer</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935115300207">low birth weight</a> in newborns.
Do-it-yourself air monitoring
Highly reliable equipment to measure air quality has <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/5677343">traditionally been expensive</a>, and is not deployed widely.
Official air quality monitoring <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/1/189/htm">usually</a> takes place open spaces or parks, to provide an averaged, background reading of pollution across a wide area. The monitoring stations are not typically placed at pollution sources, such as power stations or roads.
However there is growing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1352231011002299">evidence</a> that people travelling outdoors near busy city roads are exposed to high levels of traffic emissions.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/331238/original/file-20200429-110761-ygbw42.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
 An air quality monitor built by the researchers and painted purple, attached to a light pole in Liverpool, Sydney. Author supplied
Air quality monitors can be bought off the shelf at low cost, but their readings are not always reliable.
So I and other researchers at the University of Wollongong’s SMART Infrastructure Facility made our own monitors. They essentially consist of a sensor, weatherproof housing, a controller and a fan. Anyone with basic electronics knowledge and assembly skills can make and install one. The monitor connects to the internet (we used <a href="https://www.thethingsnetwork.org">The Things Network</a>) and the software required to run it and collect the data is available for free <a href="http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3627394">here</a>.
The weatherproof housing cost about A$16 to make. It consists of PVC plumbing parts, a few screws and small pieces of fibreglass insect screen, which can be bought at any hardware store.
Sensors can be bought from electronics retailers for little as A$30, but many are not tested, calibrated or overseen by experts and can be <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231778">inaccurate</a>. We tested three, and chose the Novasense SDS011, which we bought for A$32.
A controller is needed to run the monitor and send data to the internet. We bought ours from an online retailer for under A$60. A fan, needed to circulate air through the housing, was bought from Jaycar for A$14.
Accounting for wiring and a few other parts, our monitors cost under A$150 each to make - ten times cheaper than mid-grade commercial detectors – and produce reasonably accurate results.
What we found
Following community meetings, we deployed our sensors at nine key locations and intersections around Liverpool in Western Sydney, a region which has traditionally suffered from poor air quality.
Our monitors have been in place since March 2018, placed close to pedestrian height on structures such as light poles, shade awnings or walls.
They have detected roadside measurements of PM2.5 at values of up to 280 micrograms per cubic metre in morning peak traffic. This is more than <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231778">ten times</a> the readings at the nearest official monitoring station. The severity of the pollution and how long it lasts depends on how bad the traffic is.
These findings are <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/4/217">comparable</a> to other studies of busy roads.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/331244/original/file-20200429-110761-wu324r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
 Pollution from vehicle emissions can have serious health consequences. Dean Lewins/AAP
Breathing easier
Our experience of roadside air quality can be improved in a number of ways.
Obviously, exposure to air pollution is worst at peak traffic times, so plan your travel to avoid these times, if possible.
Pollution levels <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/4/217">drop quickly</a> with distance from busy roads and can be at near background levels just one block away. So try to detour along quieter back streets or through parks.
Barriers, such as dense roadside vegetation, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231017303151?via%3Dihub">can shield pedestrians</a> from pollution. Children in prams are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019345593">more exposed</a> to traffic pollution than adults, as they are closer to the level of vehicle exhaust pipes. Pram covers can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019345593">reduce infants’ exposure</a> by up to 39%.
Of course, the best way to reduce air pollution from traffic is to have fewer vehicles on our roads, and cleaner fuel and engines.
In the meantime, we hope our low-cost technology will prompt citizen scientists to develop their own sensors, producing the data we need to breathe easy in city streets.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hugh-forehead-1047887">Hugh Forehead</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-quality-near-busy-australian-roads-up-to-10-times-worse-than-official-figures-137227">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Air quality near busy Australian roads up to 10 times worse than official figures

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Sydney and its suburbs have been enveloped in haze over the past few days. The haze is a mixture of bushfire smoke and dust blown in from western New South Wales. As particles move from rural locations, like Gospers Mountain in this case, they make grey cities.
In Australia, dust blurs the distinction between the bush and the city. Elsewhere it blurs the farmlands with the concrete jungles, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/indonesias-huge-fires-and-toxic-haze-will-cause-health-problems-for-years-to-come-124556" target="_blank">nation-states with regions</a>.
<a href="http://societyandspace.org/2019/03/17/spiral/" target="_blank">Spiralling dust</a> challenges our usual ways of thinking about bush, farm, industry, rich city and poor city divides. It travels across geographical and socioeconomic boundaries. There is no easy way to stop it.
Dust’s composition and unfettered mobility <a href="https://www.stateofglobalair.org/health/sources" target="_blank">make it a global epidemic</a>. Once airborne, dust spares no one in its path. It sits in the lungs of cities and citizens. It is stubbornly difficult to eradicate.
The harms of dust
The dust brings with it old and new anxieties about life, death and disease. Air pollution caused <a href="https://www.stateofglobalair.org/health" target="_blank">2.4 million deaths in India and China</a> in 2017.
Last week, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/delhi-is-engulfed-by-toxic-pollution-why-isnt-anyone-wearing-masks/2019/11/14/bb4adfe4-0643-11ea-9118-25d6bd37dfb1_story?outputType=amp" target="_blank">Delhi</a> and <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/haze-singapore-unhealthy-range-november-nea-12088930" target="_blank">Singapore</a> reported serious air pollution from agricultural fires and industrial emissions. <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/diu/story/stubble-burning-dips-in-north-india-satellite-data-show-1619716-2019-11-16" target="_blank">Particles from crop burning</a> in the neighbouring states of Haryana and the Punjab and <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/finance-commission-likely-to-reject-12-billion-package-to-help-utilities-cut-pollution/articleshow/72136898.cms?from=mdr" target="_blank">power plants</a> took Delhi’s air quality index to <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/diu/story/stubble-burning-dips-in-north-india-satellite-data-show-1619716-2019-11-16" target="_blank">dangerously high levels</a>.
Dust is also generated from within cities, particularly from construction sites. Regulatory bodies seek to <a href="https://societyandspace.org/2019/07/11/breaking-the-ground/" target="_blank">contain these sites within enclosures</a>. Where the regulatory frameworks are weak, environmental bodies impose fines.
<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/construction-dust-open-waste-dumping-top-polluting-activities/articleshow/67445201.cms" target="_blank">Construction dust adds significantly to air pollution</a> in Indian cities. In Kolkata, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/building-materials-add-to-air-pollution-in-calcutta/cid/1699147" target="_blank">construction materials are stored on sidewalks and roads</a>. Even with fines, it is nearly impossible to make barriers that can contain dust.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302846/original/file-20191121-479-i4bqwy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302846/original/file-20191121-479-i4bqwy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Workers spray water as a dust control measure at a construction site in Parramatta, Sydney. Malini Sur, Author provided.
Haze can be seen, but the threats of dust are often invisible. Dust plumes <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/27/dust-storms-diseases-sydney" target="_blank">can carry bacteria and viruses</a>. Dust can <a href="https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/bb145a804f951ad6ab5bab0ba45b835a/Port+Augusta+Dust+and+your+health+information+2017.FINAL.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&amp;CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-bb145a804f951ad6ab5bab0ba45b835a-mN5ShjC" target="_blank">cause a variety of respiratory and circulatory diseases</a>.
In Singapore, dust mites have been claimed to be the <a href="https://www.asianscientist.com/2014/02/health/dust-mites-main-allergies-singapore-2014/" target="_blank">main cause</a> of respiratory allergies.
The colours of dust
Dust gathers colour. In Australia, <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/natural-wonders/massive-red-dust-storm-sweeps-over-new-south-wales/news-story/1eb304c90ccfa8842f2bb553bb65de70" target="_blank">dust storms are typically red</a>.
The so-called “Asian dust storms” are yellow. <a href="https://asiasociety.org/korea/hwang-sa-yellow-dust" target="_blank">Originating in the deserts of Northern China and Mongolia</a>, strong winds carry yellow dust all the way to the Korean Peninsula via the jet stream.
These storms have increased in China, and the levels of industrial pollutants in the dust often have too. Yellow dust also <a href="https://asiasociety.org/korea/hwang-sa-yellow-dust" target="_blank">carries viruses, fungi, bacteria and even heavy metals</a>, none of which is good for respiratory health.
Earlier this year, Thailand was affected by yellow dust. Authorities in Bangkok used <a href="https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1611010/bangkok-fires-water-cannon-into-the-air-to-fight-pollution" target="_blank">water cannons</a> and even <a href="https://www.thaipbsworld.com/cloud-seeding-results-in-brief-rain-over-parts-of-bangkok/" target="_blank">cloud seeding</a> in attempts to limit the dust’s effects.
Singapore is periodically <a href="https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/air-quality-eastern-singapore-enters-unhealthy-range-haze-due-particulate-matter" target="_blank">enveloped in grey</a> dust.
<h2>The history of dust</h2>
Today, talk of smoke, haze and smog is common to the world’s cities. Once dust settles, we become habituated to it. Dust resides in landscapes and humans. And dust tells stories about historical wrongs.
Australia has a long history of death from exposure to asbestos dust. Dust <a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/when-dust-ends-in-death-how-asbestos-devastated-wittenoom-ng-b88930946z" target="_blank">wiped out the town of Wittenoom</a> in Western Australia.
The <a href="https://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/history/" target="_blank">first documented asbestos death</a> was recorded in the UK in 1906. Although asbestos has been known since then to be deadly, it continues to be a stubborn presence around the world. Worldwide consumption of asbestos is <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131021061734/http:/www.silverdell.plc.uk/images/downloads/Silverdell_History_of_Asbestos.pdf" target="_blank">nearly as high as it has ever been</a>.
In the early 1930s, overcultivation of wheat on the Great Plains of the US created the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl" target="_blank">Dust Bowl</a>. Overploughing, poor land management and severe drought left the topsoil exposed. Spring winds picked up this loose soil, resulting in “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl" target="_blank">black blizzards</a>”.
The dust affected <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/dust-bowl" target="_blank">huge swathes of the country, including the cities of Chicago and New York</a>. It deepened the economic crisis of the Great Depression and caused mass migration.
Haze from forest fires has been a regular occurrence in Singapore <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/sites/default/files/attachments/2015/10/02/haze_covers_whole_island_oct_28_1977.pdf" target="_blank">since at least the 1970s</a>. These have originated in the south of Malaysia, Borneo and Sumatra. In the 1990s, transboundary pollution became the subject of two regional summits, leading to the <a href="http://haze.asean.org/?wpfb_dl=32" target="_blank">ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution</a> in 2002.
In 2014, Singapore passed the <a href="https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/THPA2014" target="_blank">Transnational Haze Pollution Act</a>. This law enables regulators to prosecute companies and individuals, even <a href="https://www.wri.org/news/2014/08/statement-singapore%E2%80%99s-new-haze-pollution-law-%E2%80%9C-new-way-doing-business%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">beyond the nation-state’s borders</a>, that cause air pollution.
<h2>A pervasive challenge for cities</h2>
Our bodies create dust and dust enters our bodies. <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/house-dust-mite" target="_blank">Species emerge that live off dust</a>.
What makes dust harder to reckon with in our imaginations is that its particles are almost invisible and its source is generally unknown. It is an amalgam of an uncountable number of sources, often from many different countries and producers.
Whether resulting from geological events, deforestation, construction or some indeterminate combination of each, our inability to pinpoint dust’s source makes climate accountability extremely difficult.
A key focus for cities now and in the future is to think about how we manage dust, the plans and practices we put in place to limit dust creation and contain its spread.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127515/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Malini Sur, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University.
Eric Kerr, Lecturer, National University of Singapore.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-sydney-and-other-cities-have-in-common-dust-127515" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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