CHANT Launch Party
7pm Saturday 13th June
Come and party with us at our Fund Raising Launch Party!
Wonderful food and drinks
We need you to give generously
We welcome donations for our Launch Party auction
Darwin is an industrial city with an air pollution problem
Community Healthy Air NT (CHANT) was established in 2026 as a citizen science project to measure air quality in Darwin and Palmerston.
We aim to measure air pollutants produced by human activity that can impact human health, locate the source of pollution and report abnormal results to the relevant authority (NT EPA).
Why should we worry about industrial air pollution?
Industrial petrochemical and liquid nitrogen gas (LNG) processes produce dangerous air
pollutants called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that readily dissolve into the air.
Specifically, the BTEX chemicals (benezene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) are most
concerning to people and animals who breathe them into their lungs and causing damage to
their bodies.
Benzene is a harmful carcinogen - it causes cancer and is toxic at low levels.
There is no safe level of benzene in the air according to the World Health
Organisation.
VOCs react with other pollutants and sunlight to produce smog. Short term exposure to
smog can increase the risk of asthma and heart attacks, headaches and sinus irritation.
Long term exposure can worsen chronic health conditions and reduce life expectancy.
The current air monitoring program in Darwin and Palmerston does not measure
BTEX pollutants.
Measuring air pollution with a mobile BTEX air monitor
The first step to improve air quality is to identify and quantify the problem.
If the government does not have the capacity to monitor VOCs, citizen science can play an important role.
We will use a high-quality mobile air monitor to provide real-time, continuous air quality measurements in urban areas around Darwin and Palmerston.
The air quality data will be used to improve air quality in problem areas by identifying the potential source of the pollution.
We are collaborating with scientists from the International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health at the Queensland University of Technology to ensure the integrity of our project and data.
Help us
Want to get involved or learn more?
Email: info@healthyairnt.au
