ABSTRACT
Breathing is not optional, it is essential even for a short time, and air has to be used as it is found. The Times newspaper (1881) quoted:
'The air we receive at our birth and resign only when we die is the first necessity of our existence
Despite its essential ingredient to life, air quality has been historically variable and frequently to the detriment of human health. Nevertheless, our quality of life dramatically improved during the twentieth century. Now, however, a growing body of research has found that certain pollutants may affect human health at lower concentrations than had previously been thought. This concern has heightened public anxiety to the importance of improving and managing air quality. It is paramount that a resource as important as air quality is protected and managed for future generations (Department of the Environment (DoE), 1993).
