For years, Darwin residents have been concerned about toxic chemicals emitted by the city’s two gas export facilities.
In fact, some locals are so worried about these airborne chemicals – particularly benzene – they recently formed a community group and launched a fundraiser to buy a regulation-grade mobile device for continuous monitoring.
Only days later, the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA) approved a permit extension allowing international gas giant Santos to emit – or “hot vent” – toxic gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene, for an extra 26 days each year. Santos already has permission to emit for 36 days each year.
The evidence shows benzene and other gas-related chemicals pose significant health risks. So why is the NT willing to green-light this additional pollution without more rigorous monitoring?
Why benzene exposure is a problem
Among the many hazardous gases released into the atmosphere during gas and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) production, benzene is one of the most concerning.
Many recent studies link benzene exposure to significant health risks, both alone and with other “BTEX” chemicals (toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene).
These risks include cancers, childhood asthma, heart and respiratory diseases, hospitalisations and deaths, low birth weight and cancer risks to the developing fetus, even at low levels of exposure in outdoor environments.
The research is clear: there is no safe level of exposure to benzene. Every part per billion people inhale matters.
In 2004, the Australian government committed to review evidence and set a formal standard for benzene exposure by 2012, but none has been set. The level of benzene that triggers an investigation in Australia is two to three times higher than benzene standards across Europe, India, Japan and New Zealand.
Permission to emit
Darwin has two LNG export facilities, operated by Japanese giant Inpex and global energy corporation Santos. They are respectively located about 10 kilometres from Darwin’s central business district.
Residents concerned about the levels of benzene and other toxic chemicals being emitted by these two plants recently formed a group called Community Healthy Air Northern Territory (CHANT).
Launched on June 14, CHANT has raised more than $100,000 to buy a regulation-grade mobile BTEX monitoring device. The community is currently gaining advice from experts to conduct their own air monitoring project.
The day after this group was launched, NTEPA announced its own plans to establish an air-quality testing network. The authority said this would measure and report on toxic air substances, including BTEX chemicals.
Yet only two days later, the authority approved the extension – allowing Santos to “hot vent” toxic waste gases from its new controversial Barossa gas supply for an additional 26 days. Hot venting is when waste gas is released directly into the atmosphere, bypassing anti-pollution devices.
Concerns over priorities
Some Darwin residents see this extension as an example of the priority given to the gas industry over the community concerns.
This view has merit. For example, in 2025 an ABC Darwin investigation revealed Santos failed to report a serious leak in its LNG storage tank for 20 years. Despite large volumes of methane escaping, Santos is not required to repair the crack.
In 2024, Darwin residents became aware Inpex LNG had emitted VOCs, such as benzene, up to 22 times higher than it originally estimated it would.
In 2025, Inpex admitted to underestimating benzene emissions by 138 times in compulsory reporting of total VOCs, likely since 2018. It also admitted to hot venting for extended periods of time when the company’s anti-pollution devices were not operating.
In 2025, Inpex commissioned a consultancy to conduct desktop modelling of estimated levels of benzene and toluene across nearby areas in greater Darwin. The modelling used Inpex’s own emissions data and monthly measurements of BTEX chemicals in ambient air samples at four community locations, as well as the gas plant boundary. This report was not made public.
A second consultancy found fundamental deficiencies in INPEX’s emissions calculation methodologies, meaning hot venting emissions were consistently underestimated by several orders of magnitude.
It also found multiple additional flaws, such as poor documentation, inconsistencies and incomplete coverage of all emission sources.
How has the government responded?
Following the release of the report, the NT Chief Health Officer commissioned a preliminary human health risk assessment in relation to hot venting and high emissions of benzene and toluene. The assessment concluded that the risk of health effects from these emissions was low.
This raises some serious questions. The quality of the report results depends entirely on the quality of the input data. Continuous air quality measurements, not just monthly sampling, are needed. If benzene is systemically under-reported, then exposure estimates and potential health impacts may be substantially underestimated.
Past exposures should be investigated urgently. Because air quality measurements ceased at their peak in October 2021, health studies will be needed to assess any adverse health outcomes in future years, particularly in children.
Stronger action needed
Given the evidence, we urge the federal government’s National Environment Protection Council to carefully review the many recent population studies that reveal serious risks of exposure levels below those currently considered ‘safe’.
We await truly protective short and long term standards for benzene and total BTEX exposure that must be acted upon when exceeded. The NT EPA and government must take full responsibility to ensure emissions of these pollutants are minimised for people and their environment.
Getting this right now is critical for Darwin, and rapidly growing gas developments across the world. Clear limits to toxic emissions, careful independent monitoring and firm regulatory action is essential to protect people.
Melissa Haswell, Professor of Health, Safety and Environment, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology and Kerrie Mengersen, Distinguished Professor in Statistical Science, Queensland University of Technology.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
