“This takes the project a further step forward,” a spokesperson for the RTA said.

“Awarding the subcontract follows the start of tunnelling work on Wednesday, 4 February by a 100-tonne road header machine at the air filtration plant construction site.”

The spokesperson said the machine would be used to excavate 280 metres of tunnel between the air filtration plant on the eastern side of Bexley Road at Wolli Avenue and the M5 East westbound tunnel around 500 metres before the exit.

“The subcontract for the ventilation and filtration systems was awarded by the Managing Contractor Baulderstone Hornibrook Bilfinger Berger to FILTRONtec,” the spokesperson said.

“This is Australia’s first road tunnel filtration plant and part of the State Government’s air quality improvement package for the M5 East.

“The electro-static precipitators will remove particulate matter from tunnel air, including dust, soot and other tiny bits of material mostly emitted from vehicle exhausts.

“A ‘denitrification’ unit will also remove nitrogen dioxide from the tunnel.

“The filtration plant trial will remove dust particles from around 50 per cent of the airflow from the westbound tunnel and inject the filtered air back into the tunnel.”

The spokesperson said the plant would operate in the westbound tunnel for an initial trial period of 18 months.

“After this trial period, an evaluation report will be prepared which will be submitted to the Department of Planning and made publicly available.”

The spokesperson said the contract for the filtration systems also required FILTRONtec to provide training and support in operating and maintaining the filtration systems.

A separate registration of interest process is also currently underway for an in-tunnel filtration system within the eastbound tunnel.

Other components of the M5 East Air Quality Improvement plan include:

• improved ventilation flows, with the installation of an extra 12 jet fans which were commissioned in December 2006 and are operational;
• a video detection system for illegal smoky trucks which became operational in June 2006.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change has issued 148 infringement notices since 2007 against polluting heavy vehicles.

The proposal to build the M5 East air filtration plant was approved by the Department of Planning in July 2007 after a rigorous and independent assessment process including consultation with the local community and stakeholders.

In the 2008-09 budget, $40 million was allocated to continue construction of the plant.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.