Nearly one in five of Australia's big polluters breach government-set emissions limits

Australian Conservation Foundation says about 729,000 tonnes of CO₂ above agreed industrial limits went unpenalised

Nearly one in five of Australia's big polluting industrial sites increased greenhouse gas emissions above government-set limits last financial year, an analysis of official data shows.

It found 38 of the 210 mines, smelters, refineries and other industrial facilities covered by the federal government's "safeguard mechanism" policy exceeded previous pollution limits based on historic or projected emissions.