Greens Leader Christine Milne said the proposed legislation would create a national standard for air quality instead of the existing state-based legislation.

“We've seen local communities close to coal mines, power stations and coal trains having to monitor air quality because the state-based agencies don't have the machinery where it's needed,” she said.

“Our clean air act would establish a network of air-quality monitors in the right places that would provide real-time results on pollution sources.

“The clean air act would require all coal trains and trucks to be covered when they pass through residential areas.”

Greens health spokesman Dr Richard Di Natale said a recent senate inquiry found that the most effective way of protecting communities from coal dust and particulates was to remove the risk.

“Air pollution such as coal dust is a very serious threat to the health of many Australian communities,” Di Natale said.

“The mining, transportation and combustion of coal all pollute the air with fine particles that can get deep into our lungs and lead to chronic lung disease or cancer.

“Protecting the health of Australian communities should be of paramount importance to the parliament but air pollution has long been ignored by the old parties.”