The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) says it will investigate the risks that come with diesel fumes from coal ships.

The probe was prompted by the Community Consultative Committee, a NSW group dedicated to looking at solutions to Newcastle's air pollution problems .

The group says a lot of coal ships use cheap, low grade diesel fuel which emits fumes that can have some serious health impacts.

The heavily-populated yet historically industrial region is serious about public health risks.

New air quality monitoring stations at a number of sites near Newcastle will be launched later this month, tying-in to the third anniversary of the Orica toxic spill at Kooragang Island.

Former Newcastle lord mayor and now chair of the Community Consultative Committee, John Tate, says people must come before profit.

“The diesel emissions when the motors are running on shipping and off-road diesel equipment... there are no environmental controls,” he told the ABC.

“Some firms have gone to low-sulphur diesel and that's certainly helpful, but the EPA are very much aware of the pollutants that come out of non-managed diesel emissions.

“I think there'll be tighter controls on diesel locos that are hauling coal and also there's a big awareness on diesel emissions that come from ships that are tied up at the wharfs that are running their own generators while they're loading and unloading coal... so this is a field that is coming to the fore in terms of air quality.”