Air quality in Canterbury is affected by pollution from home heating, particularly in winter in our urban areas. Our work includes planning for and implementing measures to improve air quality in these areas to meet new national standards.
Wintertime air quality
Emissions from home heating are the major cause of wintertime air pollution in Canterbury. For example, in Christchurch, where health guidelines are exceeded on average over 30 times a year, home heating contributes approximately 80% of particulate matter pollution (PM
10 = particulate matter smaller than 10 microns). By contrast, motor vehicle and industrial emissions contribute approximately 10% each.
Other air contaminants come from motor vehicle emissions, industry, outdoor burning and spray drift from agrichemicals. Volatile organic compounds, dioxins and other hazardous air pollutants also need to be monitored and investigated to assess whether their concentrations are within health guidelines.
Complying with the National Environmental Standards for air quality by 2013
Standards have been set for particulate matter (PM
10), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO
2), sulphur dioxide (SO
2) and ozone (O
3). 7 "airsheds" in Canterbury have been identified (the air over Christchurch, Timaru, Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Ashburton, Geraldine and Waimate) and these communities require assistance to meet the PM
10 standard. In Christchurch, Timaru, Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Ashburton, this is partly provided by the Clean Heat Project, which offers incentives for households to install cleaner forms of heating and insulation. The Clean Heat Project alone will not be sufficient to meet the standard. Limitations on resourcing mean that urban areas outside the 7 airsheds will not be monitored for PM
10 and may also reduce monitoring for other pollutants.
Implementing the Air Plan
With the imminent adoption of the Air Plan there will be a number of statutory requirements to be implemented. These will include newly operative rules relating to banning the use of open fires and non-complying solid fuel burners in Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 in the winter months 1 April to 30 September. Rules relating to outdoor burning, industrial and trade processes and intensive farming are expected to become operative by mid 2010. The implication of this is that more education and more enforcement will be required. This is particularly true for the implementation of the open fire/non-complying solid fuel burner ban that is expected to take effect on 1 April 2010.