Pollution Hotline proving popular with the public

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Pollution Hotline is proving an effective tool for the public to share information or lodge complaints about potential pollution in the region.

The dedicated 0800 number is staffed 24 hours a day so members of the public can pass on information or raise concerns about pollution related matters in Hawke’s Bay, which are followed up by HBRC’s Pollution Response Team.

In the year to the end of June the hotline had received 862 calls, up more than 200 on the previous year, covering everything from excessive smoke from burn offs to strange odours and oil spills.

HBRC Manager Resource Use Wayne Wright says the hotline gives the public a simple way of reporting their concerns, as well as providing HBRC extra sets of eyes out in the community.

Meanwhile in the last year there has been a 71% increase in the number of air quality complaints, which Mr Wright puts down to a heightened public awareness of HBRC’s efforts to improve air quality in Hawke’s Bay to meet National air quality standards.

Wayne Wright says the focus for the compliance team is on education and it works closely with the community to teach people about minimising pollution. He says this is reflected in the fact there were no prosecutions for pollution in the last year.

The Pollution Hotline number is 0800 108 838.

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