Media Release

05 March 2015

Council welcomes national air quality review

Auckland Council has welcomed a recommendation from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment to review regulations governing the management of air quality in New Zealand.

In a report from Dr Jan Wright released to parliament today, the Commissioner comments on the Government’s 2014 Air Doman Report and notes that the country’s air quality is generally good but the regulations need to be updated due to recent scientific advances.

This includes the need to measure particulate matter in the air that is more harmful to human health in the long-term, PM2.5.

This is of high interest to the council as it may affect the need for an Air Quality Bylaw to meet the government’s current national air standards for PM10*, which monitors short-term effects only.

Last year the council proposed an Air Quality Bylaw as a way of meeting the national standards, as all councils are required to do. Since that time, staff has met with government officials in Wellington to discuss the nature and scale of air pollution in Auckland and the effect of the current national standards.

Cllr Calum Penrose, Chair of the Regulatory & Bylaws Committee, says “A key issue raised by the Commissioner is that the New Zealand standard for air pollution is based on short-term exposure to PM10 but, most importantly, long-term exposure to PM2.5 needs to be considered due to its greater health effects. Monitoring PM2.5 from man-made sources will give a clearer understanding of the long-term effects on public health.

“Auckland Council has also raised this same issue and welcomes the Commissioner’s recommendation to parliament to review the current air quality rules.”

Auckland Council monitors PM10 (natural and man-made sources) as required under national standards. Additionally, the council monitors PM2.5 as it gives a clearer picture of the pollution caused by man-made sources such as combustion in domestic heating appliances, motor vehicles and industrial processes. Two compliance standards for PM2.5 are included in the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan and will help guide the region in protecting public health and the environment.

Cllr Penrose says that parliament will need to carefully consider the recommendations made in today’s report to update the air quality rules. The council looks forward to collaborating with the government on finding a solution to regulating air quality in a way that is suitable for Auckland.

The implications of the Commissioner’s report will be presented to the Regulatory & Bylaws Committee in 1 April.

Ends

Editor’s notes:

• Dr Jan Wright is the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

• *PM10 and PM2.5 refer to measures of particulate matter (PM). These fine particulates are invisible to the human eye and can be produced from natural sources such as pollen and sea spray as well as by human sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial activities and indoor domestic fires.

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