Bay’s sulphur dioxide spike not repeated

A one-off spike in Bay of Plenty’s sulphur dioxide levels in 2006 has not been repeated in recent years, according to a new national report on the nation’s air quality.

Water Management Group Manager Eddie Grogan said it was good to see there had been no further breaches of the national standards since 2006. In 2006 there were 11 breaches of the national standards for sulphur dioxide levels recorded in a monitoring site in Mount Maunganui.

“We can take comfort that in the following three years there have been no further breaches,” Mr Grogan said.

Despite investigations the cause of the breaches was not identified and has never been repeated. Monitoring will continue at this and other sites around the region for sulphur dioxide and other pollutants.

The national report ‘Air Quality (Four Pollutants)’ covers four of the five main air pollutants that affect the quality of the air we breathe, up to 2008. The other pollutants are carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone, and there were no breaches of national standards in the Bay of Plenty.

The fifth air pollutant that affects the quality of the air we breathe, and is a problem in parts of Rotorua, is particulate matter (material that is less than 10 microns in diameter PM10). It was not part of this report.

The Environmental Report Card can be found on the Ministry for the Environment’s website by opening this link: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/environmental-reporting/report-cards/air/2010/air-quality.pdf

Environment Bay of Plenty’s air quality monitoring information is available on http://www.envbopgovt.nz/Environment/Air.aspx

ENDS

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