9 June 2015

First Air Quality Exceedance in Hastings

Hastings has had its first air quality exceedance for winter.

Yesterday (8 June) the average level of PM10 over 24 hours was 54 micrograms per cubic metre as measured at the St John’s monitoring site.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has been working with the community to improve the air quality around our cities in winter.

The use of open fires has been banned since the beginning of 2012 and older wood burners installed before 1996 are now banned from use this winter, as these are inefficient ways to heat homes. Newer burners burn more cleanly.

“People can also help reduce the amount of smoke in the air by ensuring they only burn dry wood in their fires, to get a hot flame with very little visible smoke,” says Mark Heaney, HBRC’s HeatSmart manager.

“Wood that has been stored properly for at least six months should guarantee a hot flame, as will buying from an HBRC approved wood merchant, who must guarantee dry wood.”

Burning treated timbers is also prohibited.

“Never burn treated timber – such as building offcuts – or driftwood in your wood burner as this releases harmful chemicals,” says HBRC’s air quality scientist, Dr Kathleen Kozyniak.

“Older timber, especially painted timber, is a definite no-no as arsenic or lead are likely to be present. These harmful chemicals will be in the smoke, adding to the health risks.”

The chemicals in treated timber and salt in driftwood collected off the beach will also damage a woodburner, reducing its effective life and adding to homeowners’ heating costs.

The air pollution problem in Hastings and Napier is caused by smoky air being trapped close to the ground when inversion layers form in the atmosphere in cold, low wind conditions. The smoke is a health issue inside and outside homes, especially for people with respiratory problems.

HBRC continues to handle applications for HeatSmart loans and grants which help home owners to upgrade their insulation and home heating. About 8500 Hawke’s Bay homes have taken up financial assistance and are now warmer and healthier.

The National Environmental Standard (NES) for air quality sets an acceptable limit for fine smoke particles in the air (measured as PM10) of 50 micrograms of PM10 per cubic metre averaged over 24 hours. From September 2016 the NES will require this limit to be exceeded only once a year in Napier and no more than three occasions in Hastings, before reducing to only one exceedance a year by September 2020.

Weather conditions influence the number of exceedances recorded each year. Winter 2014 was mild and windy, and Hastings exceeded the NES only 5 times (compared to 16 times in 2013) while Napier had only 1 exceedance (compared to 5 times in 2013).

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