Media Release
17 September 2015
Healthier Winter Air for Hastings & Napier
Hastings and Napier residents enjoyed healthier winter air this year, as despite a cold and snowy July, winter air
pollution only exceeded the government’s National Environment Standards once.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council staff reported the winter air quality results to the Regional Planning Committee yesterday.
The single exceedance this winter was in Hastings on 8 June, with no exceedances in Napier or Awatoto
“There were a number of drivers for this winter’s improvement in air quality, such as windier weather plus all the
replacement heating people have installed, but we still have to meet the target for five consecutive years so relying on
weather is not a good idea,” HBRC’s Client Services Manager Mark Heaney, told the committee.
Hastings and Napier will only be designated as ‘clean air cities’ once they have met the National Environment Standard 5
years in a row and maintain it thereafter. However PM 10 levels from household smoke got close to the limit a few times
this winter. Hastings had 8 days when the smoke levels were over 40 microns of PM10 per cubic metre, and in Napier 11
days when the levels were between 30 - 40 microns/cubic metre.
HBRC air quality scientist Dr Kathleen Kozyniak says that, on average, it was warmer in June, colder in July and about
normal in August but in general the winter was windier. Although there had been characteristic days when pollution could
have occurred in the cities, fast moving weather systems meant periods of settled weather weren’t prolonged.
“We can’t rely on favourable weather conditions each winter to meet the standards, and generally if we can get one
exceedance, there is always potential for another. If a High pressure system had stuck around Hawke’s Bay for a few days
in winter it could have been a different story, as that’s when strong inversion layers form, trapping smoke down low
close to homes.”
The Government set a National Environmental Standard (NES) for PM10 (fine particulates) in 2005 at an average
concentration of no more than 50 microns per cubic metre of air measured outdoors over a 24 hour period. Only one
exceedance of this level is allowed in an airshed in a twelve month period. Hastings has until 2020 to achieve this
target, while Napier must achieve it from September next year.
Studies conducted by HBRC indicate that 92-95% of PM10 emissions in Hastings and Napier came from domestic fires. PM10
is the super fine dust in the smoke which can contribute to respiratory diseases and has been associated with
cardiovascular problems and even cancer. As there is no known ‘safe’ threshold for PM10, the NES is designed to provide
a level of protection.
Since 2009 HBRC has had a funding package in place to assist and incentivise home owners and landlords to install
insulation and clean forms of heating, with either heatpump/aircon, gas or electric appliances or compliant woodburners.
7494 fires have been replaced and the 2020 target is for 10,000 replacements. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has approved
funding for this package for the next 5 years.
The next target for wood burner upgrades is January 2016 when fires installed before 2005 will need to be upgraded.
“Although winter is just over, people who need to upgrade their home heating should be talking to the Hawke’s Bay
Regional Council early about a Clean Heat loan or grant rather than leaving it to the last minute. A new burner, heat
pump, gas or electric heating unit is an expense but if you and your family are healthier as a result it will be worth
it,” says Mr Heaney.