Grey Power supports relaxing air quality standards

New Zealand Grey Power Federation welcomes Government’s proposal to relax the air quality regime, which is the most stringent in the world other than the State of California.

The discussion document just released recognises that cold houses now kill twice as many people as air pollution, and that elderly and low-income consumers are the worst affected. Unfortunately the cost-benefit analysis fails to include the economic costs of cold houses.

The document recognizes that “Good Wood” schemes to offer guaranteed dry firewood can make even old wood burners run cleanly. This policy is already proven to be effective. Blenheim’s Good Wood scheme reduced air quality breaches from an average of seven per year, to zero last year.

Local Government clean air plans use ratepayer’s dollars to “purchase clean air” by progressively removing domestic log burners. The Christchurch Air Plan also requires resource consents for new industrial boilers to be declined if the air quality standards are not met.

Grey Power supports all cost-effective moves to reduce air pollution, so long as household energy affordability is not compromised.

The biggest bang for the buck spent on “clean air dollars” would be the subsidized conversion of coal boilers in industry, schools, and Council pools, to proven new technology, for example the use of locally sourced wood chip.

The capital cost of new wood chip technology is significant, but the running costs are very low. Council incentives to introduce such technologies would give long term economic benefits including energy efficiency and jobs. The extension of time to implement the air quality regime would enable virtually all polluting coal boilers to be converted.

Home wood burning is still a major contributor to air pollution. Grey Power supports banning of all open fires in clean air zones unless pollution control devices are fitted – these are cost-effective in restaurants and bars.

Instead of banning wood burners, Councils should ban visible smoke emissions in affected air-sheds. This fits with the regulatory philosophy evident in the discussion document:

“health problems may be best addressed by policies that rely primarily on individual responsibility, supplemented by appropriate education and information.”

ENDS

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