How to reduce your impact on air quality this summer

Horizons Regional Council is encouraging communities to learn about air quality in our region and do their part to reduce impacts on air quality this summer.

Horizons air quality scientist Harold Barnett says it’s important people are aware of not only what they shouldn’t be burning, but why.
 
“Burning waste has negative consequences – we all know that. What people might not know is what it releases into the environment and how that can potentially harm us.
 
“It’s so easy to ignore or not even be aware of when air quality is having a negative impact on us.
 
“We breathe in small particles from the air every day. Some of these are from anthropogenic (human-made) activities such as vehicle emissions and home heating, while others are naturally occurring, like pollen and soil (dust) particles.”
 
Mr Barnett says it’s the particles which are too small to see that are doing the most damage.
 
“We measure particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) in the air at our two air quality monitoring sites in Taihape and Taumarunui. These particles are so small, they’re between five (for PM₁₀) and 20-28 (for PM_2.5) times smaller than a single strand of human hair.
 
“They can irritate our eyes, throat and lungs, and worsen allergies, asthma and respiratory infections. They’ve even been found to contribute to serious health conditions such as lung and heart disease,” he says.
 
Horizons team leader consents monitoring - industry Pita Kinaston says burning waste is one of the biggest contributors to poor air quality during the summer months.
 
“Horizons runs a 24-hour Pollution Hotline which you can call any time to report environmental pollution.
 
“The most reports we receive are about offensive odour and smoke from outdoor fires. This is particularly the case in urban areas, as outdoor burning is most likely to annoy neighbours due to their close proximity. 
 
“Outdoor burning in urban areas is not necessary as anything you can burn could be recycled or composted,” says Mr Kinaston.
 
Mr Barnett says there are plenty of behaviours people can change to avoid burning waste, helping to reduce the amount of these particles in the air.
 
“This summer, instead of burning your household waste, check what you can recycle or compost. It’s much better for the environment and your own health, and keeps materials in the usage cycle instead of reducing them to ash.
 
“Of course there are things that can’t be recycled. But before you grab the lighter and fluid, check your local council’s website to find your nearest transfer station. Taking things to the transfer station might seem counterintuitive, but these sites are equipped to handle waste in a safe manner, reducing the impacts on the environment and human health as much as possible.
 
“National air quality regulations make some items illegal to burn, because they emit particularly nasty particles into the air. It’s illegal to burn any of the following: waste oil; rubber; vehicle components; treated or painted timber; agrichemical waste; and PVC plastics.”
 
Mr Barnett says summer is also a great time to think about how you could heat your home more efficiently during the wintertime.
 
“Home heating, specifically the burning of wood, is by far the most significant contributor to degrading air quality in winter. Approximately 80% of PM₁₀ particles in the air (in Taihape and Taumarunui) measured during the winter come from emissions caused by home heating.
 
“You can prepare your home in summer by getting your chimney swept while you’re not using it, and by sourcing and storing quality firewood so it has ample time to season.
 
“Firewood needs at least six months, ideally 12, to season properly so it burns well in your fire. Buying fresh or green wood now is also much cheaper than buying dry wood when you need it.
 
“Just make sure to store wood correctly so it dries properly. Wood should be stacked loosely to allow for air to circulate, and then covered to protect from rain.”
 
Mr Barnett says the good news is there’s been a greater improvement in air quality across our region since Horizons’ reporting began.
 
“It’s easy to be concerned about our own air quality after seeing negative impacts in many big cities overseas. It’s worth noting that since the implementation of the One Plan (2014), monitoring results for PM₁₀ have improved at our two monitoring sites.
 
“This tells us households in these areas could be shifting away from traditional methods of heating homes, like wood burners, toward more climate-friendly methods such as electric heat pumps, which is a positive step forward.
 
“It’s great to hear people are beginning to explore ways to reduce their air emissions. We encourage people to keep learning more about how they can keep the air clean and healthy for everyone,” he says.

Image: Horizons' air quality monitoring equipment in Taihape