On this page you will find the answers to commonly asked questions about air quality issues in Hawke's Bay and some of the clean heat solutions that are proposed to improve winter heating and air quality. More information is on the main cleanheat page.
On this page
OVERVIEW
Q. What is the problem?
A. While air quality is generally good most of the time in Hawke’s Bay, monitoring by the Regional Council shows that high PM10 levels (the fine dust particles in smoke) occur over the Hastings and Napier urban centres on cold, clear winter nights. An inversion layer forms over the plains due to lack of air flow or wind and traps the smoke near the ground. PM10 is a recognised hazard to health and in October 2004 the Ministry for the Environment introduced National Environmental Standards for air quality throughout New Zealand. This sets limits for the amount of particles in the air which cannot be exceeded. The Ministry has set a deadline for us to meet those standards at September 2013.
Q. Why is Hawke’s Bay being singled out for this?
A. We aren’t. The National Air quality standards apply for all of New Zealand. Councils in Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin are also working to meet the standards in their cities and some towns by 2013.
Q. Why is this being done in such a rush?
A. Council spent time researching the pollution to find out the extent of the problem, so they could set air sheds and be sure that their approach was fair and tackling the main causes. The regulation was only introduced in 2004 with a target of 2013.
GOOD PRACTICE
Q. Air pollution is a winter problem… so is there anything I can do now in summer?
A. During summer, get your chimney cleaned to improve safety and help your fire burn more efficiently.
Get your wood now for next winter as it takes 6 months to dry out properly; keep it dry until you need it. Never use treated timber even if it is free as the chemicals in the paint and treatment are linked to cancer.
Q. Can I improve air quality with better burning practices?
A. Yes you can – whether you live in Hastings or Napier or in the smaller centres and rural areas, you can reduce the amount of pollution by better burning practices. This will requires you to change the way you buy wood, store it and light your fires. The Regional Council has a ‘tips for better burning” sheet that can help you.
BANNING FIRES
Q. Are all woodburners and open fires being banned?
A. The details are still being decided by Council but the dates are:
| 2000 | Council started monitoring Napier air quality |
| 2003 | Council started monitoring Hastings air quality |
| 2004 | The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) introduced five new standards for ambient air quality |
| 2005 | Council began 24/7 air sampling in Napier |
| 2006 | Council began 24/7 air sampling in Hastings |
2008
10 December | Council notification of plan change - All new and replacement burners in the Hastings Airshed must meet an emission rate of 0.7 grams of PM10 for each kilogram of wood burned
- All new and replacement burners in the Napier Airshed must meet an emission rate of 1.5 grams of PM10 for each kilogram of wood burned
- At the point of selling a house the burner must be upgraded if it does not meet the new emission standards
- Resource consent required to undertake outdoor burning during May – August (inclusive)
|
2009
30 March | Deadline for submissions on plan change |
| 2009
6 April - 11 May | Submissions on proposed financial assistance scheme through the Ten Year Plan |
2011
1 January | - All open fires will be prohibited from use
- Non-compliant burners installed before 31 December 1995 will be prohibited from use
|
2012
1 January | All non-compliant burners installed before 31 August 2005 will be prohibited from use |
2013
1 January | All burners that do not comply with national Environmental Standards (NES) will be prohibited from use |
2013
1 September | National Environmental Standards (NES) enforced by Central Government |
COSTS
Q. What will be the cost to ratepayers?
A. Council has yet to make any final decisions about cost to ratepayers. Please find these details in the Draft Ten Year Plan available on 6 April
Q. Is Council going to help me financially?
A. Proposed Clean Heat financial assistance options:
Q. I am a pensioner/ superannuatant/ solo mum and I need to keep warm but cannot afford a heat pump or replacement burner, what will happen to me?
A. Your warmth and health is a priority and Council will need to look at how fixed income and low income homes can be safely and economically heated through winter.
Q. Why should people who have already got clean heating subsidise others who pollute?
A. All people in Hastings and Napier will benefit from the results of the Clean Heat Project - which will be cleaner and healthier air to breathe. This is a similar situation to the special rate levied to support public transport which benefits all residents through reduced congestion and pollution regardless of whether they use public transport or not.
Q. What will be the cost to convert to efficient burners?
A. There are a wide range of costs depending on which heating option you decide on.
Q. What will it cost to buy and install new heating?
A. These are indicative costs of purchase and installation.
Source: Community Energy Action, November 2006
CAUSES AND EFFECTS
Q. What happens if we don’t meet the air quality standards by 2013?
A. Currently the government’s position is that we will not be able to renew resource consents for discharges to air. Although smoke from industry is not the main cause of the problem, they would effectively be shut down as they are required to have current resource consents for all discharges to air. This would affect jobs and the regional economy.
Q. How many days were we over the limit for air pollution?
A.
| NES exceedances
(24hr average PM10 above 50 micrograms/cubic metre) | Havelock Nth(Special monitoring) | Napier | Hastings |
| 2006 | 2 | 3 | 18 |
| 2007 | N/A | 5 | 13 |
| 2008 | N/A | 5 | 28 |
Q. How long has Council been monitoring?
A. Council commissioned an air quality specialist to work with our air scientists and technicians and we began continuous air sampling in Napier in 2004 and in Hastings in 2005.
Q. The main cause is traffic/trucks, so why not fix that instead?
A. The Council has commissioned research from experienced scientists over the past 2-3 years and, while these elements are a factor, the main cause has been found to be home heating fires. More efficient vehicles are on New Zealand roads, and there is a requirement for all vehicles to meet emissions standards. Auckland City’s air pollution was mostly caused by traffic, but this is an unusual case; other cities main cause is home heating fires.
Q. Outdoor burning/ orchard burning is the main cause, you can see the big fires, so why not ban them?
A. While outdoor burning is a factor, it is not the main factor. Scientific investigation using special monitoring equipment has identified the source of smoke and the peak smokey times which are first thing in the morning and early evening after work when people are starting up their fires. Note that Hastings and Napier councils are considering banning outdoor burning.
Q. Why was the monitoring for PM10 only carried out in the worst affected areas?
A. The Ministry for the Environment stated where the Regional Council had to monitor, which we complied with. Some areas may not cause as much pollution or be as polluted but the impacts are widespread across these main urban areas.
ALTERNATIVE BURNERS AND HEATING
Q. Is there an authorised burner list
A. Yes. The Ministry for the Environment has an approved list of woodburners that have been tested by a laboratory. This list can be found on the Ministry for the Environment’s website. Also, an approved burner list can be found on Nelson City Council’s website and Environment Canterbury’s website.
Q. Can I install a solid fuel burner that is not on the ‘approved’ list, but advertised as meeting the standards?
A. No. A burner must be chosen off the approved list. These wood burners have been through a rigorous checking process to assess compliance. A national review of performance of wood burners in 2006 revealed poor compliance overall, so if a brand model has not been through the authorisation process, there is less certainty that it is compliant with the standards.
Q. What does the term ‘solid fuel’ burner cover?
A. Cooking stoves, wetbacks, multifuel burners and woodburners and other solid fuel wood burners are covered by this definition.
Q. Are solid fuel cooking stoves subject to the same requirements as woodburners?
A. Yes. A cooking stove that is heated by solid fuel must comply with the emission requirements stated in Schedule XIII of the Regional Resource Management Plan. ie the stove will emit no more than 1.5 grams of total suspended particulate per kilogram of fuel burned. Check the list of approved appliances.
Q. Are wetbacks still allowed?
A. Yes. Providing they comply with the emission requirements stated in Schedule XIII of the Regional Resource Management Plan, ie the wetback will emit no more than 1.5 grams of total suspended particulate per kilogram of fuel burned. Check the list of approved appliances.
Q. Are multi fuel burners still allowed?
A. Yes. Providing they comply with the emission requirements stated in Schedule XIII of the Regional Resource Management Plan, ie the multifuel burner will emit no more than 1.5 grams of total suspended particulate per kilogram of fuel burned. Check the list of approved appliances.
Q. Can I install an open fire?
A. No. As of 1 January 2011 all open fires will be banned from use.
Q. Do I need to apply for building consent to replace my open fire or woodburner, with a NES compliant solid fuel burner?
A. Yes. You will need to gain consent from your city or district council prior to installing a new solid fuel burner.
Q. I am building a new home, can I install a solid fuel burner?
A. Yes, you can – but it depends where you live as to what you can install.
Q. What happens during an emergency when the power goes out and I can’t use a heat pump or pellet burner?
A. While Hawke’s Bay cities do experience power outages from time to time, these aren’t frequent and are mostly short-lived. If cooking is a problem, you should be prepared for any civil defence emergency and be able to cook on your BBQ or gas cooker, or have access to a friend’s or neighbour’s. It makes sense for your home to be prepared for any emergency.
Q. Where is all the additional electricity going to come from to cater for all the extra people switching to heat pumps?
A. Heat pumps are very efficient in the use of electricity. However, you still need to operate these properly to get maximum efficiency, such as operating only at certain times of the day, managing the temperature properly and having an inverter to improve your power costs. Increasing your home insulation and buying other appliances that are energy efficiency should help keep your home within budget. You may also be replacing less efficient electric heaters with a more efficient heat pump. As energy efficiencies come across New Zealand in homes, business and industry, we are less likely to need large increases in power generation. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has information on efficient use of heat pumps on 0800 358 676 or www.eeca.govt.nz.