In the Tasman District the major air quality issue is winter time smog in Richmond. While we have limited information about general air quality in other townships in the region, preliminary surveys suggest that air quality in the region in general is good. Information gathered as part of conditions of resource consents for discharge to air from major discharges show no significant effects, although in some cases there is insufficient information to be certain.
Pesticide spray drift can also be a significant potential air quality issue but it is generally localised and limited to particular sites.
Over half of all complaints to Council regarding air quality have been related to smoke generated from outdoor burning (particularly of rubbish and horticultural waste in rural areas). Outdoor burning is now banned in Richmond and Motueka without resource consent and outdoor burning is not allowed during winter in all settlements. Where burning can be carried out there is a requirement that all burn events follow good practice. More...
Emissions of green house gases such as carbon dioxide and methane is an issue that is being managed at a national level. Climate Change
Since 2003 there have been between 20 and 40 nights of unacceptable smog levels per winter. That’s a similar number to Christchurch and Nelson. This can create major difficulties for large numbers of people with respiratory problems. Of the polluted winter air Richmond people breathe, 84% has been calculated to come from solid fuel burning for home heating.
Air Quality Today
Find out what the current readings are for air quality in Richmond. More...
What is Air Quality
Find out what Air Quality means, and how it affects us. More...
Measuring Air Quality
Find out more about why we measure Air Quality, where we do it, and how we do it. More...
How do we measure up?
Find out how Tasman District measures up to the national standards for Air Quality - what is going well and where we need to improve. More...
What are we doing about it?
Find out what Tasman District Council is doing to improve Air Quality. More...
What can you do about it?
You can help reduce the amount of pollution in the district. More...
Good Practice Guide to Outdoor Burning
Click here to find out more about minimising smoke emissions.
 Good Practice Guide to Outdoor Burning 2006 (313 K)
Using Clean Air Wood Burners (172 K)
For more ideas on how you can help, see the following pages.
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