Air quality

Issue

Localised discharges of contaminants to air and low ambient air quality have the potential to cause health and nuisance effects on social, cultural and amenity values.

Causes

Air pollution comes from multiple sources. The contaminant that is the primary target of current statutory planning controls in Canterbury is PM10 - tiny particles that are so small (10 micrometres or about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair) that they are suspended in the air.

The principal source of PM10 air pollution in our urban areas is the combustion of solid fuel, such as wood and coal for home heating, but may include other sources such as dust, pollen, or sea spray. Emissions from industrial and commercial sources also contribute to the concentrations of PM10 .

A localised adverse effect of discharges to air relates to activities and processes that discharge smoke, odour, dust, agrichemical sprays and other contaminants.

Current statutory planning controls

Currently, statutory planning controls in Waitaha/Canterbury seek to manage the discharge of PM10 as required by the National Environmental Standards on Air Quality (NESAQ). There is evidence to suggest that PM2.5 also needs to be managed. The Government is consulting on proposed amendments to some provisions of the NESAQ, particularly regarding PM2.5.

Why it matters

If not appropriately managed, the discharge of contaminants to the air can:

  • Result in detrimental effects to human health and well-being.
  • Result in significant nuisance effects on people’s enjoyment of their living and working environment.

Transport, industry and home heating also produce greenhouse gas emissions, meaning there are opportunities to improve air quality and take climate action at the same time.

Our current goals

Our Regional Policy Statement includes some direction that must be implemented and other direction that should be implemented. We have included these in two categories below:

1. Things we must do

This is a very strong policy direction that is required to be implemented:

  • Maintain and improve ambient air quality by setting standards for contaminants that cause adverse health and nuisance effects.
  • Manage the discharge of contaminants into air from home heating sources that use solid fuel.
  • Control the discharge of contaminants into air from commercial, industrial and institutional activities, including the use of large-scale fuel burning devices.
  • Avoid, remedy or mitigate localised adverse effects on air quality, including the proximity of discharges to sensitive land-uses.
  • Avoid adverse effects from the drift of agrichemical sprays.

2. Things we should do

This policy direction is strongly encouraged:

  • Encourage and enable the transfer to cleaner energy sources.
  • Encourage forms of urban development that reduce dependence on motor vehicles as a source of emissions.
  • Promote the transfer to cleaner technology and fuel sources.

Should we change our goals?

When we consider changing goals, we need to keep in mind that other on-the-ground changes will be required to meet them. We also need to keep in mind that some of our must-do policy direction was necessary to meet the national legislation requirements of the time. Some new must-dos will be needed to meet more recent legislation.

Potential impacts of changing our policy direction

We have outlined some of the potential consequences that could result from changing our policy direction. These are high-level examples, just to illustrate that each change will have flow-on effects.

For example: managing the effects of discharges into air requires management at the source, either the content of the discharge or its location.

If we propose more controls on the discharge of contaminants to air, this could mean controls on a wider range of contaminants or different requirements around locations such as zonings and setback distances.

We are using feedback we received in July and August to draft more detailed policy options, including detail about the consequences of change. You will get another opportunity to tell us what you think about those options in October this year.