Clean Air For Blenheim

Last year was one of the worst winters for air pollution in Marlborough. Air quality exceeded the Ministry for the Environment limits six times over the winter months.

This year we have exceeded that limit four times already.

The Ministry’s new regulations tightening up the National Environmental Standards for air quality are now in place. Those regulations mean that, because we have already experienced two exceedances of air quality standards, the Council is required to impose a ban on the installation of new open fires in domestic dwellings in urban Blenheim. The ban will apply from 31 May 2013.

More information is available about this measure on the Council’s website www.marlborough.govt.nz/Your-Council/News-Notices/Media-Release-Future-Ban-On-Old-Woodburners-And-Open-Fires-In-Blenheim

The Marlborough District Council has primary responsibility for managing the air quality of this region and is required to take action to ensure we reach the national standards by 2016.

The Council’s Regional Policy Statement is under review at the moment and amongst the changes proposed are:

• Banning the use of existing and new indoor open fires

• Phasing out the use of solid fuel burners that are more than 15 years old

• Banning all outdoor burning in the Blenheim airshed (urban area)

• Allowing installation of new multi-fuel burners only when they comply with the National Environmental Standards.

 

Public feedback will be sought on these proposals before the Regional Policy Statement is finalised.

The Ministry for the Environment website has a list of wood burners which have been tested and found to meet the national environmental standards:
www.mfe.govt.nz/laws/standards/woodburners/authorised-woodburners.html#list

Rising electricity costs coupled with the burning of more wood, and perhaps wetter wood, in old woodburners and open fires are likely to have contributed to Blenheim’s deteriorating air quality. It’s important to burn only dry wood – and it may take a year for wood to dry out after it has been cut.

More information about good burning practices is available from the Council or from our website www.marlborough.govt.nz/Environment/Air-Quality/Good-Burning-Practices.aspx.

Homeowners are urged to take up the central government’s EECA subsidies for insulation and clean heating.

The Council also offers Marlborough ratepayers a “Heat Smart” programme where they may borrow the cost of insulation and clean heating and pay that off through their rates over a nine year period.

Find out more from our website under the Our Community section: www.Marlborough.govt.nz or call the Council, Ph: 03 520 7400.