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MULTI AWARD WINNING NEWSPAPER Thursday, April 9, 2015
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LEADERS: Left to right, principal Iva Ropati with Pacifika students Charlie Schwalger, Richard Morrison, Zierra Misiaita, Liam Peyroux, Gloria Tavila, Jasmine Lancaster-Tasele, Morgan D’arcy, Liana Gafa, Tuli Fungavaka, Hope George, Susana Va’afusauaga, Quaid Westerlund, Jess Morrison, Ms Loseta Fapiano, Ms Lin Lescher and Rotarian David Owen. Front, UJ Fungavaka, Tyrone Faiva. Photo supplied.
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U-turn on the humble fireplace By MARIANNE KELLY
S
UPERCITY residents will be breathing a sigh of relief that they can continue to use their open fires and older wood-burners this winter. A hue and cry erupted last year when Auckland Council considered an Air Quality Bylaw to tackle the city’s pollution, placing the blame on the humble home open fire place, along with older (pre-2005) woodburners. Now the council’s regulatory and bylaws committee has agreed that Aucklanders can continue to keep the home fires burning and it will instead continue to educate residents on the use of clean fuel. In particular it’s counting on people refraining from using tanalised and wet timber and coal as a major
way to improve Auckland’s air quality. Since last October the council has been working with the Government to establish the nature and scale of air pollution in Auckland. Also, a report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has recommended that air quality regulations be reviewed because of recent scientific advances. This includes the need to measure small particulate matter in the air that is more harmful to human health in the long term. As a result council staff will develop options for the committee to consider in June. Calum Penrose, the committee’s chairman, says until Aucklanders can be given certainty on air quality regulations and what it may mean for domestic fires, the council will encourage people to use clean
sources of home heating, including burning clean wood. “The council’s restrictions on the burning of rubbish, wet wood, tantalised timber and high sulphur coal remain in effect,” he says. “These have been in place since 2008 and have contributed to the steady improvement of the quality of Auckland’s air. Until the council is satisfied that any additional measures are appropriate for Auckland and are a reasonable response to the national regulations, no further measures will be introduced.” ACT Party leader, David Seymour says the most important part of The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines is for long-term finer particulate exposure, yet the guideline for New Zealand’s standard for particulate matter is the larger particles.
“We monitor the wrong thing,” he says. Auckland’s diesel vehicle emissions are a substantial source of particulate, with a consistently large influence year-round, he says. “Interestingly, the efficiency of petrol vehicles means they barely register.” Scepticism about health impacts, he says, is entirely warranted. “This brings us back to the council obsession with eliminating the remaining domestic fire places in Auckland. “The council could always consider strategies to reduce diesel emissions. But fire places? They just don’t matter anymore.” ■ What do you think? Tell us on facebook www.facebook. com/TimesOnlineNZ or email mariannek@times.co.nz.
Contact us anytime. JAMI-LEE ROSS P: 09 271 3255 E: botanymp@parliament.govt.nz
MAURICE WILLIAMSON P: 09 572 0000 E: pakurangamp@xtra.co.nz
JAMI-LEE ROSS
MP FOR BOTANY 127964
MAURICE WILLIAMSON www.national.org.nz
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