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Air

Clean air contributes to New Zealand’s quality of life – not only people’s health, but also the beauty of the natural and physical environment.

Poor outdoor air quality is a significant issue in some locations in New Zealand. About two-thirds of New Zealanders live in areas that can experience air pollution. Each year, about 1100 people die prematurely from air pollution in urban areas.

A number of air pollutants can affect the quality of air we breathe, such as particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.

Environmental indicator for air

One national environmental indicator is used to report regularly on New Zealand’s air resources:

To report on the air quality indicator, levels of five air pollutants are measured in managed airsheds.

Did you know?

  • Home heating and transport are the greatest human influences on outdoor air quality in New Zealand.
  • Home heating is the main cause of air pollution in populated areas in the winter. On average, 45 per cent of households in New Zealand burn solid fuels (coal and wood) for home heating.
  • Pollution from vehicles can be significant in urban areas, particularly on heavily used roads. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of private vehicle ownership in the world.
The above information has come from the latest environmental report card on PM10.

 

For more information on other national air indicators see the Ministry of Health’s New Zealand Environmental Health Indicator Project.

Last updated: February 2009