Big push to curb Masterton air pollution

COUGH: Looking through the smoke in Essex St, Masterton.PHOTO/FILE

Air pollution in parts of town caused by smoke from home fires is still a worry for Masterton District Council.

At its recent meeting, the Environment Task Group identified the problem as a major issue as air emissions were above the accepted level.

Environment and Planning manager Sue Southey has suggested the council concentrates on getting remaining houses using old-style woodburners to either change to modern woodburners or to heat pumps.

Councillor Chris Peterson, who chairs the task group, said a survey was being done on that very issue.

He expected results of the survey to become available in time for the task group's September meeting.

Mrs Southey said when homeowners living in the rural area but on the edge of town light fires this also has an impact on urban pollution.

Councillor David Holmes warned the task group the issue of air emissions was likely to make its way into the newspaper and it was important for the council to address the problem as soon as possible. This prompted mayor Lyn Patterson to request that air emissions become the focus of the September task group meeting.

In past years pollution caused by winter fires has been a consistent thorn in the council's side as it has been with Greater Wellington Regional Council.

This led to a ban in April last year on the construction of any further open fireplaces after a spike in air pollution was detected.

Town dwellers were allowed to carry on using existing open fire places and could install new woodburners and multifuel burners, pellet fires or combined wood and coal stoves.

Winter air pollution in Masterton has traditionally been at its worst in pockets at the northern end of town where immersion factors seem to come into play.

Some of the problem has been attributed to people burning wet wood.