Introduction

How clean is the air we are breathing?

Small particles in the air we breathe can enter our lungs and have effects on our health.  PM10 are particles with a diameter of less than 10 microns (micrometers) and it is particles this size that pose the greatest health hazard.  Activities such as burning coal and wood for home heating are major contributors of PM10. Health effects can include irritation of the eyes, throat and lungs and exacerbation of existing conditions such as asthma.

Concentrations of particulate matter under 10 micron (PM10) were measured using a High-Volume sampler, sampling 1 day in 3, in Greymouth in 2001, in Westport in 2002 and in Reefton in 2003. Sulphur dioxide concentrations were measured using a continuous fluorescence instrument in Greymouth in 2001 and in Reefton in 2003. Monthly average concentrations of sulphur dioxide and benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) were measured in Westport, Reefton, Runanga, Greymouth and Hokitika during winter 2001 - 2003, using passive sampling techniques. See the Ambient Air Quality in Reefton 2004 Report for details.

Since 2006 continuous PM10 data has been collected in Reefton by a Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM).

Click the below link to move to the Ministry for the Environment's particles page.

MfE Particles

PM10 results for Reefton have consistently exceeded the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Air Quality) Regulations 2004 since continuous monitoring began at the site in 2006.

The 2011 review of the Resource Management Regulations introduced split target compliance dates depending on the state of air quality in each airshed.As the Reefton airshed has consistently had more than ten exceedences a year, the regulations now state that there must be no more than three exceedences per year by September 2016 and no more than one exceedence per year by September 2020.