Northland is surrounded by ocean and encompasses a relatively small industrial base, low traffic and dispersed rural population that is away from main centres. The main issues affecting air quality in Northland are smoke from home heating during winter months, backyard burning, and dust from vehicles travelling on unsealed roads, or activities such as earthworks.
Northland Regional Council currently monitors particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in Whangārei airshed and PM10 in Marsden Point airshed. Previously, PM10 has been monitored in Kaitāia, Kerikeri, Dargaville airsheds, Kaikohe and Kawakawa townships using a mobile monitor.
The main purpose of air quality monitoring is to assess whether the region’s air complies with the National Environmental Standards for air quality (NESAQ) and to assess whether the air we breathe is clean to ensure public health and amenity values are maintained. Air quality monitoring has identified that at times concentrations of pollutants such as PM10 and PM2.5 have approached or exceeded the NESAQ.