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Air Quality

Air quality is generally good across the region, however during winter months air quality can deteriorate.

Tairawhiti is a sparsely populated region, with an urban centre at Gisborne and smaller townships located within the region.  Air quality is generally good across the region, however during winter months air quality deteriorates due to smoke from wood burners and open fires used for home heating.  In summer, townships located close to the rivers of Waiapu and Waipaoa may experience short lived but high intensity dust events when wind entrains silt and sediment in the riverbeds.   The predominant wind direction during summer is from the northwest, while in winter this reverses to a southeast predominantly affecting coastal settlements and Gisborne City.

There is one permanent air quality monitoring site located in Gisborne City for the Particulate Matter (PM) pollutant of concern – PM10 and PM2.5.

Regional Summary
PM10and PM2.5at towns in this region

The most significant air pollutant in New Zealand are small airborne particles in our air (known as particulate matter). Particulate pollutants are of most concern in New Zealand because of their high concentrations in some of our towns. Exposure to high levels of airborne particle pollutants has the potential to cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues. View a factsheet on why air quality is important here.

PM10 and PM2.5 are the main air quality pollutants of concern in the Tairawhiti region. With the installation of a more reliable sensor in 2019, the levels of PM in 2020 were recorded as much higher than previous years. The permanent site is located at Gisborne Boys High School and has been operating since 2004. The main contributors to PM within the Tairawhiti region are woodburners for home heating, outdoor burning (rural and urban), entrained dust from pastoral and horticultural production, sea salt and vehicle emissions from a large diesel fleet base.

 

PM monitoring history at towns in this region

  • Annual average
  • Highest daily average
  • Exceedance
Showing:
PM10

What is this showing me?

The graph enables you to view the annual average and highest daily average concentrations of PM10 and number of exceedance days for the year selected. The results are compared to the relevant air quality standard or guideline (denoted by the red horizontal line). See this factsheet for more information about the PM10 measurements, and the standards and guidelines used to report on. 

Values above the standard or guideline shown can be a cause for concern as short- or long-term exposure to high PM10 can have health impacts.  See this factsheet about why air quality is important and factors that influence air quality. 

The trends in the table below indicate whether the PM10 concentrations have been improving, showing no measurable change, or declining over the 10-years prior to the year selected. (For towns that have more than one monitoring site, a representative site is shown).

Data table PM10
Towns 10-year Trend annual average (µg/m³) Highest daily average (µg/m³) 2nd highest daily average (µg/m³) Number of exceedances
PM2.5

What is this showing me?

The graph enables you to view the annual average and highest daily average concentrations of PM2.5 and number of exceedance days for the year selected. The results are compared to the World Health Organization guidelines (denoted by the red horizontal line). See this factsheet for more information about the PM2.5 measurements, and the standards and guidelines used to report on. 

Values above the guidelines can be a cause for concern as short- and long-term exposure to high PM2.5 values can have health impacts.  See this factsheet about why air quality is important and factors that influence air quality. 

Any trends in the table below indicate whether the PM2.5 concentrations have been improving, showing no measurable change, or declining over the 10-years prior to the year selected. (For towns that have more than one monitoring site, a representative site is shown).

Data table PM2.5
Towns 10-year Trend annual average (µg/m³) Highest daily average (µg/m³) 2nd highest daily average (µg/m³) Number of exceedances
Towns 1

Towns in the Gisborne region

Select the town you'd like to see information on by clicking the buttons below or navigate using the map.

Gisborne
Gisborne

2 Sites