Do you hit people in the pocket or hit them in the lungs? That is the conundrum faced by the Otago Regional Council as it proceeds with much tighter rules for minimising air pollution.
Backed by mandatory national laws and faced with serious air pollution in several Otago towns, the council had little choice but to act. The bulk of the consultation took place four and five years ago and the rules were enacted with long lead-in times. That period is now almost over as the first major deadline looms.
Residents in the worst affected towns will, from the beginning of next year, no longer be able to burn coal or use unapproved fires. That means no multi-fuel burners, no open fires and few if any older-style wood burners in Alexandra, Cromwell, Clyde and Arrowtown.
These "air zone" one towns, and Milton which is set to join them in this category, have not been changing fast enough to meet the new standards. Despite Clean Heat Clean Air national and local subsidies, replacement levels of old burners are under 20%.
Despite the growing popularity of heat pumps and relatively benign winter pollution conditions this year, particle levels in the atmosphere were too high too often.
The Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand study, published in July 2007, portrays a dire problem. It associates air pollution with about 1100 cases of people dying earlier than they would have if they had not been exposed to air pollution, 1500 extra cases of bronchitis and related illnesses and 700 extra hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiac illnesses.
Even taking the figures with a grain of soot, it is clear air pollution is a serious matter.
Cold conditions, too, have been associated with premature death and illnesses, and an Otago winter is not to be sneezed at. Many people, also, have memories of the snow storms of 2006 which cut power for several days to parts of inland Canterbury and the cost of burner replacement, even with subsidies, can be prohibitive.
For these reasons the council walks a difficult path between encouraging clean heating and applying harsh rules and enforcing compliance. It needs to continue the momentum towards cleaner air while maintaining a healthy balance. Nevertheless, the time is fast approaching when education and subsidies will not be enough.
Regulations are little use if they cannot be enforced, a point recognised by the council. It knows it can hardly "invade" homes to catch those who flout the law. Instead, it might have to act on complaints; that is neighbours dobbing in offenders. Much as this might sound unsavoury, it takes only a few homes pumping out acrid smoke to foul the air.
The council's regulatory committee now has to work out just what the enforcement processes will be. In all likelihood, the council will warn and cajole and apply infringement notices before coming down hard. If necessary, it has the power to prosecute.
Next on the agenda will be air zone two which covers, or will cover, most Otago towns. The council will have to formulate policies, consult on them and then proceed. At present pollution levels, these could also include bans on unapproved fires.
Given the reactions in Naseby, Roxburgh and Ranfurly when they thought they would be in zone one, opposition could be widespread.
Perhaps, though, the worst pollution can be ameliorated in the coming years through subsidies being introduced for zone two for replacing non-complying burners with new or gas models or heat pumps.
Helpful, as well, are the attitudes of younger generations as they turn away from coal. They expect the ease and speed of alternative heating. The air in North East Valley, for example, while still far from salubrious, has improved as older residents leave. Solid fuel is unlikely to be favoured for student flats.
Additionally, it must be hoped that the messages sink in that wood must be well dried and burned at high temperatures. At the same time, neighbours can, and in the wider community interest should, report the worst cases of filth spewing from chimneys.
The regional council can respond by writing to transgressors and can take matters further, even in zone two, if the smoke hazard continues and is acute.
