Improving Christchurch's air quality

As part of the Christchurch City Council Plan: 1997 Edition, the Council will be allocating $2.4 million towards assisting City residents to make their homes more energy efficient. Insulation, more effective heaters and alternative fuel sources will all be examined as part of incentives to reduce air pollution.

The technical group to investigate all options is headed by Dr Leonid Itskovich from the Christchurch City Council and includes representatives of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and the Canterbury Regional Council.

Residents can expect options and packages to be announced in the next few months.

At the same time the Canterbury Regional Council is looking for ways to improve the quality of Christchurch air through setting emission standards. The options being discussed include: Stop using all open fires and woodburners. Stop using coal, stop using open fires and phase out older burners over the next two, five or ten years. Implement either of these options over a different time frame. Residents will be asked to have their say in December and will have until March 1998 to make submissions.

For more information and a copy of the consultative documents, call Canterbury Regional Council Customer Services on 365 3828.

September 1997 City Scene ~ City Scene Archive