22. 10. 97

SPECIAL COMMITTEE

3 OCTOBER 1997

A meeting of the Special Committee (Air Pollution Submissions)
was held on Friday 3 October 1997 at 2.00 pm

PRESENT:	Councillor Carole Evans (Chairman), The Mayor, Councillors Oscar Alpers, Carole Anderton, Graham Berry, David Close, Newton Dodge, Morgan Fahey, Ishwar Ganda, Pat Harrow, Ian Howell, Alister James, Charles Manning Garry Moore, Margaret Murray, Denis O'Rourke and Gail Sheriff.
APOLOGIES:	Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Councillors David Buist, Graham Condon, David Cox, Anna Crighton, Gordon Freeman, Lesley Keast, Charles Manning, Barbara Stewart and Ron Wright.
	Councillors Garry Moore and Margaret Murray arrived at 2.15 pm.
	Councillors Oscar Alpers, Newton Dodge and Charles Manning arrived at 2.30 pm.
	Councillor Ganda left at 3.30 pm.

 

The Committee reports that:

PART C - REPORT ON DELEGATED DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE COMMITTEE

1. COMMENTS ON CANTERBURY REGIONAL COUNCIL DISCUSSION DOCUMENT `TAKE A DEEP BREATH'

It was reported that the Council at its September meeting had established the Special Committee to:

1. Consider a further report from the Environmental Policy and Planning Manager on the Canterbury Regional Council's consultative document.
   
   
2. To finalise the Christchurch City Council's comments on the Canterbury Regional Council's consultative document.

John Dryden, Environmental Policy and Planning Manager, introduced the subject and advised that the draft submission to the Canterbury Regional Council was based on matters contained within the Resource Management Act, but also acknowledged that there were other issues to be addressed in the future.

The Canterbury Regional Council had established a timetable running from September 1997 to June 1998, at which time the Regional Council would notify the new policy.

The Committee had before it the report of the Principal Environmental Health Officer (attached) and the discussion document pamphlets issued by the Regional Council.

PRESENTATION

Terry Moody, Principal Environmental Health Officer, through a series of overhead transparencies provided information on:

1. The relative contribution of PM₁₀ in the atmosphere.

2. Home heating methods to PM₁₀ emissions.

3. Typical average hourly concentrations of SO₂, CO and PM₁₀.

4. The number of occasions on which pollution guidelines were exceeded.

The views of members were sought as to the action that should be taken in relation to the options for controlling particulate matter air pollution from domestic home heating in Christchurch.

Various points were raised including:

The use of incentives as a means of assisting the transition from one heating fuel to another, based on energy efficiency criteria.

Rules would be established in due course for both industry and motor vehicle emission control.

The health effects on people had been challenged by independent scientists and medical health professionals.

The differences that occurred in air pollution over various parts of the city.

Air pollution should be reduced.

It was time to draw a line, as real leadership to ban open fires had been lacking.

Support for the Regional Council's key principles should be acknowledged.

It was resolved:

1. That the Christchurch City Council welcome the Canterbury Regional Council's action in addressing air pollution in Christchurch.
   
   
2. To support higher standards of air quality, recognising:
   
   - The long history of Christchurch City Council involvement.
   - That some significant improvements had been experienced over the last 40 years.
   - That the standards in all aspects of public health had been raised.
   - There is support for 50 ug/m³ air quality management target for PM₁₀.
   
   
3. To support the concerns of Christchurch people, reflected in:
   
   - The many submissions on the Council's Annual Plan concerning the problem of air pollution.
   - The visual evidence of air pollution.
   - The reputation of Christchurch through publicity.
   - In terms of health issues an acknowledgement of disagreement amongst citizens on the precise effects on health of PM₁₀.
   - Universal agreement that smoke and pollution are not good for the health of the population.
   
   
4. To support the following options presented:
   
   - The phasing out of the use of coal for domestic fires by 1999.
   - The phasing out of the use of open fireplaces.
   - The phasing out of the use of non-complying wood or coal burners 15 years or older.
   - An educational campaign to be operated.
   - Incentives for persons voluntarily removing open fire places and non-complying solid fuel burners.
   
   
5. Other Sources of Pollution
   
   - That the contribution that motor vehicles make to air pollution in the city be investigated.
   - That the rules for industrial processes, particularly those capable of creating odour problems be further considered.
   
   
6. Heritage Buildings
   
   - That exemptions from the proposed domestic burning policies be sought for heritage buildings.

The meeting concluded at 3.55 pm

 

CONSIDERED THIS 22ND DAY OF OCTOBER 1997

 

MAYOR

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