Power-saving ‘boosts smog’

Press, 18 June 1976, Page 7

Power-saving ‘boosts smog’

The Government’s campaign to save electricity had boosted air pollution by increasing the use of coal for heating. the president of the Clean Air Society (Mrs J. R. Holm) said in her report to the society at its meeting in Christchurch. Mrs Holm said that lowi lakes, threats of power cuts,l and a steep rise in electrical | charges had made coal a favoured alternative in spite | of its low efficiency. Consequently coal sales for the three winter months in 1974 were higher than they had been since 1970, and the forecast increase in air pollution had become a reality. Mrs Holm said that better insulation of hot-water pipes and homes, and fitting of generous—but not heavy—drapes, would save energy and allow a lower setting of hot-water thermostats. "The Government’s interest-free loan scheme for home insulation has of itself helped to reduce energy demand. Now we can direct our energies into persuading

home builders to install large water-heater cylinders, as a power conservation measure. Cylinders of 80 to 100 gallons retained heat better, she said. The meeting decided to ask the Minister of Health (Mr Gill) and the Minister of Housing (Mr Gair) to extend the concessionary loans for the conversion from open fires to approved appliances. At present loans for conversion do not apply to installation of thermostatically I controlled gas or electric heaters. The society criticised the Juno heater, an approved solid-fuel appliance. It smoked for “a very long time” when first lit. It also gave out more heat than needed by most householders, but when it was turned down it was no longer smokeless. It was also decided to ask the Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan) and the Minister of Energy Resources (Mr Holland) to investigate increasing urban motor pollution, and to reduce the use of private cars for journeys of less than five miles. Half of the car journeys made in New Zealand were of less than five miles, a member said.