Weaknesses shown in Clean Air Act —Minister

Press, 26 March 1980, Page 2

Weaknesses shown in Clean Air Act —Minister

PA Wellington Important weaknesses have been revealed in the Clean Air Act, according to the Minister of Health (Mr Gair). The act would need amending to ensure it was

i, enforceable, but this might J not be done before next year, ' he said yesterday. »i Mr Gair was addressing the 'I New Zealand’ branch of the j Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand. : He said the cornerstone of

(the clean air legislation was.; .the principle:, the best 1 | practicable means for con-; I taining pollutants from any ! ; process. i This was ideally suited ; for New Zealand conditions’ ; because it was directed at! control of air pollution at it>f source. “‘Best practicable means’-

:is a fair-play clause. We do ! not expect the small polluter, iby nature of his small size, to have to install the expensive and complex equipment ; which would be necessary ; for the large polluter,” Mr Gair said. “Similarly, it is no more sensible to require uniform control standards from industry, wherever located, ■ than to suggest that open, domestic coal fires should be banned everywhere because they are a problem in Christchurch. “But if the ‘best practicable

means’ . approach is to be effective it must be legally enforceable by law. It seems that a court case has proved that it '•> not necessarily totally effective.” Mr Gair, a former smoker,

; said cigarette smoking was a ; contributing factor to air i pollution, particularly in (confined public spaces. ; “The cigarette smoker is inflicting a concentration of carbon monoxide on himself and innocent bystanders far in excess of carbon monoxide pollution from industrial ■sources or cars,” said Mr Gair.

tii "It is not uncommon for a ’, cigarette to produce 5 per ‘.cent carbon monoxide of - gaseous emissions compared t'with from 3 to 4 per cent /'from a car. r “The smoker inhales carbon monoxide directly with--s,out much chance of dilution ii'by. surrounding air.” It was estimated that a i; heavy smoker could have 16 -jper cent .of the oxygen- •; inhibiting compound in his 3 blood for long periods. A 40 -■per cent level of carbon J monoxide induced unconsciousness, Mr Gair said.