Air pollution exceeds W.H.O. standards

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 1

Air pollution exceeds W.H.O. standards

Christchurch air pollution levels have exceeded World Health Organisation standards. W.H.O. recommends that average air pollution daily readings not exceed 125 micrograms of smoke per cubic metre for more than seven days a winter. Christchurch pollution had already exceeded that level on three days before heavy pollution set in this week, the Canterbury United Council’s acting chief executive, Dr Chris Kissling, said. A final analysis of air pollution data will not be complete until the end of the month, but this week’s readings looked particularly bad, he said. “Christchurch people ought to be able to do better than this. We have been warned by the Gov-

ernment we have got to do something about reducing Christchurch’s winter air pollution. Otherwise they will legislate and we will not have any choice. “If people would just hold off lighting their open fires and make sure their woodburners are not smoking when the weather office predicts potential high pollution, then we would not have Government threatening to make fires illegal.” The critical periods did not often last long, and it should not be too difficult for the public to refrain from lighting fires for a time, said Dr Kissling. A brochure of the Canterbury United Council’s fire-free days is being distributed on the city’s buses.