Cleaner air for Waitaha Canterbury: Celebrating our region's progress towards clear air
Thanks to 25 years of regional planning, regulation, and community action, air quality across Waitaha Canterbury has improved dramatically — with high-pollution days dropping from up to 60 a year in some towns to fewer than 10 today.
Monitoring across our seven towns and cities in Waitaha shows a clear downward trend in high-pollution days between 2000 and 2025, and the number of days exceeding the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NESAQ) has dropped significantly. This is largely due to changes in wood burning for home heating.
The biggest improvements
For many areas, there have been far fewer breaches of the PM10 standard. There used to be 50 to 60 days exceeding this standard in Christchurch, Timaru, and Kaiapoi in the early 2000s. In recent years this number has decreased to less than 10 days.
While the numbers didn’t start so high in Ashburton, Rangiora, Waimate, and Geraldine, days exceeding this PM10 standard are rare in these towns now.
Monitoring of PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres in size) didn’t start until the 2010s, but we can see the occurrence of these high pollution events are also decreasing. This is a good improvement as these particles can be more harmful to human health.
Daily averages since 2000
Planning and community key for change
Our environmental regulation and protection core service lead Councillor Claire McKay said it's fantastic to see strategic regional planning and community involvement drive such terrific improvements in the region’s air quality.
“People are doing their bit, which we’re pleased to see. We hope to see these positive trends continue.
“We’ll keep going with our work to help things improve further in the future. Good air quality makes Canterbury a better place to live for everyone,” Cr McKay said.
Dr Cheryl Brunton, medical officer of health for the National Public Health Service said, “clean air is vital for human health and wellbeing, and poor air quality affects everyone who breathes. The health impacts of particulate and other air pollution are significant, so when air pollution is reduced, we all benefit.”
What’s driving change?
Key regional council actions include:
- introducing the Canterbury Air Regional Plan (CARP) with clear rules on home heating, outdoor burning, and industrial discharges
- setting stricter PM2.5 targets for 2030, aligned with international health guidelines
- funding cleaner heating through the Warmer Cheaper programme, including subsidies for heat pumps and ultra-low emission wood burners
- targeting Clean Air Zones and prioritising low-income households to ensure equitable outcomes
- educating Catabrians to burn dry wood, maintain their burners, and avoid smoky chimneys
Monitoring and innovation
Our commitment to science underpins every decision. We operate a robust monitoring network across the region, tracking PM10 and PM2.5 levels in real time. This data informs policy and helps us target interventions where they’re needed most.
We also share this information openly. You can check current air quality on our website, sign up for high-pollution alerts, and explore historical trends.
The community contribution
Cleaner air isn’t just the result of council initiatives, it’s a collective achievement. Thousands of households have:
- upgraded to cleaner, low-emission heating systems
- embraced better burning practices, including using dry wood
- reported smoky chimneys which helps reduce neighbourhood pollution.
Firewood suppliers have joined the effort by promoting dry wood, and local media have helped spread the message. Every small change adds to a big difference.
Community feedback has shaped our approach too. Through partnerships with rūnanga, health agencies, and local councils, we’ve ensured that air quality improvements reflect the diverse needs and values of Waitaha.
“The collective efforts to improve air quality by individuals and groups throughout the region are making a big difference. We’re urging every household to take simple steps to help prevent air pollution,” compliance team leader Brian Reeves said.
Challenges ahead
Despite the progress, we’re not finished. Five of Waitaha Canterbury’s eight airsheds are still classified as “polluted” under NESAQ, and meeting the 2030 target for PM2.5 will be difficult. Urban growth, affordability barriers, and changing climate patterns add complexity. That’s why we’re continuing to innovate and evaluate our own approach, while advocating for national standards that reflect the latest health research.
Together for cleaner air
The past decade proves what’s possible when regional leadership and community action align. By working together, we’ve cut pollution, improved health, and made Waitaha Canterbury a better place to live.
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