Air quality breaches
The National Environmental Standard for Air Quality (NESAQ) threshold for PM10, particles smaller than 10 microns in diameter, has been breached when the daily average PM10 threshold of 50 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) has been exceeded more than once in a 12-month period.
Exceedances over the last five years
Year |
Ashburton |
Christchurch |
Geraldine |
Kaiapoi |
Rangiora |
Timaru |
Washdyke |
Waimate |
2023 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
35 |
0 |
2022 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
20 |
0 |
2021 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
13 |
30 |
0 |
2020 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
22 |
0 |
2019 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
12 |
14 |
1 |
2018 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
An airshed is no longer described as polluted when the number of exceedances was one or less in each of the last five years.
View the current calendar year totals.
Concentrations on exceedance days in each airshed
Particulate matter (PM) consists of both ”fine” and “coarse” particles. Fine particles (PM2.5) have a diameter smaller than 2.5 µm and are mainly from combustion sources (wood burners, motor vehicles, industrial boilers). Coarse particles (PM2.5-10) have a diameter greater than 2.5 µm and less than 10 µm, and are mainly from dust and marine aerosols.
Bold figures in the following tables indicate a PM10 exceedance of 50 µg/m3 and when PM2.5 also exceeded 25 µg/m3.
Ashburton airshed - Last exceedance on 24/6/2022
This monitoring site is located on Cambridge Street, Ashburton, which is in a residential area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Fri 24/6/2022 |
53 |
47 |
6 |
Mon 1/7/2019 |
59 |
29 |
30 |
Mon 16/07/2018 |
54 |
48 |
6 |
Fri 22/6/2018 |
52 |
41 |
10 |
Mon 19/6/2017 |
53 |
43 |
11 |
Sat 3/6/2017 |
51 |
44 |
7 |
Fri 26/5/2017 |
52 |
- |
- |
Christchurch airshed - Last exceedance on 19/7/2023
Where there is more than one monitoring site, the maximum concentration is reported for the airshed.
Geraldine airshed - Last exceedance on 6/7/2018
This monitoring site is located on Huffey Street, Geraldine, which is in a residential area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Fri 1/02/2019 |
53* |
11 |
42 |
Fri 6/07/2018 |
52 |
41 |
11 |
Wed 21/06/2017 |
59 |
46 |
12 |
*Exceptional event, not counted for breach of NESAQ.
Kaiapoi airshed - Last exceedance on 19/7/2023
This monitoring site is located on Peraki Street, Kaiapoi, which is in a residential area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Wed 19/7/2023 |
75 |
67 |
8 |
Tue 18/7/2023 |
82 |
75 |
7 |
Sat 15/7/2023 |
57 |
52 |
5 |
Tue 4/7/2023 |
53 |
46 |
7 |
Sun 11/6/2023 |
57 |
51 |
6 |
Sun 14/8/2022 |
60 |
54 |
6 |
Mon 1/8/2022 |
62 |
56 |
6 |
Sat 16/7/2022 |
53 |
47 |
6 |
Wed 6/7/2022 |
59 |
44 |
15 |
Tue 5/7/2022 |
111 |
92 |
19 |
Sun 3/7/2022 |
65 |
58 |
7 |
Fri 24/6/2022 |
53 |
40 |
13 |
Thu 16/6/2022 |
51 |
40 |
11 |
Wed 15/6/2022 |
53 |
43 |
10 |
Sun 30/5/2022 |
51 |
46 |
5 |
Tue 24/5/2022 |
64 |
54 |
10 |
Wed 14/7/2021 |
72 |
64 |
9 |
Mon 12/7/2021 |
56 |
45 |
12 |
Wed 2/6/2021 |
62 |
55 |
7 |
Mon 10/8/2020 |
63 |
55 |
8 |
Mon 8/6/2020 |
88 |
81 |
7 |
Sun 7/6/2020 |
55 |
50 |
5 |
Wed 7/8/2019 |
62 |
54 |
8 |
Sun 28/7/2019 |
63 |
52 |
10 |
Sun 7/7/2019 |
66 |
60 |
6 |
Tue 2/7/2019 |
58 |
48 |
9 |
Mon 1/7/2019 |
76 |
61 |
14 |
Sat 29/6/2019 |
69 |
59 |
9 |
Fri 28/6/2019 |
53 |
44 |
10 |
Sat 18/5/2019 |
59 |
53 |
6 |
Fri 20/7/2018 |
51 |
45 |
6 |
Sat 23/6/2018 |
51 |
45 |
6 |
Sat 26/8/2017 |
59 |
54 |
5 |
Tue 25/7/2017 |
68 |
62 |
6 |
Mon 24/7/2017 |
59 |
55 |
4 |
Sun 16/7/2017 |
54 |
49 |
5 |
Sun 25/06/2017 |
61 |
61 |
0 |
Sun 18/06/2017 |
55 |
54 |
1 |
Thu 15/6/2017 |
53 |
42 |
11 |
Sun 11/6/2017 |
63 |
61 |
2 |
Sat 10/6/2017 |
51 |
45 |
5 |
Tue 23/5/2017 |
52 |
45 |
7 |
Rangiora airshed - Last exceedance on 18/7/2023
This monitoring site is located on Percival Street, Rangiora, which is in a residential area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Tue 18/7/023 |
60 |
53 |
7 |
Mon 17/7/2023 |
51 |
45 |
6 |
Wed 6/7/2022 |
55 |
41 |
14 |
Tue 5/7/2022 |
67 |
62 |
5 |
Sun 3/7/2022 |
57 |
56 |
1 |
Wed 14/7/2021 |
55 |
51 |
4 |
Thu 27/5/2021 |
53 |
46 |
7 |
Mon 10/8/2020 |
57 |
50 |
8 |
Sat 11/7/2020 |
58 |
54 |
4 |
Mon 8/6/2020 |
59 |
53 |
6 |
Sun 7/6/2020 |
56 |
53 |
3 |
Sun 7/7/2019 |
69 |
64 |
5 |
Mon 1/7/2019 |
72 |
60 |
12 |
Sat 26/8/2017 |
61 |
46 |
14 |
Thu 10/8/2017 |
54 |
45 |
9 |
Mon 24/7/2017 |
55 |
44 |
12 |
Sun 16/7/2017 |
54 |
44 |
10 |
Sun 18/6/2017 |
55 |
49 |
6 |
Sun 11/6/2017 |
57 |
49 |
8 |
Timaru airshed - Last exceedance on 4/10/2023
This monitoring site is located on Anzac Square near Rose Street, Timaru, which is in a residential area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Wed 4/10/2023 |
55 |
18 |
37 |
Thu 24/8/2023 |
58 |
35 |
23 |
Mon 31/7/2023 |
63 |
35 |
28 |
Wed 5/7/2023 |
53 |
32 |
21 |
Thu 29/6/2023 |
60 |
38 |
22 |
Wed 31/5/2023 |
52 |
30 |
22 |
Sun 17/7/2022 |
53 |
44 |
9 |
Fri 24/6/2022 |
62 |
49 |
13 |
Wed 22/6/2022 |
54 |
37 |
17 |
Sun 22/8/2021 |
63 |
49 |
14 |
Thu 12/8/2021 |
55 |
28 |
28 |
Wed 21/7/2021 |
59 |
45 |
15 |
Tue 20/7/2021 |
53 |
42 |
11 |
Wed 14/7/2021 |
52 |
35 |
17 |
Mon 12/7/2021 |
61 |
42 |
19 |
Mon 5/7/2021 |
62 |
47 |
15 |
Sun 4/7/2021 |
55 |
47 |
9 |
Sat 3/7/2021 |
58 |
49 |
9 |
Thu 1/7/2021 |
64 |
41 |
22 |
Fri 4/6/2021 |
56 |
41 |
15 |
Thu 27/5/2021 |
61 |
43 |
18 |
Sat 8/5/2021 |
52 |
31 |
20 |
Wed 19/8/2020 |
52 |
23 |
29 |
Sun 2/8/2020 |
75 |
53 |
22 |
Sat 1/8/2020 |
64 |
43 |
21 |
Thu 30/7/2020 |
59 |
38 |
21 |
Wed 29/7/2020 |
54 |
37 |
16 |
Tue 28/7/2020 |
56 |
39 |
16 |
Fri 10/7/2020 |
51 |
37 |
14 |
Sat 4/7/2020 |
53 |
42 |
11 |
Mon 15/6/2020 |
58 |
39 |
19 |
Thu 21/5/2020 |
52 |
30 |
23 |
Wed 27/11/2019 |
52 |
10 |
41 |
Tue 26/11/2019 |
51 |
12 |
38 |
Thu 15/8/2019 |
64 |
34 |
30 |
Thu 8/8/2019 |
69 |
41 |
29 |
Wed 7/8/2019 |
54 |
33 |
20 |
Mon 29/7/2019 |
56 |
37 |
19 |
Sun 28/7/2019 |
77 |
51 |
26 |
Sat 27/7/2019 |
61 |
41 |
20 |
Tue 2/7/2019 |
63 |
40 |
23 |
Mon 1/7/2019 |
72 |
44 |
29 |
Sun 30/6/2019 |
53 |
43 |
10 |
Fri 28/6/2019 |
66 |
44 |
22 |
Mon 13/8/2018 |
56 |
33 |
24 |
Wed 1/8/2018 |
56 |
21 |
35 |
Fri 20/7/2018 |
61 |
46 |
15 |
Thu 19/7/2018 |
69 |
50 |
19 |
Wed 18/7/2018 |
60 |
40 |
21 |
Fri 6/7/2018 |
77 |
57 |
21 |
Wed 4/7/2018 |
53 |
37 |
15 |
Thu 21/6/2018 |
62 |
44 |
18 |
Sat 26/8/2017 |
71 |
40 |
30 |
Fri 25/8/2017 |
60 |
31 |
29 |
Mon 31/7/2017 |
53 |
30 |
22 |
Sun 30/7/2017 |
61 |
50 |
11 |
Wed 26/7/2017 |
63 |
35 |
28 |
Mon 24/7/2017 |
60 |
39 |
21 |
Sun 16/7/2017 |
52 |
46 |
6 |
Mon 10/7/2017 |
64 |
51 |
13 |
Mon 3/7/2017 |
53 |
35 |
18 |
Mon 26/6/2017 |
57 |
34 |
22 |
Sat 24/6/2017 |
60 |
43 |
17 |
Wed 21/6/2017 |
70 |
55 |
15 |
Tue 20/6/2017 |
59 |
48 |
10 |
Sat 17/6/2017 |
60 |
46 |
14 |
Mon 22/5/2017 |
55 |
37 |
19 |
Mon 15/5/2017 |
52 |
39 |
13 |
Thu 27/4/2017 |
57 |
26 |
31 |
Washdyke airshed - Last exceedance on 22/3/2024
This monitoring site was located on Washdyke Flat Road before March 2019 and is now located on Meadows Road, Washdyke, Timaru. Both of these sites are in an industrial area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Fri 22/3/2024 |
54 |
13 |
41 |
Mon 19/2/2024 |
55 |
11 |
44 |
Thu 15/2/2024 |
55 |
9 |
46 |
Thu 11/1/2024 |
56 |
11 |
45 |
Thu 23/11/2023 |
98 |
16 |
82 |
Fri 6/10/2023 |
66 |
11 |
55 |
Wed 4/10/2023 |
91 |
22 |
69 |
Thu 21/9/2023 |
62 |
12 |
50 |
Fri 15/9/2023 |
86 |
15 |
71 |
Thu 14/9/2023 |
69 |
10 |
59 |
Tues 12/9/2023 |
51 |
9 |
42 |
Mon 11/9/2023 |
83 |
13 |
70 |
Wed 6/9/2023 |
54 |
12 |
42 |
Fri 1/9/2023 |
66 |
14 |
52 |
Thu 31/8/2023 |
55 |
12 |
43 |
Sat 26/8/2023 |
56 |
23 |
33 |
Thu 24/8/2023 |
63 |
17 |
46 |
Mon 21/8/2023 |
51 |
16 |
35 |
Mon 31/7/2023 |
72 |
18 |
54 |
Wed 19/7/2023 |
53 |
11 |
42 |
Tue 18/7/2023 |
71 |
14 |
57 |
Mon 17/7/2023 |
58 |
14 |
44 |
Thu 13/7/2023 |
54 |
17 |
37 |
Wed 5/7/2023 |
59 |
17 |
42 |
Tue 4/7/2023 |
74 |
17 |
57 |
Fri 30/6/2023 |
54 |
14 |
40 |
Thu 29/6/2023 |
60 |
17 |
43 |
Sat 24/6/2023 |
81 |
22 |
59 |
Wed 31/5/2023 |
60 |
13 |
47 |
Wed 3/5/2023 |
58 |
10 |
48 |
Tues 2/5/2023 |
66 |
17 |
49 |
Tues 18/4/2023 |
51 |
14 |
37 |
Mon 17/4/2023 |
56 |
14 |
42 |
Wed 8/3/2023 |
51 |
11 |
40 |
Tues 21/2/2023 |
100 |
18 |
82 |
Wed 8/2/2023 |
51 |
11 |
40 |
Tue 7/2/2023 |
63 |
13 |
50 |
Fri 27/1/2023 |
53 |
11 |
42 |
Fri 20/1/2023 |
62 |
16 |
46 |
Wed 14/12/2022 |
61 |
14 |
47 |
Fri 9/12/2022 |
56 |
13 |
43 |
Thu 20/10/2022 |
54 |
11 |
43 |
Wed 19/10/2022 |
58 |
10 |
48 |
Mon 10/10/2022 |
62 |
9 |
53 |
Thu 29/9/2022 |
79 |
15 |
64 |
Tue 20/9/2022 |
60 |
10 |
50 |
Mon 5/9/2022 |
67 |
12 |
55 |
Thur 1/9/2022 |
67 |
16 |
51 |
Tue 16/8/2022 |
56 |
19 |
37 |
Fri 5/8/2022 |
81 |
17 |
64 |
Thu 7/7/2022 |
55 |
19 |
36 |
Wed 15/6/2022 |
65 |
16 |
49 |
Tue 31/5/2022 |
68 |
18 |
50 |
Wed 25/5/2022 |
55 |
14 |
41 |
Mon 02/5/2022 |
58 |
15 |
42 |
Wed 20/4/2022 |
57 |
18 |
40 |
Fri 11/3/2022 |
73 |
15 |
57 |
Sat 19/2/2022 |
71 |
12 |
59 |
Fri 18/2/2022 |
53 |
10 |
43 |
Wed 22/12/2021 |
88 |
15 |
72 |
Mon 20/12/2021 |
58 |
8 |
50 |
Fri 26/11/2021 |
53 |
9 |
44 |
Fri 12/11/2021 |
63 |
12 |
50 |
Fri 24/09/2021 |
70 |
15 |
55 |
Mon 6/9/2021 |
51 |
12 |
39 |
Fri 3/9/2021 |
51 |
14 |
37 |
Thu 12/8/2021 |
84 |
19 |
65 |
Wed 11/8/2021 |
57 |
16 |
42 |
Thu 5/8/2021 |
52 |
17 |
36 |
Wed 28/7/2021 |
67 |
20 |
47 |
Mon 26/7/2021 |
59 |
18 |
41 |
Wed 21/7/2021 |
62 |
21 |
41 |
Wed 14/7/2021 |
58 |
19 |
39 |
Tue 6/7/2021 |
65 |
14 |
51 |
Mon 5/7/2021 |
75 |
24 |
51 |
Wed 30/6/2021 |
63 |
14 |
48 |
Fri 25/6/2021 |
59 |
16 |
42 |
Thu 27/5/2021 |
85 |
28 |
57 |
Wed 26/5/2021 |
54 |
17 |
37 |
Fri 7/5/2021 |
52 |
11 |
40 |
Tue 4/5/2021 |
70 |
16 |
54 |
Thu 29/4/2021 |
54 |
11 |
43 |
Fri 23/4/2021 |
60 |
12 |
48 |
Mon 15/3/2021 |
57 |
10 |
47 |
Wed 24/2/2021 |
65 |
8 |
57 |
Tue 9/2/2021 |
62 |
14 |
48 |
Wed 27/1/2021 |
70 |
12 |
58 |
Mon 16/11/2020 |
68 |
7 |
61 |
Thu 5/11/2020 |
72 |
9 |
63 |
Wed 14/10/2020 |
66 |
6 |
59 |
Mon 5/10/2020 |
57 |
9 |
47 |
Wed 23/9/2020 |
66 |
8 |
57 |
Thu 17/9/2020 |
53 |
4 |
50 |
Wed 19/8/2020 |
73 |
16 |
57 |
Thu 13/8/2020 |
62 |
8 |
54 |
Sun 2/8/2020 |
51 |
19 |
32 |
Fri 31/7/2020 |
52 |
22 |
31 |
Wed 17/6/2020 |
66 |
13 |
53 |
Thu 11/6/2020 |
57 |
16 |
41 |
Thu 14/5/2020 |
55 |
24 |
31 |
Fri 1/5/2020 |
53 |
11 |
42 |
Thu 19/3/2020 |
53 |
10 |
42 |
Mon 16/3/2020 |
71 |
11 |
60 |
Tue 3/3/2020 |
55 |
12 |
42 |
Thu 27/2/2020 |
89 |
15 |
74 |
Fri 21/2/2020 |
51 |
10 |
41 |
Fri 31/1/2020 |
63 |
12 |
51 |
Thu 30/1/2020 |
124 |
12 |
112 |
Sat 25/1/2020 |
77 |
12 |
65 |
Wed 4/12/2019 |
71 |
6 |
65 |
Tue 3/12/2019 |
60 |
6 |
54 |
Wed 27/11/2019 |
63 |
11 |
52 |
Tue 5/11/2019 |
56 |
12 |
44 |
Tue 8/10/2019 |
58 |
15 |
43 |
Thu 12/9/2019 |
58 |
9 |
49 |
Thu 15/8/2019 |
75 |
14 |
61 |
Thu 8/8/2019 |
59 |
14 |
45 |
Tue 2/7/2019 |
63 |
20 |
43 |
Mon 1/7/2019 |
66 |
18 |
48 |
Fri 28/6/2019 |
52 |
14 |
38 |
Wed 10/4/2019 |
86 |
12 |
75 |
Tue 26/3/2019 |
74 |
11 |
63 |
Mon 25/3/2019 |
78 |
15 |
63 |
Tue 20/3/2018 |
61 |
18 |
43 |
Thu 27/4/2017 |
58 |
11 |
47 |
Waimate airshed - Last exceedance on 2/7/2019
This monitoring site is located on Kennedy Crescent, Waimate, which is in a residential area.
Date of exceedance |
PM10 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
PM2.5-10 (µg/m3) |
Tue 2/07/2019 |
55 |
45 |
10 |
Thu 20/07/2017 |
52 |
39 |
13 |
Wed 21/06/2017 |
62 |
53 |
9 |
Environment Canterbury © 2024
Retrieved: 8:37pm, Fri 29 Mar 2024
https://www.ecan.govt.nz/your-region/your-environment/air-quality/the-science-behind-our-air-quality/air-quality-breaches/