Air Quality

Are there any situations where I can use an open fire or older woodburner once the ban is in place? Ashburton, Christchurch, Rangiora and Kaiapoi all have a rule that provides an exemption that allows home owners to use their old woodburners and open fires in emergency power ou ...
Are you banning the burning of wood for home heating? Environment Canterbury has allowed provisions for burning wood in the future in all of their Air Plan rules. However, you may need to replace your woodburner with cleaner burning ...
Are you going to ban woodburners and open fires anywhere other than Christchurch, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Ashburton at any stage in the future? Air quality may well be a problem in other towns in Canterbury, but there are no definite plans for a wider ban. As well as the four centres, Environment Canterbury monitors air q ...
Are you going to ban woodburners and open fires at any stage in the future? From 1 April 2010 residents in Christchurch's Clean Air zone will not be able to use their open fires or solid fuel burners older than 15 years during the winter months. The ...
Can I build an open fire in a house on a rural property? You may be able to install an open fire depending on the size of your property. For properties greater than two hectares, not in an urban area and outside of the clean air zone ...
Can I have a fire on the beach? It may be possible to have a bonfire on the beach as long as certain conditions are met. These conditions relate to separation distances from other activities and offence to other ...
Can I install a wood fire into a new home in Christchurch? No, not within Christchurch Clean Air Zone One as this would add to existing pollution levels. At times during the winter, Christchurch has poor air quality largely caused by home ...
Can I install a wood fire into a new home in Kaiapoi? The installation of a clean air approved woodburner, if it is a replacement for an existing burner or open fire, is a permitted activity and does not require resource consent from ...
Can I install a woodburner into a new home in Ashburton? Yes, it is possible to install a woodburner in Ashburton as long it is one that is from Environment Canterbury's approved list and meets the current emission standards. ...
Can I light a barbecue/hangi/umu on my residential property? Yes - however smoke should not cause any offensive or objectionable effect beyond the boundary of your property.If you want to prepare for a hangi or umu, please ring Environment ...
Can I light an outdoor fire on my rural property? Yes - as long as the following is true: your property is zoned rural there is no winter fire ban (applies to properties in Clean Air Zones) there is no city/district council summ ...
Can I light an outdoor fire or brazier on my residential property? It is not possible to light an outdoor fire or brazier on a property zoned residential - there is a total outdoor fire ban in place on residential sections throughout Canterbury a ...
Can I use my old wood burner or open fire in an emergency situation? In Ashburton, Christchurch, Rangiora and Kaiapoi all have a rule that provides an exception that allows home owners to use their old wood burners and open fires in emergency powe ...
Do I need to partially transfer the Solid Energy pellet fire consent into my name? Solid Energy holds a global consent to install a set number of approved pellet burners into properties in Christchurch that are not replacing an existing open fire or woodburner. ...
Do I need to remove my woodburner or open fire now that I can't legally use it in the winter? It is not necessary to remove your old woodburner or close off your open fire once the ban in your area commences, however you will not be able to use the fire or woodburner. F ...
Does the Authorisation number on the Approved Woodburner list indicate when the fire has to be removed from my home? No that is not the case. The Authorisation number indicates that a particular model of woodburner meets Environment Canterbury's air emissions standards and is able to be installe ...
How can I find out if I am in a Clean Air Zone? Environment Canterbury has Clean Air Zones for Christchurch, Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Ashburton. If your property is located within one of these zones, you may be restricted as to wh ...
How can I find out whether I live in Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1? Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 roughly comprises the urban area of Christchurch. Find out about the zone boundary by checking the map on our website. ...
How can I keep warm with a heat pump or low-emission woodburner that has a lower heat output than my old woodburner? By improving the ceiling and under floor insulation your house will be easier to heat, so you will find that you only need an appliance with a lower output, which will also mean y ...
How did Environment Canterbury's air rules come about? From 1997, residents in the Canterbury Region consistently said air quality was their number one environmental issue. It is now second only to water quality. The Air Plan (Ch ...
How does Environment Canterbury monitor air pollution? Environment Canterbury has permanent air pollution monitoring stations in seven Canterbury towns: Kaiapoi Rangiora Christchurch (St Albans, Riccarton and Woolston) Ashburton Tima ...
I have been sold wet firewood. What can I do about it? The Consumer Guarantees Act, administered by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, covers the supply of firewood. This requires that goods must be fit for the purpose they are sold/bo ...
I own a Heritage building with an open fire. Is this fire exempt from the Winter fire ban? Environment Canterbury does have provisions for some heritage buildings in Christchurch to be exempt from the winter fire ban. To find out if your property is listed on the Exemp ...
I own a heritage listed house in Ashburton will I qualify for an exemption from the ban on open fires and solid fuel burners? If your property is listed in the Schedule included in Chapter 3 of the Natural Resource Regional Plan or listed as a category B heritage home in the Ashburton District Plan, you ...
I own a heritage listed house in Kaiapoi will I qualify for an exemption from the ban on open fires and solid fuel burners? If your property is listed in the Schedule included in Chapter 3 of the Natural Resource Regional Plan or listed as a category B heritage home in the Waimakariri District Plan, yo ...
If I am in a rental property, what do I do if I have relied in the past on an open fire or old burner as my main source of heat? Landlords are obliged to provide alternative heating if they agreed to provide heating in the tenancy agreement and could be liable for a fine if they don’t. In the first instance ...
If my tenants use the fire, who will you take action against? Both tenants and landlords are legally liable for the unlawful use of an open fire or an older solid fuel burner and Environment Canterbury may take action against both. Liability ...
Is there anything else that people can do to help improve Air Quality? Even if you have a complying, low-emission woodburner, using it correctly can make a huge difference to its efficiency and to how much pollution it makes. Use dry wood with a ...
Isn't power too unreliable for home heating in rural areas? The electricity supply can be unreliable in some rural areas, however air pollution is not usually a problem outside residential areas. On properties greater than 2 hectare you ca ...
My house needs to be rebuilt due to earthquake damage, can I put a woodburner into my new home? If your current home is in Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 (most of the metropolitan area), you will not be able to install a woodburner in your new home, even if your current home ...
My house will need to be rebuilt as the result of earthquake damage. Am I able to continue using my fire until the house is demolished? If your current home is in Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 (most of the metropolitan area), you will not be able to install a woodburner in your new home, even if your current home ...
What are the restrictions on outdoor burning in Ashburton? If you live on a property that has been zoned residential by the Ashburton District Council, you are not allowed to have an outdoor fire on your property at any time of the year, ...
What are the restrictions on outdoor burning in Kaiapoi or Rangiora? If you live on a property that has been zoned residential by the Waimakariri District Council, you are not allowed to have an outdoor fire on your property at any time of the year ...
What are the serious effects on health caused by pollution from home heating? Environment Canterbury has been monitoring air quality in Canterbury for a number of years. We have been concerned about the levels of PM10 within the smoke emissions. PM10 is ma ...
What does Environment Canterbury monitor with the air pollution monitoring stations? The main contaminant that seems to be a problem in Canterbury towns is suspended particulate PM10. All monitoring stations, except Riccarton, monitor this contaminant. Carbon mono ...
What does the Authorisation number on the Approved Woodburner list mean? When a woodburner manufacturer wishes to sell a particular model of woodburner in Christchurch they must submit information to Environment Canterbury to prove that their burner me ...
When will I need to get rid of my open fire/old woodburner in Christchurch? You are not required to replace an open fire or old woodburner. However, in Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 you will not be allowed to use an open fire or old woodburner from 1 Apri ...
Where do the new home heating rules for Canterbury apply? The Air Plan rules are now operative in Christchurch, and will be enforced each winter between April and September. These rules will be actively enforced from April 2010. Please n ...
Who can I contact when I notice air pollution, a smoky chimney or when I suspect an open fire or old woodburner is being used during the winter ban? Pollution related complaints should be reported to the 24-hour Pollution Hotline on 0800 76 55 88. The incident is then referred to the Environment Canterbury monitoring or enforc ...
Why do you measure air pollution in only one place, the most polluted place? The National Environmental Standard (NES) for Air Quality requires Environment Canterbury to measure air pollution in the most polluted place to ensure the whole airshed meets the ...
Why do you prohibit the use of open fires and old woodburners in Christchurch in the winter? Isn’t that when you need them? Christchurch has poor air quality at times, particularly during the winter. The largest cause of winter pollution is home heating. This is why Environment Canterbury have prohibit ...
Why don’t you educate people on how to use their woodburner better? We are doing that now. Please consult our website to find ways to maximise the use of your woodburner and get more heat out of your fire. ...
Why have I received a letter about my old woodburner? Environment Canterbury has begun sending letters out to property owners who have woodburners that are at least 15 years old. The letter informs them of the date they will not be a ...
Why is Environment Canterbury placing restrictions on the types of home heating people can install in their homes? A number of Canterbury towns and cities have poor air quality at times, particularly during the winter. The largest cause of winter pollution in Canterbury towns is home heating. ...
Why is there so little time for people to prepare for the changes to the Air Plan rules? Consultation on this rule started in 2002 when a brochure covering the proposed ban was sent to every letterbox in Christchurch. At that time it was proposed that the use of open ...
Will Environment Canterbury take enforcement action for breaches of the clean air rules where people are unable to comply because of the earthquakes? No. Many people will be living under difficult and unusual circumstances this winter and Environment Canterbury have recognised this. Environment Canterbury will not be taking ac ...
Won't electric heating be too expensive to heat my home? If you install sufficient ceiling and underfloor insulation you will find that you will need less heating as you are keeping the heat in better. Ideally a layer of approximately 2 ...

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