Hawke's Bay fires: Penalty of fine criticised as ‘economic incentive to burn'
'I rang the Pollution hotline. This was one of the worst examples of air pollution that I have seen this year, which is saying something considering the extent of this activity,' Graham said.
'This fire was in blatant disregard and abuse of our community's air quality and the law.
'The smoke was drifting towards Hastings, completely covering the entire region between Railway Rd and Havelock North,' Graham said.
'It was difficult to drive on Riverslea Rd heading back into Hastings due to limited visibility.'
HBRC said its pollution response team investigated a complaint regarding smoke in the Longlands Rd area on July 27.
'As a result of that investigation, enforcement action has been taken and a $300 fine issued.'
HBRC compliance manager Matt Wilkinson said it was frustrating that the council's ability to deter this behaviour was constrained by the fines set at a national level.
'But we acknowledge the changes made by the Government, coming into effect in September, which lifts the infringement fines to $600 for individuals or $1200 for companies as a move in the right direction of discouraging burning in or near airsheds.'
Graham said those planned increases were not high enough and would still encourage fires to save money.
Air pollution records published in Hawke's Bay Today on Friday, August 8, show the National Environment Standard air quality was also exceeded in Hastings on July 26 (54 micrograms).
In a 12-month period in 2023-24, HBRC received about 80 complaints of burning during winter. More than 70 infringement fines were issued.
Orchard burnoffs are allowed under the Regional Air Quality rules, but they must meet specific conditions.
Christian Jirkowsky, who moved from Austria to Hawke's Bay in 2007 and has more than 30 years' experience in the power and heat generation sector, where wood, biomass, and fossil fuels are used for energy production, said it was widely acknowledged and scientifically proven that even brief exposure to fine particles (PM 2.5 and PM1) and aerosols emitted from open wood burning increases the risk of non-accidental and respiratory-related fatalities.
'This is why most developed countries have banned open burning and apply severe consequences for violations,' he said.
'Wood smoke exposure induces airway irritation, causes lung damage, and substantially increases the likelihood of developing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], and heart attacks,' Jirkowsky said.
What is an airshed?
An airshed is a legally designated air-quality management area. In New Zealand, regional councils and unitary authorities have identified areas to be managed as airsheds for the national environmental standards for air quality.
The majority of airsheds may have levels of pollutants that exceed the national environmental standards for air quality. Some airsheds are also identified based on factors such as:
the number of people living in the airshed now or in the future
unique weather patterns and geography
local air emissions, such as local industrial activity, which need to be specifically considered and managed.
Why do we have airsheds?
HBRC says airshed rules exist because smoke from backyard fires in urban areas, though they may seem minor, adds up quickly.
On cold, still days, the smoke lingers and affects air quality.
'If everyone lit backyard fires, it would quickly become a serious pollution issue. These rules help protect our whānau and community from the harmful health effects of smoke, especially in winter when it gets trapped close to the ground.'
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Hawke's Bay fires: Penalty of fine criticised as ‘economic incentive to burn'
'$300 is not a deterrent. It's actually an economic incentive to burn,' Graham said. 'I rang the Pollution hotline. This was one of the worst examples of air pollution that I have seen this year, which is saying something considering the extent of this activity,' Graham said. 'This fire was in blatant disregard and abuse of our community's air quality and the law. 'The smoke was drifting towards Hastings, completely covering the entire region between Railway Rd and Havelock North,' Graham said. 'It was difficult to drive on Riverslea Rd heading back into Hastings due to limited visibility.' HBRC said its pollution response team investigated a complaint regarding smoke in the Longlands Rd area on July 27. 'As a result of that investigation, enforcement action has been taken and a $300 fine issued.' HBRC compliance manager Matt Wilkinson said it was frustrating that the council's ability to deter this behaviour was constrained by the fines set at a national level. 'But we acknowledge the changes made by the Government, coming into effect in September, which lifts the infringement fines to $600 for individuals or $1200 for companies as a move in the right direction of discouraging burning in or near airsheds.' Graham said those planned increases were not high enough and would still encourage fires to save money. Air pollution records published in Hawke's Bay Today on Friday, August 8, show the National Environment Standard air quality was also exceeded in Hastings on July 26 (54 micrograms). In a 12-month period in 2023-24, HBRC received about 80 complaints of burning during winter. More than 70 infringement fines were issued. Orchard burnoffs are allowed under the Regional Air Quality rules, but they must meet specific conditions. Christian Jirkowsky, who moved from Austria to Hawke's Bay in 2007 and has more than 30 years' experience in the power and heat generation sector, where wood, biomass, and fossil fuels are used for energy production, said it was widely acknowledged and scientifically proven that even brief exposure to fine particles (PM 2.5 and PM1) and aerosols emitted from open wood burning increases the risk of non-accidental and respiratory-related fatalities. 'This is why most developed countries have banned open burning and apply severe consequences for violations,' he said. 'Wood smoke exposure induces airway irritation, causes lung damage, and substantially increases the likelihood of developing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], and heart attacks,' Jirkowsky said. What is an airshed? An airshed is a legally designated air-quality management area. In New Zealand, regional councils and unitary authorities have identified areas to be managed as airsheds for the national environmental standards for air quality. The majority of airsheds may have levels of pollutants that exceed the national environmental standards for air quality. Some airsheds are also identified based on factors such as: the number of people living in the airshed now or in the future unique weather patterns and geography local air emissions, such as local industrial activity, which need to be specifically considered and managed. Why do we have airsheds? HBRC says airshed rules exist because smoke from backyard fires in urban areas, though they may seem minor, adds up quickly. On cold, still days, the smoke lingers and affects air quality. 'If everyone lit backyard fires, it would quickly become a serious pollution issue. These rules help protect our whānau and community from the harmful health effects of smoke, especially in winter when it gets trapped close to the ground.' LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Kiwis wary of the cost of butter a century ago
The Hastings Farmers' Association discussed in 1890 the establishment of a dairy factory 'for the manufacture of butter; and an article that is good is saleable anywhere'. The Heretaunga Plains were said to be very suitable for butter due to the amount of lime in the soil. In 1892, a company called the Heretaunga Co-operative Dairy Company Limited was formed. Its creamery opened on the corner of St George's Road and Havelock Road in 1893. Butter produced there was all sold locally for 10 pence in winter (it kept longer) and nine pence in summer. Butter was made using a separator. This process was also conducted at many homes, where cream was skimmed off the top of milk and then allowed to sour for butter-making. By using a device, which resembled a concrete mixer, butter fat was separated from whey (skim milk) and formed real butter around the paddles inside the machine. Before electricity, this was described as a 'laborious process'. As there were no refrigerators then, to preserve household butter as long as possible, many families wrapped it in muslin cloth and placed it in a pan of cold salt water to be stored in a cool place on the south side of the house. The St George's creamery struck some supply problems due to the small number of cows supplying the factory, especially when 23 out of the 81 cows tested positive for tuberculosis and had to be destroyed. More dairy farms would soon be established, especially around Mahora, Raureka and Clive. A hundred years ago, the New Zealand public were concerned about the cost of butter. There were no processed foods then – and any changes in prices to staples such as milk, flour and butter played havoc on the mostly static incomes. It's like what is playing out today – in 1920, high export prices dictated domestic butter prices. Although beyond the scope of this article, there were many attempts to juggle (by the not-so invisible hand of the Government) butter prices between farmers, export and domestic markets. Butter was a difficult market to be in for dairy companies. The Heretaunga Co-operative Dairy Company in 1931 paid out advances of £30,000 (2025: $4.1 million) to its suppliers, only to see world market prices for butter (and other commodities) collapse during the Great Depression. Careful financial management was then needed to avoid hardship over the next five years in adjusting supplier payouts without sending both the company and farmers broke. While life was at times difficult for the dairy farmers and companies, it was also hard for the consumer – except for 1925 (100 years ago) – there was simply too much butter flooding the London market. Butter prices in New Zealand were then reduced domestically. In 1935, the situation had reversed and due to the high London market prices, butter production in Hastings rose. During World War II there was, of course, butter rationing – and just before this was announced, shops in Hastings noted the extra demand for butter. Mothers sent their children along to buy extra butter – and when shopkeepers asked what their mother was going to use the extra butter for, in many cases the children replied: 'Mother was going to lay in a store of cakes.' Refrigerators were not common household appliances then and those who had them purchased excess butter to store – but this came with a warning: 'The butter will not keep indefinitely.' Butter rationing was lifted in June 1950 and the end of government subsidies to producers meant it went up in price. One Hastings grocer noted there was no increase in demand for butter after the rationing ended, believing the price increases affected sales. Bakers in Hastings also suffered from the price increases for butter, saying the demand for small cakes had dropped. 'Block cake and sponges are still good sellers,' he said. Another said he wasn't worried about the falling-off of 'smalls', as 'housewives, if they have not lost the cake-making 'knack', are loathe to bother with cake-making chores'. In other words, the demand for the larger cakes would not diminish. The price increases in June 1950 also applied to bread, eggs, tea and milk. Interestingly, margarine sales did not increase to the detriment of butter. The Consumers Price Index (CPI), formed in 1949, showed the effect of these increases in 1950. Businesses who provided 'cut lunches' for the hard-working people of the Hastings CBD were especially concerned about these price increases, as any passing-on of these costs had to be approved by the Government's Price Tribunal. 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After World War II, returned servicemen established dairy farms around Tūtira and Pūtōrino, but process-cropping and other types of farming yielded better returns and dairying began to decline in the 1960s. Dairying was not a sustainable business in Hawke's Bay – our warm, dry climate was against it as 'cows need a flush of soft green feed'. The Heretaunga Co-operative Dairy Co merged with the Tui Co-operative Dairy Co in Pahiatua in 1974, and in 1975 it was liquidated. Consolidation of the dairy industry occurred in 2001 with the formation of Fonterra, which today collects a share of around 77.7% of New Zealand's milk pool. – Michael Fowler is doing a talk on the history of Hastings' Fantasyland on Wednesday September 3. Check for details.
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- NZ Herald
Clive resident calls for river dredging after years of ‘neglect'
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