Dust and OdoursTe puehu me te haunga

Dust

Wind blown dust and dirt Dust is an issue in Hawke’s Bay because of the high level of tillage for agriculture and horticulture. Wind drifted dust and dirt affects neighbouring properties, particularly in higher density residential areas. Dust can be made up of a wide range of fine solids – soil, pollen, and discharge from industrial activities.

The Council has undertaken ambient monitoring for dust at a number of sites – Taradale (Napier), Ardkeen (Wairoa district), Whanawhana (West of Napier) and Tukipo (Southern hill country).

Tillage of soil that coincides with equinoctial gales can result in huge dust storms, which can carry soil a long way. The Regional Council encourages low tillage methods with croppers. Pollen can also affected health. At times around Hawke’s Bay drifts of yellow powder can been seen in the streets. It occurs naturally (mostly from pine forests) so the Regional Council has no management role. Contact your health professional if you suffer allergic reactions to wind-borne pollen.

Odour

Complaints about odour (smell) are the most common type of air quality complaint to the Regional Council but this has been decreasing in recent years.

Odour can be a problem at any time where activities are not appropriately managed. It is particularly a problem where residential areas are adjacent to industry, food processing plants, composting operations and agriculture.

The region’s guideline for odour is: “There should be no offensive or objectionable odour beyond the boundary of the subject property”.

The Regional Council has worked with a number of industries that have had repeated odour emission problems. This can include ensuring that processing is undertaken properly, that ventilation systems are operating, that offending material is correctly disposed of, or that emissions don’t occur in certain wind or climate conditions.

Management of waste is a common cause of odour, especially if material is stockpiled or not worked properly (such as compost).