Air quality in Arrowtown is breaching national standards every time the temperature drops below freezing, new data shows. Air quality rules, set under the National Environmental Standards, allow up to an average of 50 micrograms per cubic metre of airborne particles over a 24-hour period. Air quality scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), Ian Longley, says that’s "pretty damn high". Arrowtown is notorious for poor air quality during winter, when the town’s covered by a cloud of pollution caused by inefficient heating systems, such as outdated wood burners, and burning wet wood and coal. Last year, the town breached national standards more than 30 times and, in 2017, it breached them 45 times.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 04, 2019 20:15 UTC