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Ambient air quality monitoring report for the Waikato region - 2017

TR 2018/15

ID number and authors

Report: TR 2018/15

Author: Jonathan Caldwell

Abstract

Air quality within towns and cities can be affected by a number of activities including natural causes such as sea spray, pollen and volcanic activity and human created causes such as home heating, traffic and industrial discharges.

Ambient air quality monitoring has been carried out in the Waikato region by Waikato Regional Council since 1998. The US EPA define ambient air monitoring as the systematic, long-term assessment of pollutant levels by measuring the quantity and types of certain pollutants in the surrounding, outdoor air.  

Monitoring of PM10 was undertaken in the Hamilton, Tokoroa, Taupō, Te Kūiti, Putaruru, Turangi, Morrinsville and Thames airsheds during 2017. In addition to this, PM2.5 (particles in the air 2.5 microns in diameter or less) was monitored in Tokoroa. This particulate monitoring was targeted mainly at identifying the impacts from domestic home heating sources.