Media Release

9/07/2013

The Facts on the New Open Fire Ban

The installation of new open fires that burn sold fuel such as coal or wood is no longer possible for homes in the Invercargill and Gore airsheds. The ban came into effect on 4 June 2013 in Invercargill and on 29 June 2013 in Gore.

Environment Southland Environmental Information Manager John Prince said there seemed to be some confusion around the ban and what it applied to. The new ban applies only to the installation of new, solid fuel (not gas) open fires, he said. “It does not apply to existing open fires, nor does it apply to other solid fuel burners.”

However, Mr Prince said restrictions for solid fuel burners were likely following the Regional Air Plan review to help Southland meet the Ministry for the Environment’s strict National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NES).

The NES stipulates that the average daily levels of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter) should not exceed 50 micrograms/m3.

The Invercargill and Gore airsheds are gazetted because they regularly exceed the PM10 standard each year. Invercargill has previously had more than 20 exceedances, while Gore usually has less than 10. The NES allows for only one exceedance a year and Gore has until 2016 to achieve this and Invercargill needs to be down to three or less by 2016, and one by 2020.

Southland’s Regional Air Quality Plan is currently under review and it is likely that domestic solid fuel burners will become regulated via this process, which began early this year and is expected to be notified for public submissions by early 2014.

·         More information about air quality is available on the Environment Southland website: www.es.govt.nz/environment/air

·         Weekly Winter Air Quality Results         www.es.govt.nz/environment/air/winter-weekly-air-quality-results

·         Warm Up Wisely: Getting the best out of your wood burner www.es.govt.nz/media/28814/wood_burners.pdf

Domestic Solid Fuel Heating – Fast Facts

Open Fire Ban
There is now a ban on installing new open fires into homes in the Invercargill and Gore airsheds. The ban came into effect on 4 June 2013 in Invercargill and 29 June 2013 in Gore. This ban applies only to those open fires that burn solid fuel (e.g. wood and coal). Existing open fires installed prior to the respective dates are not affected and may continue to be used. A domestic open fire is essentially an appliance or structure that burns solid fuel and has no effective air controls.

Wood burners
All new wood burners installed on properties less than 2 hectares in size must be one of those on the Ministry for the Environment’s list of authorised wood burners. The wood burners on that list meet the design and efficiency standards outlined by the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (e.g. less than 1.5 grams of particles for each kilogram of dry wood burned and a thermal efficiency of at least 65%). This regulation came into effect on 1 September 2005. Wetbacks may be used only if the relevant model is on the authorised list. Existing wood burners may continue to be used at the current time. A wood burner is designed to burn only wood within a fully enclosed firebox that has effective controls on air flow.

Multi-fuel burners
New multi-fuel burners (that burn wood and/or coal) may continue to be installed at the present time. These burners are not yet regulated by the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality. However, Southland’s Regional Air Qualiy Plan is currently under review and it is likely that they will become regulated via this process, which began early this year with the Breathe Easy… early public consultation document and is expected to be notified for public submissions by early 2014. This may be something to bear in mind when upgrading or installing a new burner. A multi-fuel burner is designed to burn more than one type of fuel (e.g. wood and coal) within a fully enclosed firebox that has effective controls on airflow.

Pellet Burners
New and existing pellet burners may be used, and generally produce low particle emissions. A list of authorized models is available from the Ministry for the Environment. Pellet burners use compressed wood pellets that are slowly fed from a storage container or hopper.

Cooking Stoves
New and existing cooking stoves may be used, provided that they are expressly designed for that purpose (e.g. normally have an oven). A hot plate on a wood burner is not a cooking stove.

Important – The installation of any domestic fire is subject to the Building Act and a building consent will be required.

More Information
For information on air quality and to download our Warm Up Wisely wood burner brochure please visit the Environment Southland website: www.es.govt.nz/environment/air

ENDS

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