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Richmond Airshed Project
An Airshed is an area designated as a known high pollution area and gazetted to form part of the National Environment Standard for Air Quality.
Tasman District Council has one designated airshed and specific rules in the TRMP (Tasman Resource Management Plan) to help achieve ambient air quality standards established through National Environment Standards.
Map of the Richmond Airshed
Richmond Airshed Air Quality
If you live in Richmond, you will have noticed poor air quality over the winter period. All homes in Richmond are subject to Richmond Airshed rules which restrict the use of woodburners, as these are the biggest polluters in the area.
By enforcing the rules relating to discharges from woodburners Richmond Airshed Winter Pollution the Richmond Airshed, it means that we should all be able to enjoy cleaner air, and Richmond will be a healthier place to live.
Property Requirements
To help get cleaner air for everyone in Richmond, every property purchased within the Airshed is required to have either a clean-air heat source (heat-pump, gas fire etc), or a woodburner which burns efficiently to ensure that only a small amount of smoke is produced.
Throughout winter, Compliance Officers patrol the streets of Richmond to educate woodburner users to enjoy the heat without the smoke, and enforce the rules relating to woodburner use.
Criteria for Woodburners
If you have purchased a property in the Richmond Airshed since 2007, you cannot discharge smoke, soot and odour from your woodburner unless it complies with the National Environmental Standard for Woodburners. Only woodburners which have been certified under a special test, and meet strict criteria are allowed to be used in Richmond after the date of the transfer of ownership.
National Environmental Standard for Woodburners
The Two Main NES Regulations to Note Are:
1. an appliance which emits no more than 1.5 grams of total suspended particulate per kilogram of fuel burned
2. has a thermal eficency for space heating of at least 65%.
Approved Woodburners
Currently approved woodburners for installation within the Richmond Airshed:
Ministry for the Environment - Authorised woodburner list
Winter Air Quality in Richmond
How is the Air Quality Today?
