Air

The Regional Plan: Air for Otago (the Air Plan) assists us in managing Otago’s air resource.

On this page:

Purpose of the plan
Area covered by the plan
Activities covered by the plan
Air plan under review
Air quality strategy
Why you should read the plan
Does your burner need to be replaced?
Read the plan
​

Purpose of the plan

Regional plan preparation is optional under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), except for the preparation of regional coast plans. We decided to prepare the Air Plan to assist us in carrying out our functions under the RMA.

However, it is the ORC’s responsibility to monitor ambient air quality and working with communities to achieve the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality, as well as raising awareness around local air quality issues.

The purpose of the Air Plan is to promote the sustainable management of Otago's air resource. To achieve this, the Air Plan has policies and methods (which include rules) to address the air quality issues facing Otago.

 

Area covered by the plan

The Air Plan covers the entire Otago region, including Otago's coastal marine area.

Overview of Air Zones (Regional Plan: Air for Otago)

Which air zone am I in?

Zone 1:

• Alexandra
• Arrowtown
• Clyde
• Cromwell

Zone 2:

• Balclutha
• Central Dunedin
• Green Island
• Hāwea
• Kingston 
• Milton
• Mosgiel
• Naseby
• North Dunedin
• Oamaru
• Palmerston
• Port Chalmers
• Queenstown 
• Ranfurly
• Roxburgh
• South Dunedin
• Waikouaiti
• Wanaka 

Zone 3:

• Rest of Otago

 

 

What sort of activities does the plan cover?

The Air Plan applies to all types of discharges to air. The following issues are covered by the plan:

• Agrichemical spraying
• Burning of fuel
• Discharges from industrial or trade activities, including odour and dust
• Discharges of vapour
• Domestic heating appliances
• Intensive farming
• Outdoor burning
• Waste management

 

Change is in the air

The Council has begun the process of reviewing our Air Plan. The table below lists changes to the Air Plan since it was made operative.

Key Event	Date Notified	Date Decision Released	Date Operative
The Regional Plan: Air for Otago	28 February 1998	30 June 2001	1 January 2003
Plan Change 1 (Fire Service Training)	17 December 2005	29 March 2006	10 April 2006
Plan Change 2 (National Environmental Standards)	14 April 2007	12 December 2007	1 January 2009
Amendment (NPS for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Industrial Process Heat) 30 September 2023	N/A	N/A	30 September 2023

 

Why you should read the plan

If you're thinking of carrying out an activity in Otago that discharges contaminants (such as smoke, odour or dust) to air, you should read the rules in the Air Plan to see:

• If you can carry it out as a permitted activity,
• If you require a resource consent to carry it out, or
• If you cannot carry it out because it's a prohibited activity.

A resource consent is required for any activity the Air Plan states as being a discretionary activity.

The Air Plan does not apply to the discharge of contaminants to air associated with the normal operation of ships within the coastal marine area. Such discharges are controlled by the Resource Management (Marine Pollution) Regulations 1998, rather than the Air or Coast Plans. However, the Air Plan does apply to the discharge of contaminants to air from abrasive blasting, spray painting and conveying of bulk materials.

The Air Plan does not control the discharge of contaminants to air associated with the activities controlled by the Waste Plan.

 

Does your burner need to be replaced?

Any solid fuel fire needs to be approved.
View approved solid fuel burners by ORC and MfE.

 

 

The most common interaction our community has with the Air Plan is home heating. Look below to see if you need to adjust your method of home heating to meet the regulations for your Air Zone.

Air Zone	Approved burner
1 Alexandra, Arrowtown, Clyde, Cromwell, and Milton	Emission rate less than 0.7g/kg and a thermal efficiency of no less than 65%
2 Balclutha, Dunedin, Green Island, Hawea, Kingston, Milton, Mosgiel, Naseby, Oamaru, Palmerston, Port Chalmers, Queenstown, Ranfurly, Roxburgh, Waikouaiti, and Wanaka	Meet MfE guidelines of an emission rate of less than 1.5g/kg and thermal efficiency of no less than 65%.
3 Properties 2 hectares or smaller in the rest of Otago	Meet MfE guidelines of an emission rate of less than 1.5g/kg and thermal efficiency of no less than 65%.

 

Use this flowchart to find out if your appliance is compliant.

Read the plan

You can order a physical copy at no cost from your ORC customer services team, or download: ​

 

Air quality strategy

The Air Quality Strategy sets out the overall approach ORC will take to achieve air quality outcomes for good human health, so that Otago’s air is safe to breathe for everyone, and at any time.

Read the Air Quality Strategy here.

 

Air in Otago

To learn more about how air is managed in Otago, and what you can do to contribute to clean air, click here .
​