Monitoring data aims to clear New Zealand's dirty air

Polluted air kills more than 2,300 New Zealanders each year, officials said Thursday on the launch of real-time air quality data on an official website.

Environmental monitoring website Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) would feature data from about 150 air monitoring sites around the country.

"Good air quality is fundamental to our health, and over the winter months, air quality can be an issue for many towns and cities in the colder areas of New Zealand," said Stephen Woodhead, of Local Government New Zealand, a group representing municipal authorities which established the website.

The medical officer of health for the South Island's Canterbury Region, Dr Alistair Humphrey, said in the statement, "Poor air quality is a silent killer which accounts for more than 2,300 premature deaths in New Zealand every year. About one half of these deaths are from man-made pollution."

Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith said the data would enable people and organizations to make better decisions on matters such as choosing cleaner heating and regulating changes for cleaner air.

"Air quality in New Zealand has improved significantly due to tighter regulation of home heating, vehicle fuels, car exhaust systems and industrial discharges. However, we still have areas where particulate pollution exceeds World Health Organization standards, particularly on still nights in winter," Smith said in a statement. Endit