Calls to the Pollution Hotline are logged as environment incidents. The incidents are classified as minor incidents, resource consent incidents and serious environmental incidents/alleged offences. Based on the classification, a decision is made within 30 minutes on the appropriate response for each incident reported.
There are 3 types of incidents:
- Minor incidents
- - reported incident has not, or is not likely to, result in a significant environmental effect or offence.
- Resource consent incidents
- - reported incident relates to an activity authorised by resource consent.
- Serious environmental incidents/alleged offences
- - an enforcement officer investigates incidents in this category, generally through a site visit. The first priority will be to minimise any adverse effects on the environment and then to investigate the incident.
Environmental incidents from 1 July to 30 September 2009
A total of 838 incidents were reported through the Pollution Hotline between 1 July and 30 September 2009. The number of incidents reported this quarter is up 10% from the second quarter of this year.
Of the 838 incidents reported this quarter, 710 or about 85% have been investigated and the complaints closed off. The other 128 complaints are in various stages of investigation. In total there are 285 complaints (some from previous quarters) that are still being investigated and are not closed off.
Air incidents
Air quality incidents reported to Environment Canterbury’s Pollution Hotline most commonly relate to agricultural or industrial odour as well as smoke from domestic and outdoor fires. However, air quality incidents reported also relate to a wide range of other issues such as dust from construction sites or quarries, particulates from abrasive blasting, and other emissions from industrial premises.
65 per cent of the complaints received by the pollution hotline this quarter were related to air quality (530 complaints). Christchurch City had the highest number of complaints (300 complaints) and this is due to domestic chimneys and outside fires in residential areas.
Water incidents
Discharges of effluent and sediments to water are commonly reported to the Environment Canterbury Pollution Hotline. Water quality incidents reported also include discharges of industrial contaminants, fish kills and works in waterways such as gravel excavation, bridge and culvert construction.
Complaints related to water amounted to about 20 per cent of the total incidents (177 complaints) reported through the Pollution Hotline. The Christchurch City region has the highest number of incidents reported, followed by the Timaru, Selwyn and Banks Peninsula districts. The number of incidents this quarter has dropped significantly compared with the first quarter of this year.
Coastal incidents
The majority of coastal incidents reported to the Pollution Hotline relate to discharges of wastewater, oil spills and algal blooms. However, coastal incidents reported may also relate to works in the coastal zone such as the construction of boat ramps and jetties.
The number of coastal incidents (14 incidents) reported this quarter is down slightly from the previous quarter. Banks Peninsula district and Christchurch City had the highest number of incidents around the region.
Land incidents
Common land incidents reported to Environment Canterbury relate to clearing vegetation, gravel extraction, waste storage and waste disposal. Discharges to land such as domestic and agricultural wastewater, waste from industrial processes and the use of agricultural chemicals are also reported to the hotline.
There were 117 incidents relating to land reported through the Pollution Hotline this quarter, which is slightly up from the previous quarter. The Christchurch City region, Timaru, and Waimakariri districts made up the majority of incidents relating to land.