It's a national requirement - there is a national requirement for councils to monitor PM10 in designated airsheds. Blenheim is the only designated airshed in Marlborough.
It's a public health risk - monitoring shows that PM10 levels in Blenheim exceed health standards. Exposure to excessive amounts of PM10 can lead to serious health problems, such as respiratory problems and heart disease, particularly in the young and elderly and in those with pre-existing medical conditions. Currently, other air contaminants such as SOX and NOX are not at levels which are a public health risk.
It's a possible health risk - where there is a concern that air contaminants may be creating a health problem, investigations are carried out to determine the risk, e.g; previous monitoring of PM10 and methyl bromide in Picton.
