Sources of pollution

Domestic fires

• What is a domestic fire?
• How to reduce air pollution from domestic fires
• Pollution from domestic fires
• Operating your domestic fire - some tips
• Rules for domestic fires

What is a domestic fire?

A domestic fire is any indoor fire. There are many types of domestic fires:

• brick or masonry open fire
• heat recirculating open fire
• pellet burner
• woodburner
• coal burning fire or heater
• multi-fuel heater
• wood or coal range/stove
• a ‘pot belly' or ‘chip' heater
• flued gas heater.

Many Auckland homes use open fires or woodburners as a source of heat. If not used properly domestic fires can produce excessive smoke which causes air pollution. They can also waste energy and create dangerous build up creosote; a fire hazard for your fireplace.

How to reduce air pollution from domestic fires

• Visit Energywise to learn more about how to insulate your home, so you're not wasting heat and energy
• operate your woodburner or open fire effectively, to reduce smoke
• Visit the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) for available funding options.

Pollution from domestic fires

Domestic fires are the second biggest source of air pollution in our region. If used incorrectly, domestic fires pump out tonnes of fine particles (carbon mixed with toxic compounds); often these levels of fine particles (PM₁₀) exceed regulations for clean air. In winter, 65 percent of fine particles are from domestic fires.

Smoke from domestic fires contain:

• carbon monoxide
• hydrocarbons
• formaldehyde
• volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

These compounds can stick to the fine particles that are inhaled deep in our lungs and some are thought to pose a cancer risk over prolonged exposure.

This chart shows that particulate levels are higher in rush hour, due to motor vehicles, but during winter levels stay high late into the evening because people are using their fires.

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