<details style=" border: 1px solid #d0d7de; border-radius: 14px; padding: 0.9rem 1.1rem; margin: 1.2rem 0; background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #ffffff, #f8fafc); box-shadow: 0 3px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.05); "> <summary style=" cursor: pointer; font-weight: 700; font-size: 1.08rem; color: #1f2937; outline: none; "> What's in the air? </summary> <div style=" margin-top: 1rem; line-height: 1.7; color: #374151; font-size: 0.98rem; "> <h2>Particulate matter</h2> Particulate matter is airborne particles that can be anthropogenic (generated by humans), such as those released into the air by burning wood or vehicle exhausts, or naturally occurring, such as pollen, sea salt, and wind-blown soil particles. Scientists classify particulate matter (PM) by the following sizes: <ul> <li>PM₁₀ particles are smaller than 10 micrometres (µm) across </li> <li>PM_2.5 particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometres (µm) across. </li> </ul> These particles are between five times smaller (for PM₁₀) and 20 to 28 times smaller (for PM_2.5) than a single strand of human hair (which is approximately 50-70 µm across). </div> </details>

<details style=" border: 1px solid #d0d7de; border-radius: 14px; padding: 0.9rem 1.1rem; margin: 1.2rem 0; background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #ffffff, #f8fafc); box-shadow: 0 3px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.05); "> <summary style=" cursor: pointer; font-weight: 700; font-size: 1.08rem; color: #1f2937; outline: none; "> How does air quality impact people? </summary> <div style=" margin-top: 1rem; line-height: 1.7; color: #374151; font-size: 0.98rem; "> <h2>It can affect our health</h2> Poor air quality leads to poorer health outcomes for our friends, whānau and neighbours. When we breathe in particulate matter, the larger particles (PM₁₀) can remain in our upper airways, and the smaller particles (PM_2.5) can lodge deeper into our lungs and even enter our bloodstream. Here, particulate matter can cause coughing and difficulty breathing, aggravate asthma, increase the risk of lung cancer, and contribute to cardiovascular and respiratory problems. <h2>It can bother people</h2> Beyond serious health impacts, air pollution can also be a real nuisance for the region’s communities. Odour, smoke, and other discharges to air can make it unpleasant to do outdoor activities such as gardening, barbequing, and playing in the backyard. It can also discourage us from hanging washing on the line and opening doors and windows on hot days. </div> </details>

# What influences air quality? ## Climate and landscape During winter and the dry summer months, some parts of the region are prone to lower standards of air quality. The bowl-like topography of Taumarunui and Taihape - Horizons’ two gazetted airsheds (a legally defined geographic area for air quality management) - enables air pollutants to settle in these towns, limiting their ability to be lifted and blown away by the wind and putting communities at risk of poor air quality. Figure 1 shows the relationship between temperature and the amount of PM₁₀ in the air in Taumarunui since late 2022. You can see that in winter, when temperatures drop (the red line), PM₁₀ concentrations increase (the black line), as people use their fireplaces more to stay warm. <iframe src="../../../assets/air/air_quality_line_race.html" width="100%" height="750px" style="border:none; border-radius:10px;"></iframe> <figure style="margin-top: -50px; padding-top: 0;"> <figcaption style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #555;">Figure 1. PM₁₀ concentrations (µg/m3) and temperature (°C) in Taumarunui, shown as 30-day moving means, for the period December 2022 to December 2025.</figcaption> </figure> *** ## Sources of air pollution Select each of the icons below to learn more about some key sources of air pollution in the Horizons Region. <iframe src="sub_dashboard.html" width="100%" height="800px" style="border:none; border-radius:10px;"></iframe>