New Zealand’s average national PM10 concentration

PM10 concentrations are given in micrograms per cubic metre of air, or µg/m3.
A population weighted annual average PM10 concentration indicator from both natural and anthropogenic (human-made) sources.

The national annual average PM10 concentration is estimated using regional council and unitary authority monitoring stations data (54 sites in 2012) and Statistics NZ’s population estimates.

Coverage is of approximately 75 percent of the population in 2012.
Rural areas and some urban areas are not included as no air quality monitoring occurs at these locations or the population at the monitoring location is unknown. These unmonitored areas are approximately 25 percent of New Zealand’s population. Currently there is no robust method to estimate air quality concentrations in these areas. This is an improvement that will be considered for future reporting.

Detailed definitions can be found here: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/more/environmental-reporting/air/air-domain-report-2014/data-and-supporting-information/about

The Excel files at this URL are no longer available.

The Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand commissioned NIWA to produce a report that provides information for New Zealand’s Environmental Reporting Series: 2014 Air domain report. This report provides the methodology and results for the national air domain indicators – on-road vehicle emissions, annual average PM10, and health impacts due to exposure to PM10. It also includes information on natural sources of pollutants, and the influence of meteorological conditions on air quality.