Particulate matter 10 micrometres or less in diameter (PM10) in the air comprises solid particles and liquid droplets from both natural and human-made sources. PM10 can be emitted from the combustion of fuels, such as wood and coal (eg from home heating and industry), and petrol and diesel (from vehicles). Natural sources of PM10 include sea salt, dust, pollen, smoke (from bush fires), and volcanic ash. Nationally, burning wood or coal for home heating is the main human-made source of PM10.
PM10 is of particular concern because it is found in high concentrations in some areas and can damage health. It is associated with effects ranging from respiratory irritation to some forms of cancer.
Column headings:
- Con_mcg_m3 = Concentration in micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3)
- In_indicat = included in analyses (1= yes, 0 = no)
This dataset relates to the "PM10 annual average concentrations" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.
