This study has demonstrated that in communities where
residential wood combustion is common, a PM10 standard is likely
not providing a sufficient measure of the population’s exposure to
potentially harmful concentrations of particles. Over the duration
of the study, two exceedances of the New Zealand NES for PM10
occurred and these exceedances were the result of highly elevated
PM2.5 concentrations. New Zealand does not have a national
PM2.5 standard and the results of this study suggest that this is a
major oversight with potentially harmful consequences to the
public.