For the first time in 20 years, Rotorua residents can wake up and officially breathe in clean air.

Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Lyall Thurston said it had taken a collective effort from the community, councils, government and public health officials for Rotorua to officially shed its “polluted” air quality status.

Rotorua has long struggled with poor winter-time air quality, due to smoke from wood burners getting trapped by Rotorua’s unique landscape.

For a time, Rotorua was the city with the worst winter-time air pollution in the country and in 2008 it recorded 37 days when PM10 air pollution exceeded the national standard.

To remove the polluted status, Rotorua was required to have no more than one breach of the national standard a year, for five years in a row.

In 2020 it recorded its first year with only one day exceeding the standard. The following four years it had no days exceeding the standard, meaning the “polluted” status can finally be removed.