A "pollution hotline" is proving an effective way for the public to complain about potential pollution in the region, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council says.
The freephone number (0800 108 838) is staffed 24 hours a day so members of the public can pass on information or raise concerns about pollution-related matters in Hawke's Bay that are followed up by council staff.
In the year to the end of June the hotline received 862 calls - up more than 200 on the previous year - covering everything from excessive smoke from burnoffs to strange odours and oil spills.
The council's resource use manager, Wayne Wright, said the hotline gave the public a simple way of reporting their concerns, and also provided the council with "extra sets of eyes" out in the community.
In the past year there had been a 71 per cent increase in the number of air-quality complaints which Mr Wright put down to a heightened public awareness of the council's efforts to improve air quality in Hawke's Bay to meet national standards.
Mr Wright said the focus for the council's compliance team was on education and it worked with the community to teach people about minimising pollution.
He said the team's education focus was reflected in the fact there were no prosecutions for pollution in the past year.