Smelter accepts need to improve

THE operator of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has acknowledged poor handling of waste after a report highlighted significant and ongoing contamination of the site.

New Zealand Aluminium Smelters chief executive Chris Blenkiron said significant work had begun to remove waste and improve the environmental performance at the smelter.

‘‘We recognise some waste has been handled poorly in the past and this was not acceptable.

‘‘We will remediate the site whether we operate beyond 2024 or not,’’ Mr Blenkiron said.

Environment Southland yesterday asked NZAS to take a range of steps to address the contamination the company revealed through its own reporting and a subsequent independent assessment.

A detailed site investigation, commissioned by NZAS, revealed a range of contaminants, including hydrocarbons, fluoride, cyanide, asbestos and arsenic, had been found on the site.

International consultancy firm EHS Support assessed the site for the regional council, saying the level of contamination suggested a level of poor housekeeping practice at the smelter.

EHS consultant Simon Hunt said there was no need for concern over public safety as the groundwater around the site was not intended to be consumed, and the contamination seen at Tiwai Point was similar to that found at other assessed smelter sites.

Environment Southland chief executive Wilma Falconer said the work to understand the site was initiated following the NZAS’s announcement that it planned to close.

It needed to understand what would be required to remediate the site.

Though some level of contamination was to be expected with industrial operations at the scale of Tiwai, it was evident from the data supplied by NZAS that a significant mass of contamination has been discharged into the environment, she said.

‘‘What this data doesn’t tell us is whether the historic and current NZAS operations have had, or are causing, negative effects to the land, groundwater and coastal marine environments.’’

Environment Minister David Parker said the indicated level of contamination was concerning.

‘‘It shows why we were right to try to get to the bottom of the extent of contamination by providing funds to assist Environment Southland with its work.

‘‘As I said in February 2021, the Government had been blind as to the condition of the site.’’

Mrs Falconer said the company had been working with the council, providing access to the site and making improvements.