Mataura set to lose toxic waste
MATAURA
TEARS of elation and relief greeted news yesterday that toxic dross will soon be gone for good from Mataura.
Community and environmental lobbyists, local runanga, politicians and corporate representatives collectively hailed an agreement which will get about 8000 tonnes of aluminium smelter dross removed from the former Mataura paper mill, to Tiwai Point.
New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) confirmed it would remove the remaining material to Tiwai for safe storage by the end of April, to await processing and export, in a $1 million deal split 50:50 between the firm and the Government.
The agreement arose after legal action brought by the Environmental Defence Society to determine responsibility for removing the material.
Mataura resident Laurel Turnbull, a longstanding advocate for the material’s removal, was overcome with emotion as she reacted to the news yesterday. ‘‘We’re over the moon.
‘‘It’s just unbelievable, really. After all this time, we heard so often ‘It’s going to go’ and ‘We’ll have a deal’ . . . but it fell down.
‘‘It’s just a relief for people in the community . . . to know we don’t need to worry about it if we have another flood.’’
The former mill adjoins the Mataura River, and has been threatened by floodwater three times since storage began, most recently last year.
If smelter dross gets wet, it reacts with water to produce clouds of toxic ammonia gas.
Mrs Turnbull said a solution had been a long time coming, as she had first raised the issue in 2014.
‘‘I will be able to enjoy my retirement now and not worry about it.’’
She did not know how the Invercargill community would feel about the move, but said the current storage arrangements were ‘‘not fit for purpose’’.
The dross, a byproduct from NZAS’ Tiwai Point facility, was dumped at the mill without resource consent in 2015 by Taha Asia Pacific.
Taha went into liquidation the following year, leaving the waste in limbo until March 2018, when local and central government agreed to a $4 million deal with NZAS to dispose of it over six years.
Environment Minister David Parker said the latest agreement was a new one, and unconnected to any agreement on the smelter’s future or environmental remediation.
He hoped it would give Mataura residents greater peace of mind.
“This resolution will protect the wellbeing of Southland’s people and its waterways.’’
The agreement was the outcome of negotiations overseen by Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook, following legal action brought by the
Environmental Defence Society to determine ownership and responsibility for removing the material.
The Ministry for the Environment would share equally with NZAS — owned by mining giant Rio Tinto — the additional $1 million cost of accelerating the removal.
“It’s disappointing more public money needs to be spent on remediation, but it reflects the history of the dross and the need to move it quickly for the benefit of our environment and Mataura residents.’’
Environmental Defence Society chief executive Gary Taylor said he was pleased with the outcome of the society’s legal proceedings, and praised all parties for a helpful attitude of trust and goodwill.
“We brought proceedings
. . . because we considered NZAS was responsible for the continued safe handling of the premix . . .
“This was a complex negotiation that was timeconsuming and challenging. While it’s our position that a small environmental group like EDS should not have been required to take on the biggest mining company in the world to see it face up to its environmental responsibilities, we are pleased with the outcome.
‘‘We thank NZAS and Rio Tinto for helping reach a solution.’’
An NZAS spokeswoman said it would take up to two years to process all the material from Mataura, which would then be shipped overseas.
The cost of processing would be covered by the 2018 agreement.