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Summary
- After prolonged discussions, a deal has been reached between NZAS and Environment Defence society on the hazardous material lying in Mataura warehouse.
- The deal will enable quick removal of aluminum dross to Tiwai and will be kept in containers.
- The residents are relieved as the hazardous material was a threat to their health and surroundings.
In a significant move and after prolonged discussions, the NZ Government has decided that tonnes of hazardous material lying in Mataura warehouse be moved to Tiwai at the New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited (NZAS) site.
The ouvea premix which is lying in the warehouse is an aluminum by-product and produces toxic ammonia gas. The warehouse happens to be close to the Mataura river.
Relief for people of Southland
This decision came as a sign of relief for the people of Southland as they had been protesting against the waste for the last seven years. This deal will protect the people’s well-being in that area and the waterways of the Mataura river.
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It may be recalled that Rio Tinto’s decision in Mid 2020 to close its Tiwai aluminum smelter plant had created worries amongst the residents about the environmental impact despite Rio Tinto assuring that it will remove the toxic substances from the warehouses in Southland.
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The news was welcomed by the residents who, along with the action group, worked hard for this cause since 2014.
Deal came after months of negotiations
After months of negotiations, a pact was reached between Environmental Defense Society and NZAS in the presence of environmental judge Lawrie Newhook following a legal action by Environmental Defence Society. Even the Minister for Environment joined the proceedings to facilitate a quick solution to the issue.
Newhook said it was a single agreement and was not tied to the smelter’s future in any way.
Although, Stew Hamilton, NZAS chief executive and the site’s general manager, said that NZAS did not own the material, but it would honour the commitment to remove it from the warehouses in the interest of the community.
He said that after prolonged discussions with the local and national governments, a decision had been reached to provide a safe storage to the material in containers. It would be processed by third-party contractors before being sent to end-users overseas.
The Tiwai smelter was the only place for storing the toxic material as it has the license to store it.
Terms of the deal
Environment minister David Parker said he hoped that the decision would give the residents the security of living in a safer environment. He also announced that the Ministry for the Environment would share the cost of removal of the material with NZAS. The ministry and NZAS will spend NZ$500,000 each towards the additional cost of removing the material from the warehouse in Mataura to Tiwai.
