An Ouvea Premix warning at Mataura Paper Mill next to the Mataura River
The class-six hazardous substance being stored in a warehouse at Mataura will be disposed of overseas but not before Christmas. Alernate Environment Judge Laurie Newhook issued a minute on Friday, saying that he was ‘’hopeful for commencement soon of accelerated removal of ouvea pre-mix from Mataura, for placing in containers suitable for safe and secure storage of the product pending its disposal overseas. “As will be apparent, this will obviously not be concluded by Christmas as previously hoped.’’ The minute comes after ‘’a period of intense activity and an enormous amount of work by the parties, which is being reviewed every few days by the Court.’’
Hopes the thousands of tonnes of toxic waste stored in Mataura would be removed this year are now gone.
Ouvea premix - or dross - is stored in loose bags around Southland.
Photo: Sort out the Dross facebook page
The Environment Court mediation between the Environmental Defence Society and the waste s producer New Zealand Aluminium Smelters and their owner Rio Tinto continued this week.
The society had hoped the court action would expedite the removal of more than 8500 tonnes of ouvea premix, which releases deadly ammonia gas when wet.
But in a minute issued today Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook said it would not be removed this year.
Friday, 11 December 2020, 11:55 am
EDS welcomes High Court decision relating to dairy
conversions at Simons Pass Station in the Mackenzie
Basin
EDS welcomes the High Court decision upholding
declarations made by the Environment Court that resource
consents for agricultural conversion (including irrigation)
at Simons Pass Station are a discretionary activity.
Simons Pass Station was unsuccessful in its appeal that
the decision was an error in law.
“Yesterday the High
Court confirmed that the consents for Simons Pass Station
will need to be assessed as full discretionary activity,”
said EDS CEO Gary Taylor.
“That outcome is entirely
consistent with the EDS view of the law.