3 Feb 2021

Mataura's toxic dross to be removed, govt paying for half

From First Up, 5:13 am on 3 February 2021

It's been confirmed that eight thousand tonnes of toxic waste will finally be removed from Mataura's disused papermill by the end of April. The ouvea premix releases deadly ammonia gas when it's wet, which caused serious concerns last February when the Mataura River broke its banks and spilled into the town. The deal was brokered by the Environmental Defence Society and the waste's producers, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, but the Ministry for the Environment is picking up half of the million dollar clean up cost. And as Environment Minister David Parker told our reporter, Timothy Brown, it's not the only money the government is shelling out because of the smelter.