Today the Environment Court fined Silver Fern Farms more than $330-thousand for an ammonia leak at its plant in Hawera that was potentially lethal to its staff, emergency services and nearby residents. Yesterday Environment Minister, David Parker, expressed his frustration with the Tiwai smelter's stockpiling 100-thousand tonnes of hazardous waste beside a beach in Southland - the same day heavy fines were handed down for the spilling of 1.5 million cubic litres of human effluent into the Mangati Stream in New Plymouth. Karyn Hay asks Gary Taylor from the Environmental Defence Society if crimes against the environment are on the increase.
Silver Fern Farms facility at Hawera, Photo: Google Maps
