18 Jan 2010

No toxic waste risk, says timber company

3:27 pm on 18 January 2010

Flushing water into a contaminated pond will not unearth toxic waste, says a West Coast timber company.

Westco Lagan wants to diversify operations by mining for gold in the town of Ruatapu, south of Hokitika, and needs to flush waste water into a dredge pond known to be contaminated with the toxin PCP.

Director Dean Sweetman says advice he has received suggests there would be no environmental impact, but precautions would be taken.

Mr Sweetman says tunnels linking the dredge pond to nearby Lake Mahinapua would not allow toxins to contaminate the scenic reserve.