6 May 2004 Media Statement

Mapua Deed signed

The 'deed of funding' between the Crown and Tasman District Council for the remediation of the former Fruitgrower's Chemical Company property at Mapua was signed at a council meeting in Nelson today.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs says that once remediation work is completed, New Zealand's worst contaminated site will become a safe local attraction.

"The signing of the deed will allow the full remediation of the site to start, with completion expected in 2006," she said.

Agreement was reached earlier this year between the Ministry for the Environment and Tasman District Council that 40 percent of the site will be set aside by the council for public open space. The site will be developed to a high standard of amenity including some carparking to ease current congestion near the waterfront.

"This is an excellent example of local and central government working in partnership to address significant environmental issues affecting New Zealand," Marian Hobbs said.

Trials of the soil decontamination technology were completed recently and results are expected in the next few weeks. It is expected these will show that this cutting-edge New Zealand-made technology is more than capable of treating the soil to the required standard.

The process will be monitored extensively to ensure the impact on surrounding residents is kept to a minimum.

Tasman District Mayor John Hurley said it was good news that the project could move on in the knowledge that the government and council had secured the necessary funding arrangements.

"The council has inherited a contaminated site problem that has been complex to work through," Mr Hurley said. "Local government could not and should not have to deal with these legacies alone and the council appreciates the assistance the Ministry for the Environment has provided."

ENDS

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