Sawmill site to be investigated for clean up

Hon David Benson-Pope
Minister for the Environment

5 July 2007
Media Statement

Contaminated sawmill site to be investigated for clean up

The Government is allocating $150,000 for an investigation into options for clean up of a contaminated former sawmill site, Environment Minister David Benson-Pope announced today.

The Minister announced the funding during a visit to the site near Minginui in the Whakatane District.

The funding comes from the Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund and will go towards a thorough investigation to find options for a clean-up of the site.

Environment Bay of Plenty has identified the Minginui sawmill site as one of four potentially contaminated sites that are its highest priority for investigation and possible remediation.

"The Government is again showing its commitment to cleaning up New Zealand’s contaminated sites with major funding for the Minginui investigation," said Mr Benson-Pope, who recently announced Budget funding to clean up the Tui Mine site near Te Aroha.

The investigation at the Minginui site will cover potential soil contamination from on-site wood treatment, and disposal of contaminated wood waste at the site and at a nearby landfill. It will also look into possible asbestos contamination remaining from the demolished sawmill buildings.

Members of the local community are concerned that chemicals may be leaching from the landfill site into a nearby stream. The major contaminant to be investigated is pentachlorophenol (PCP), which was widely used as an anti-sap stain treatment.

If the investigation shows that a clean-up is viable, the Government and Environment Bay of Plenty will examine options for the further $1.5 million likely to be needed.

The Government set up the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund in 2003 to assist local government with the investigation and clean-up of contaminated sites.

ENDS