23 May 2000

Urgent hearing needed on illegal factory discharges

Green Party MP Sue Kedgley is calling for a full and urgent public hearing to determine whether a resource consent should be given to the Chemcolour pesticide factory in Glenfield, which has been producing air discharges illegally.

"I am appalled that a factory located next to a school and surrounded by suburban housing is being allowed to discharge potentially toxic chemicals illegally when we have not had a full public analysis of the environmental and public health effects of this operation," Ms Kedgley said.

Local residents in the Bruce Road area have asked Ms Kedgley to help them in their efforts to clean up the air pollution in the area. A number of them have been complaining about offensive smells arising from the factory and are worried that they are being exposed to highly toxic chemicals.

According to the resource consent application, forty different chemicals with the potential to become airborne are used at the factory including methylene bis(thiocyanate) which is highly toxic if inhaled, and a severe eye and skin irritant.

"For all we know, local school children and residents could be exposed to much more than just a foul smell. It is a potential issue for the public health of the entire area and needs to be sorted out properly," Ms Kedgley said.

Chemcolour applied retrospectively for a resource consent in March, even though it had been producing air discharges illegally for some time. The application was delayed when the Auckland Regional Council sought a risk assessment analysis from the factory, which is now three weeks overdue.

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Sue Kedgley MP: 04 470 6728, 025 270 9088 Jonathan Hill (press secretary): 04 470 6719, 021 110 1133

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