Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs today announced that funding for the clean up of contaminated sites will be widened to allow more locations to be targeted.

"Over the next three years $9 million will be available for regional councils to assist in investigating and cleaning contaminated land," Marian Hobbs said.

"This is a significant step forward in removing the unwanted legacy of contaminated sites.

"We applaud the work that regional councils have been doing in this area. Now we are supporting them by extending the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund.
Contaminated sites in New Zealand include a former pesticide manufacturing site, hazardous waste dumps, timber treatment plants and gas works.

A large part of the $9 million will assist with the remediation of two very high-risk contaminated sites, the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company site at Mapua and the abandoned Tui mine near Te Aroha. The remainder of the Fund will be extended to support other cleanup initiatives.

"We will give priority to sites that pose or are likely to pose a high risk to human health; sites that are located in environmentally or culturally sensitive areas; or sites where the landowners do not have the financial resources to undertake the work required themselves but want to do something about the problem," Marian Hobbs said.

The Fund will facilitate a partnership between the government, local government and landowners to investigate and remediate contaminated sites of concern.

Regional councils will be advised how they can access the Fund shortly.

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