Smelter and Government continue talks over Mataura's ouvea premix
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
The Environment Minister is continuing talks with Rio Tinto this week to get the ouvea premix stored in Mataura out of the township quicker.
Minister David Parker has yet to receive legal advice regarding the company, which pulled out of a deal to remove the premix from an old papermill in the town.
NZAS general manager Stewart Hamilton said the company remained committed to a deal it struck last year to remove the premix from the township.
**READ MORE:
* PM expects Rio Tinto to 'come to the table' over ouvea premix
* Rio Tinto behaviour 'outrageous' over ouvea premix, Environment Minister David Parker says
* Deal to remove hazardous substance from Mataura canned
* Rio Tinto says 'nonsense' in electricity code a barrier to saving Tiwai Point smelter**
It committed $1.75 million to the $4m deal, which would take about three years to remove the class six hazardous substance.
About 9500 tonnes premix was stored in the mill, which was threatened by floodwaters last week.
It forms harmful ammonia gas if it gets wet.
'NZAS remains committed to its promise to provide $1.75 million to assist the Southland councils and the New Zealand Government to safely manage the removal and disposal of the premix material.
'We continue to engage with all stakeholders, including the government and local community'.
A fortnight ago, Gore District Council chief executive Steve Parry announced a new deal had been struck to fast-track the removal of ouvea premix from the town.
But on Wednesday, the council announced that deal had been canned, as aluminium producer Rio Tinto backed out.
That prompted Environment Minister David Parker to consider legal action against the company, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday she 'expected the company to come to the table'.
On Friday night, the Mataura community reacted angrily at a public meeting to discuss the removal of the premix, passing a resolution that the Government force Rio Tinto, which owns NZAS, 'to get the stuff out of Mataura'.