Government investigates options for faster Mataura ouvea premix removal
Tuesday, 21 July 2020
The Ministry for the Environment is actively investigating options to accelerate the removal of a hazardous substance from Mataura, Environment Minister David Parker says.
Calls have been made to fast-track the removal of the ouvea premix out of the warehouse after emergency services were called to the former paper mill building on Sunday.
Frost burst a sprinkler pipe on the outside of the building and water seeped inside, where ouvea premix is being stored.
There were concerns the premix, which gives off ammonia gas if it gets wet, may have been compromised by the water, but Mataura Fire chief Neil Rogan said there was no gas inside the building and there were no concerns for anyone’s safety.
**READ MORE:
* Rio Tinto remains committed to removing toxic substance
* Environmental group seeks ruling on Mataura's hazardous substance
* Environment Southland still considering legal action against NZAS
* Rio Tinto remains committed to Southland premix removal
**
In February, Mataura was evacuated when the Mataura River flooded and threatened the paper mill building.
That has prompted renewed calls for the premix to be removed from the building.
On Tuesday, Environment Minister David Parker said the Ministry for the Environment was actively investigating options to accelerate the removal of the dross from the Mataura site.
“One of the potential options is removal to Tiwai Point, but New Zealand Aluminium Smelter has put consideration of that on hold,’’ he said.
Rio Tinto has announced it will close the NZAS aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point in August next year, with the loss of 2600 direct or indirect jobs.
The premix is currently slowly being moved to Tiwai, at the rate of one truck and trailer load a week, under a $4m deal struck by interested parties in 2019.
A Rio Tinto spokesperson said on Tuesday that the company remains committed to that deal, and its contribution of $1.75 million to remove the ouvea premix.
“We also continue to remain engaged with all the relevant people and organisations in relation to this issue.”
Parker, who threatened Rio Tinto with legal action after the February floods, said the Gore District Council and Inlaco Ltd have a contract in place to remove, process and export dross from Mataura and other sites around Southland.
”The Government and the Ministry for the Environment are working closely with all the relevant parties, including local councils and the community, to ensure the aluminium dross in Southland is managed safely and removed as quickly as possible,’’ he said.
He said the Ministry was aware that there is an existing sprinkler system within the Mataura building.
“I am advised the dross is stored in waterproof bags to prevent water getting into the contents, should the bags get wet, minimising the risk of gas being created.
”I regularly seek and receive updates on the progress of the dross removal at Mataura. I am expecting an update from Mfe officials soon,’’ Parker said.
The ouvea premix was left in the papermill by Taha Asia Pacific, the company that stored 10,000 tonnes of the premix in the former paper mill, and another 10,000 in warehouses in Invercargill before it went into liquidation. The ouvea premix is a by-product of aluminium dross produced at the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter at Tiwai Point.
Taha Asia Pacific had a contract with NZAS to turn the dross into ouvea premix, which it would then turn into fertiliser.
The Gore District Council granted the company a retrospective consent to store the substance in the paper mill building in 2015, before it went into receivership without paying a $2.3 million bond.