Aluminium dross has been removed from Mataura paper mill
The 10,000 tonnes of aluminium dross that have been controversially stored in an old paper mill in Mataura have now been removed.
Environment Minister David Parker welcomed the news that the last bags of dross were removed from the old paper mill on Wednesday 30th June.
“The safe removal means Mataura residents no longer need to worry about the risk from the material, which gives off ammonia gas if it gets wet.
“I am glad that the dross has now gone from Mataura and local residents do not need to worry any longer. The safe removal will protect the wellbeing of Southland’s people and its waterways.
“Now that the Mataura site has been cleaned up, the focus will move to the removal of material from other known sites in Southland,” Parker said.
Rio Tinto has agreed to pay the $6 million cleanup bill.
The dross is now being stored in watertight shipping containers at the Tiwai Point smelter.
The successful removal of the dross has been a long process, involving Ngāi Tahu, Gore District Council, Environment Southland, the Environmental Defence Society, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, and Inalco Processing Ltd.
Read more from www.stuff.co.nz; the Otago Daily Times; and Radio New Zealand (RNZ)
Posted: 6 July 2021