Govt stuck in mud over register for toxic sites

The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop stalling over setting up a national register of contaminated sites, in the wake of revelations today that parts of the former Hobsonville Airforce Base in Auckland are contaminated with toxic and radioactive waste.

The report, obtained by Radio New Zealand under the Official Information Act, indicated that hazardous wastes had been dumped in a number of sites on the base over the last fifty years.

"It is outrageous that the report on the extent of the contamination had been kept confidential, even though the Ministry of Housing is to build state homes on part of the land," Green Health spokesperson, Sue Kedgley said.

"The reality is that thousands of New Zealanders may be living in the middle of toxic dump sites. There are an estimated 8000 contaminated sites nationwide, ranging from old petrol stations to timber treatment sites."

The Greens successfully negotiated $3.2 million in the 2002-03 Budget towards cleaning up sites contaminated with highly toxic materials and establishing a system for recording such sites.

"Until a national register is established, it is impossible to have good information about ecological and health risks, and potential clean-up costs. People living on, working on, or buying those pieces of sick land will stay in the dark.

"This is a very important first step in creating a national register. A national register of contaminated sites is absolutely essential, not only to publicly identify contaminated sites but to make sure that priority clean-ups are started.

"The Government is dragging its feet over setting up the register, because it is afraid to deal with the issue of liability. In the meantime, families are living in ignorance on top of toxic time-bombs.

"New Zealanders all have a right to know whether they are living near contaminated land."