Mayor's Message: Disappointment over legacy contamination

Tāhunanui Beach is one of Nelson’s most treasured and iconic areas, enjoyed every day by hundreds of local residents and visitors. It is so disappointing that it was used for dumping wood waste in the 1960s and worse to find out two weeks ago that this waste was contaminated with arsenic, chromium, copper, boron and dioxins.

The area affected on the back beach is about 0.2 hectares, a tiny fraction of the 93-hectare reserve. The contamination varies, indicating a mix of treated and untreated sawdust and wood waste. The levels of contamination exceed the national safe limits for a recreational area in about half the samples tested. Risks to public health are low but we need to be cautious. The harm would be caused from children or dogs playing in the area and ingesting the contaminated sawdust. There is also a risk of the contaminated waste spreading from the constant erosion in this active coastal zone and accumulating in shellfish. 

Our immediate priorities have been to release the report publicly and fence off the affected area. The Tāhunanui Business and Citizens Association was briefed by Tāhunanui Liaison Councillor Campbell Rollo and myself, and we have notified health and fisheries authorities. Council last week allocated funding of $100,000 to prepare a plan to mitigate the effects and risks from the material and a further $350,000 for short-term actions. My strong preference is to have the material removed. A fragile coastal environment and popular beach is no place for contaminated waste.

It is frustrating having to spend ratepayers’ money on issues of this sort, arising from an era when such toxins were poorly regulated by Government and when coastal areas were not properly valued. I am seeking funding support from the Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund. It was helpful to have the Associate Environment Minister Rachel Brooking visit the affected area with local MP Rachel Boyack. I am hopeful Council will get some support for dealing with this difficult legacy issue from Government.

This problem should not detract from everyone continuing to enjoy Tāhunanui Beach providing people and their pets keep clear of the fenced-off area. Council is taking a precautionary approach, being open about the problem and getting on with finding a responsible solution.