The Northland Regional Council and Ministry for the Environment began removing hazardous chemicals from around the region two years ago and last held a collection in the rural Whāngārei District in March last year.
Regional Council Waste Management Team Leader Jerry Nelson says that collection netted about two tonnes of hazardous wastes over a three week period, some of which had been banned in New Zealand for many years.
Mr Nelson says banned substances like DDT, Dieldrin, PCBs and Chlordane will once again be on the list of collection priorities, with the Council very keen to remove them from the environment.
Other substances targeted for collection are old, unwanted, or unidentifiable agrichemicals, dairy shed cleaners, animal treatments and empty containers.
Mr Nelson says the chemicals the Council wants to collect can pose environmental and human/animal health risks, especially if stored in leaking, damaged or unlabelled containers.
He says property owners with a large quantity of chemicals - or where the containers are unsafe or deteriorating - should contact the Council on (0800) 002 004 to arrange to have the chemicals collected, rather than risk moving them themselves.
“People who do transport hazardous wastes and chemicals to the collection venues themselves should ensure that all containers are securely packaged so that they don’t leak or emit any fumes.”
However, Mr Nelson says explosives, infectious substances, radioactive wastes, waste oil, paint, vehicle batteries and general household or farm wastes are NOT covered by the collection.
The collection will begin in Maungatapere on Monday 22 May and end at Ruatangata on Thursday 1 June.
Chemicals gathered during the collection will be disposed of by Ministry for the Environment.
MEDIA NOTE:
The collection service will be available from 9am to 3pm at the following locations in the Whāngārei District:
Monday 22 May – Maungatapere; Vehicle Weigh Station, State Highway 14.
Thursday 25 May – Waipu; Waipu Fire Station, Nova Scotia Drive.
Monday 29 May – Maungakaramea; Maungakaramea Hall, Main Rd, Maungakaramea.
Thursday 1 June – Ruatangata; Ruatangata Refuse Transfer Station, corner Knights & Pipiwai Rds.
More information is available on the NRC website.