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John Cowpland / alphapix
Damage to the Awatoto industrial area as seen on Thursday, February 16.
Highly toxic contaminants found in silt around an industrial area in Napier have led to hard cordons manned by security guards restricting access.
A cocktail of chemical and biological toxins from 20 industries at the Awatoto industrial area, just south of Napier, have been found in silt and floodwaters across the area.
The hard cordon was put in place after the Napier City Council was told by the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee chaired by FENZ that the public should not be allowed to access the site.
Preliminary testing showed traces of acids, caustic agents, significant biological hazards, high ammonia pockets, hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, insecticides, pesticides and other hazards were present.
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Th0se chemicals could be harmful to people, said council acting chief executive Richard Munneke. Further test results were expected in the next week or so.
The nearby residential area in Awatoto had also been assessed and the public health risks from exposure to chemical contamination of the land were likely to be low for those living in, or assisting to clean-up, residential areas, Munneke said.
John Cowpland/Stuff
The nearby residential area at Awatoto was also flooded in Cyclone Gabrielle. The council says the risk of exposure to chemicals here is low. (File photo)
Nevertheless, residents were advised to take standard precautions as other flood affected areas were advised to, such as mask-wearing, glove-wearing and handwashing.
After the council put the cordon in place it held a meeting with the businesses.
Awatoto was hit hard by flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle. The council’s wastewater plant was overwhelmed and has not been treating wastewater since the cyclone.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF
Flood water ripped through Chrissy Atkinson’s home at the Napier Golf Club.
“We are taking a coordinated approach to find the right solutions. The area is being investigated by scientific specialists so sites can be cleared and appropriately remediated. We expect to be able to re-evaluate the cordon by March 16 at the earliest,” Munneke said.
Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said “we are acutely aware of the regional and national significance of major industry in Awatoto” and “we are committed to working with the affected businesses to achieve the best possible outcomes for everyone.”
“The effects of Cyclone Gabrielle have been devastating for these businesses and there is lots of work to do to restore work sites for operation. We are working hard to ensure we can get businesses back in operation as soon as we possibly can.”
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