STACEY KIRK

Eight P labs are among the properties included on a list of contaminated sites around the region.

There are 330 sites listed on Horizons Regional Council’s database of Hazardous Activities and Industries List and contaminated sites, which is down on 2009’s list of about 350.

The list, released to the Manawatu Standard under the Official Information Act, shows most sites are petrol stations, landfills and industries such as timber treatment mills and drycleaners, and are not considered health risks.

But the eight drug labs fall either under a “contamination confirmed” classification, or “verified history of hazardous activity or industry”.

One of the sites listed is the Ferndale Pl residence in Feilding, which was raided by police in November after they suspected it was being used to house the manufacture of methamphetamine.

There is one other in Feilding, as well as two sites in Palmerston North, one in Taumaranui, one in Owhango, one in Marton and one near Shannon.

Horizons Regional Council spokeswoman Caroline Rowe said just because a site was listed did not mean it was necessarily a health risk.

“The fact that an activity or industry appears on the list, does not mean that hazardous substances were used or stored on the sites, nor that a site of this sort will have hazardous substances present in the land,” Mrs Rowe said.

The list merely indicated that the activities and industries on it were more likely to use or store hazardous substances, and there was a “greater probability of site contamination occurring”.

She said alternately, if a site or activity did not appear on the list, it did not guarantee that site would not be contaminated.

“Each case must be considered on its merits, considering the information at hand,” Mrs Rowe said.

It also had to be remembered that some hazardous activity might only have been carried out in one area of the site.

“Clandestine drug labs are a good example of this, where the actual labs would often be in garden sheds, away from the main residence,” Mrs Rowe said.

PROPERTY DEFINITIONS:

Each property on Horizons Regional Council’s database of Hazardous Activities and Industries List and contaminated sites has a separate definition.

Unverified list site

A site where either past or present use falls within the definitions. Does not confirm contamination, but means there is potential for a contamination to have occurred. In this category, reports are yet to be verified.

Wrongly entered site

The site has no potential for contamination and should never have been entered.

Verified list site

A site where either past or present use falls within the definitions. Does not confirm contamination, but means there is potential for a contamination to have occurred. Reports of contamination have been verified.

No identified contamination

Sampling and analysis has found no hazardous substances.

Contamination acceptable, managed, remediated

There is clear evidence that residues of hazardous substances exist. But these are shown to be at acceptable levels, or a remedial or management plan has been undertaken to make the risk acceptable.

Confirmed contaminated site

There is clear evidence of contamination and there is a potential risk.

– Manawatu Standard

Sponsored links