Government puts $1.35 million toward Bluecliffs landfill clean up
“It will address the risk of this site being breached by a natural event, exposing waste material and contaminating the surrounding land and waterways."
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The Government has put $1.35 million towards cleaning up a Bluecliffs landfill site.
Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds, who is the Environment Minister, said it was a positive step towards protecting the ecosystem and the community.
A state of emergency was put in place at the small settlement near Tuatapere in Southland after rapid erosion from the sea and river threatened properties in the Bluecliffs village, with about three metres of land lost in a day.
Urgent work to direct the flow of the river away for homes started last week.
Southland Civil Defence Group Controller Simon Mapp hoped the opening of the Waiau river mouth would reduce the erosion and give the community time to talk about its future.
As well as the risks posed to houses there, the erosion has exposed an old landfill.
“I am pleased to make this funding available to the Tuatapere community,” Simmonds said.
“It will address the risk of this site being breached by a natural event, exposing waste material and contaminating the surrounding land and waterways.
“This site, which is in a low-lying coastal area, is at risk of being compromised by storm surges, rainfall events, high water levels and flooding.
“This is a significant and proactive environmental initiative which aims to mitigate the risks of erosion and contamination, in the wake of extreme weather events and climate change, as the Government safeguards coastal communities and ecosystems, like those at Bluecliffs.”
This funding forms part of a $6.6 million Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund to address four low-lying coastal historic New Zealand landfill and dump sites at Gisborne, Southland, Canterbury and Nelson.
Simmonds announced the funding at a BlueGreens Forum in Paihia, Northland, on Saturday.
The Bluecliffs landfill site is situated in a former gravel pit located within Te Waewae Bay, west of the Waiau River mouth.
Waste material was dumped at the site from the 1970s through to the 1980s, and fly-tipping, including larger items such as electrical appliances, car parts and plastic crates, was also dumped there.
Coastal tides and Waiau River mouth flooding have eroded parts of the site and surrounding areas.
Environment Southland has partnered with Southland District Council to plan and undertake remediation of the site and this new funding will support that work.