Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Matt Lawson said the Council is following best-practice procedures for contaminated soil being deposited at the Wairoa landfill.

Before the soil was taken to the landfill, a Hazardous Activities and Industries List (HAIL) scientific report was completed, which identified the types and levels of contamination and appropriate options for dealing with excavated material.

This includes disposing of excavated material at an appropriately set up landfill site.

Council has a management contract with Smart Environmental Ltd to manage the landfill, and standard operational procedures would include landfill-based staff wearing and using protective clothing and equipment, and on-site dampening down when needed for dust mitigation.

Council is not involved with the remediation of the site, which is on private land, or with the transport of the soil to the landfill.

The Wairoa landfill is a Class 1 landfill and, as such, accepts pre-approved hazardous wastes and contaminated soils - landfills exist to receive this type of material.

We understand there are some community concerns, but based on the information we have to date, there is no indication that the landfill needs to be closed to the public.

We will continue to monitor this situation as we do with all Council roles and responsibilities.

Thank you for your understanding.

31 October 2026

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