Statement from Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Matt Lawson.

Further to the statement made on Saturday 31 October, I think it is important to temper some of the speculation within the community and on social media with the facts as we know them.

1. There is a site classified as a HAIL (Hazardous Activities and Industries List) site within Wairoa District that requires remediation.
2. The site property owner engaged the very reputable consultancy, HAIL Environmental, to prepare a 99-page Remedial Action Plan for the removal and appropriate disposal of excavated contaminated material.
3. The Remedial Action Plan looked at various remedial options for remediation of the site.  Excavation to landfill was selected as the proposed remediation.
4. The Wairoa landfill, which is owned by Wairoa District Council and managed under contract by Smart Environmental Ltd, is a Class 1 landfill which is suitable for disposal of the excavated material.
5. The property owner obtained the necessary Resource Consent from HBRC for the implementation of the Remedial Action Plan.  The HBRC is the relevant Council responsible for managing and consenting discharges to Air, Land and Water
6. The site is being remediated under the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) prepared by HAIL Environmental, resource consent RM260005, and the HAIL Environmental Remediation and Environmental Plan. Key controls include:
   1. Classification before disposal: HAIL Environmental directs all excavation using XRF field screening and lab testing. Material is classified under the WasteMINZ disposal-to-land guidelines and kept in separate, labelled stockpiles.
   2. Landfill acceptance: No material left the site until it was confirmed the landfill could accept this material. 
   3. Dust control: Work areas, stockpiles and haul roads are kept damp with water carts and mist cannons. Work stops if dust cannot be controlled.
   4. Worker hygiene: Site crew wear gloves, eye protection and safety boots, and use hand washing and boot cleaning facilities. Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in the work area.
   5. Wairoa District Council’s sole role is as owner of the landfill.
   6. Council is aware of speculation that a worker has had a positive urine test for arsenic.  A slightly raised urine arsenic result does not, on its own, confirm arsenic poisoning or show where it came from. Common everyday sources include:
      1. Seafood (fish, shellfish, seaweed). 
      2. Rice 
      3. Some bore or groundwater
      4. Cutting, sanding or burning old, treated timber at home
      5. Smoking
      6. The Council Engineering Manager has asked Smart Environmental for all testing that has been undertaken and has been advised that the results will take up to two weeks.
      7. In the interim, the landfill will continue to operate with staff following appropriate work practices using appropriate protective clothing.

We understand that, unfortunately, any misinformation in the public arena creates anxiety.

2 November 2026

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