Govt to spend $500,000 on environmental impacts probe into Whanganui’s Balgownie Landfill
The New Zealand government is providing $464,000 to investigate environmental contamination at the former Balgownie Landfill in Whanganui. The project aims to assess the impact of the site on local waterways and wetlands to determine necessary remediation steps.
Why it matters
It addresses the long-term environmental legacy of historical waste management practices and the protection of local ecosystems.
Minister for the Environment Nicola Grigg. Photo / RNZ, Nate McKinnon
The Government is to contribute about half a million dollars to help investigate the environmental impacts of a former Whanganui landfill that operated for more than 40 years.
Minister for the Environment Nicola Grigg announced the project.
“The allocation of $464,000 from the Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, combined with funding from the Whanganui District Council, will enable a comprehensive investigation and assessment of remedial actions of the former Balgownie Landfill,” Grigg said.
The landfill operated between 1956 to 1995, with parts of it operating a further six years to 2001.
Like many of the nearly 3500 former landfill sites across New Zealand, it was developed before modern environmental standards were introduced.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in