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Environment Bay of Plenty’s Paul Futter (pictured) says a large haul of 245T was the highlight of the HazMobile’s Bay of Plenty visit this year.

MEDIA RELEASE

Drums of 245T make HazMobile visit worthwhile
For immediate release: Friday 30 March 2007
The HazMobile has done it again.

This year’s visit to the Bay of Plenty was another great success, with the highlight a large haul of an agric-chemical so toxic it was banned several decades ago.

A local farmer brought three, 20 litre drums of 245T and a 200 litre drum of 245T and diesel mix to the mobile hazardous waste facility in Te Puke. He had put the drums inside other containers to minimise the risk of a spill during transport. “That one load made it all worthwhile,” says Environment Bay of Plenty’s Paul Futter.

The HazMobile set up in four centres in the eastern and western Bay of Plenty in March. It was brought to the region by Environment Bay of Plenty and local district and city councils for the fourth year in a row.

Mr Futter says the visits give Bay of Plenty people an annual chance to clear their homes, sheds and garages of products like old paints, batteries, poisons and garden sprays.

The HazMobile processed over 1110 loads in total. This included just under 600 loads in Tauranga, nearly 300 in Te Puke, 200 in Whakatane and almost 60 in Opotiki.

The total was slightly less than last year, Mr Futter says. “But that’s all good,” he adds. “We actually want to see the numbers drop because it hopefully means people don’t have any more products to get rid off.”

Hazardous waste stored in a house, shed or garage can be dangerous both to the environment and to people’s health.

Please call your local council if you need to dispose of hazardous products at other times of the year.

ENDS

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