MEDIA RELEASE

New guidelines to prevent erosion
For immediate release: 8 June, 2010
Environment Bay of Plenty is publishing a guideline for anyone undertaking land disturbance activities to help control erosion and prevent sediment flowing into waterways.

Last week’s council meeting approved the new technical guideline, which provides standards and directions on dust, erosion and sediment control on earthworks sites throughout the region. The guideline details all the requirements from site management down to specific erosion and sediment controls that the industry currently considers best practice.

Development of the guidelines began in February last year, and has included input from the industry. The council previously provided direction to people developing, planning and undertaking land disturbance activities of any scale, whether they required a consent or not, to control potential sediment discharges.

Consents Officer Dudley Clemens said controls, practices and other standards in guidelines set in 1993 had proved effective, but it was important to refresh the document regularly to ensure that the Bay of Plenty kept up to date where any improvements had been made.

An expert was commissioned to review and provide experience of different practices from different locations outside of the Bay of Plenty. The revised document included updated planning provisions, the use of treatment chemicals, identifying priority catchments in the southern Tauranga Harbour, increased standards for erosion and sediment control, better dust control methods and provision for newly developed proprietary products.

Chairman John Cronin said sediment management was a huge issue for the Bay of Plenty, especially in and around Tauranga Harbour.

“The new guidelines will provide an increased level of certainty for erosion control and sedimentation for the issues that we face today.”

Once the guidelines are published the council will undertake an education process of workshops and training sessions for all sectors of the earthworks industry, drawing on experience from other councils and professionals.

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