Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says he is relieved by today’s announcement of a $3.44 million Government contribution towards the cleanup of contaminated wood waste at Tāhunanui Beach.

“I am very grateful to Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and the Government for providing this funding so promptly as one of the first grants from the new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund.

“Our Council got on with the cleanup, given how vulnerable the affected Back Beach area is to coastal erosion. The grant amounts to 75% of the total expected cleanup cost of $4.59m. It will come as a huge relief to ratepayers, who would otherwise have had to meet the full cost alone.”

The $3.44m grant from the new Fund reduces the ratepayer contribution for the cleanup to $1.15m. Council will spend another $300,000 for the construction of a replacement gravel car park and the planting of the remediated area. This brings the total project cost to $4.89m, less than previously estimated.

“This contaminated site is a legacy issue from an era when too little value was placed on coastal environments and the risks of treated timber toxins were poorly understood,” Mayor Nick says. “I am pleased with the way central and local government are partnering to fix this inherited problem and restore this iconic beach to a pristine state.

“These contaminated site problems are difficult to resolve and often take decades to fix. I welcome the prompt, pragmatic approach that has enabled us to get on and reasonably resolve this site within 18 months of the tests showing it posed risks to public health and the environment.”

Nelson City Council Group Manager Community Services Andrew White says about 10,000 cubic metres of contaminated material is expected to be removed from the affected Back Beach area and taken to the York Valley Landfill hazardous waste facility during the cleanup phase of the project. The contaminated material is comprised of wood waste, underlying sand, topsoil, and car park base course.

“Moving the material out of Tāhunanui Reserve started last week and it is expected to be at least six weeks before dunes are re-established on the site and the new gravel parking area is installed.”

Road access to the Back Beach will remain closed from the end of the Skate Nelson car park for the duration of the removal operation, and the site will be cordoned off and secured overnight and at weekends. During transportation, the contaminated material will be covered, and the trucks will be decontaminated before they leave the site.

“We want this removal work completed safely before the busy summer season gets under way,” Andrew says. “There will be disruption for beach users but we ask for tolerance so contractors can get the job done as quickly as possible.”

After the contaminated material has been moved, a 20-space gravel parking area will be constructed, and the area will be reinstated and planted to support the formation of low-lying dunes and restore species habitat.

“If the weather permits, planting will occur before the summer season and for several years until the dunes are fully established,” Andrew says. “Tāhunanui Beach is well loved by residents and visitors and the reinstatement of the dunes will enhance this popular area.”

Plans to remove the sawdust have been ongoing since testing of the site in May 2023 confirmed concentrations of arsenic, chromium, copper and boron as well as dioxins, consistent with at least part of the buried sawdust and wood pieces being treated material. The exposed face of the sawdust pile has been covered by a geotechnical cloth regularly reinforced with a sand bund since that time to stop further erosion of the site.

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