Summary

RPS Objectives

· Avoid remedy or mitigate the adverse effects on people and the wider environment arising from the storage, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous substances.

· Avoid, remedy or mitigate the adverse effects of the risks to people and the wider environment from existing contaminated sites.

Pressures and state

· There are many industries using waste hazardous substances throughout the region particularly fuels, herbicides and pesticides.

· The types of waste hazardous substances requiring disposal in the region.

· Incidents involving waste hazardous substances, about 70 per year, are mostly fuel spills.

Doing well

· Increasing awareness of the effects of the inappropriate use and disposal, of hazardous substances.

· The volumes of hazardous substances requiring disposal are not large and are slowly decreasing.

· Inspections of workplaces using and storing waste hazardous substances.

· Providing a public drop-off and collection service for waste hazardous substances and carrying out safe and correct storage and disposal.

· Ongoing monitoring and remediation of significant contaminated sites as required.

Areas for improvement

· Work towards the targets of the New Zealand Waste Strategy, including upgrading the contaminated sites database for the region.