Contaminated waste dumping: Ardern weighs options against companies in breach

The prime minister has put companies dumping contaminated waste into sewers on notice, saying she’s seeking advice about the available options. RNZ reports at least 270 companies have breached their trade waste consents over the past year, but no companies have been prosecuted or fined. Some councils revealed the names of companies who had breached their consents. Others, including Auckland Council’s Watercare, declined to answer any questions citing “privacy issues”. “It’s 2021, everyone knows the importance of the shared collective resource of our waterways,” Ardern stated. “No one thinks it’s acceptable if companies are openly and willingly degrading our waterways.”