New Zealand environment minister concerned about soil quality

New Zealand environment minister Nick Smith is concerned about the poor soil quality in one part of Thames and has warned residents to be cautious.

The Moanataiari subdivision is built on the old Firth of Thames, which was filled with mining waste in the 1960s, before houses were constructed in the area a decade later.

Environmental analysis has highlighted the presence of arsenic in the region and the government is conducting more studies to decipher the scale of the contamination. Funding is in place to launch a clean-up operation once the research has been completed.

Dr Smith said building on top of such potentially dangerous land would not be allowed to go ahead nowadays.

"I urge residents to heed the precautionary advice of the councils and health authorities to protect their health while more detailed testing is undertaken," he commented.

China is also blighted by soil pollution at the moment, as a study published in the Southern Metropolis Daily indicated that ten per cent of farming land in the country is contaminated with dangerous metals.

Posted by Joseph Hutton