The Local Govt Act 2002 was legislated upon even though it was known there were loopholes in the Bill. We’ve heard the war cries ‘Blame the Farmers’. But the complete absence of successive Govts fixing pollution, and environmental problems of their own doings from 23 years ago (I am referring to the Local Govt Act 2002 )

Although the Govt were well aware of errors in the Local Govt Act they still passed it in the House,  legislated it. Various Councilors in NZ had pleaded with the Govt to fix the errors but ‘ fixing it was not in their ballpark’. The error in the Act meant that Councils could not issue  Infringement Fines for Trade Waste Consent Breaches. Instead it would mean  very timely costly Court prosecutions.

26^th January 2021 again it was drawn to the Govts attention the concerns as to hundreds of Trade Waste Consents being breached, and no Infringement Fines could be used to deter the breaching of Consents. Instead it was advised that Councils take an Educative Approach (The Local Govt Act 2002 had been legislated on almost 20 years prior to this)

Nanaia Mahuta announced that in February 2021 the new Water Regulator Taumata Arowai would be addressing Waste and other problems. Adding that it would be several years before Taumata Arowai would be able to address the loopholes in the Local Govt Act 2002.  The Advisory Board to Taumata Arowai was firstly chaired by Dame Haren Potasi. Then on 20^th May 2021 the Chair became Nanaia Mahuta’s sister Tipa Mahuta.

Tipa Mahuta having served on the Waikato Regional Council. Also Co-Chair of the Waikato River Authority and the Maori Health Authority. In 2022 Ardern dodged controversial questions about Tipa Mahuta being in a pivotal role within Three Waters. Raveen Jaduram is now the Chair of the Advisory Board for Taumata Arowai

26^th January 2021 Nanaia Mahuta Local Govt Minister announced that councils will take  stronger actions against companies that dump contaminated waste water – even though these loopholes still existed. RNZ articles were published revealing damming information / evidence of hundreds of Trade Waste Consent Breaches by Supermarkets * Bakeries * Takeaway Shops * Supermarkets * and other producers and manufacturers. (Even those with Brand Names)

RNZ listed publicly names of the companies/ businesses that breached their Trade Waste Consents – and how many times in one year- and under which Council. References were made to some of the following businesses/companies : The Wallace Group * Yoplait * Ernest Adams * Talleys * McCains *AFFCO * Sanfords * DB Draught Breweries * Heartland Potato Chips *Medallion Pet Food *Ovation I Sth Canterbury By-Products * Fonterra * NZ’s largest Maori Fishing Company Moana Fisheries

And even Horowhenua District Council that breaches its own consent condition that it imposed upon itself when they allowed the Levin Landfill to discharge a chemical filled liquid that was heavy in Ammonia & Nitrogen which the Wastewater Plant could not cope with. RNZ 21/2/2021 article referred to companies dumping contaminants down drains. Naming the companies.. the number breached Trade Waste Consents for each individual company and the Council they resided under. NOTING – There was no Infringement Fines.

The gory details were published as to ‘Blood red water, globs of yellow animal fat that gushed from Dunedin sewers into the Green Islans Wastewater Plant. Greasy liquid that clogged filters, coated Ultra Violet Lights used to disinfect effluent, which had to be scrubbed time and time again. It was reported this had been happening for years

The ‘Keep It Clean Plant’- Wallace Group was reported to having caused havoc on a Wastewater Plant before this water was sent out to sea off the Dunedin Coast. The same sort of scenes were playing out across NZ. An expert  that had worked in the environmental industry around trade waste for many years reported that “Once Trade Waste is dumped it can destroy Bio-diversity- Choke Rivers * Cause havoc to Marine Life.

Hundreds of companies were dumping contaminants of Blood * Fat  * Toxic Chemicals * Ammonia * Sulfides into sewers breaching Trade Waste Consents. Tauranga Council forking out $28, 606 in Clean-Up Costs for Trade Waste Consent breaches in 2019 when upmarket ..   Ziwi -Peak Petfood company racked up 12 breaches in 1 year.

Not every Council keeps track on Trade Waste Consent breaches. Some leave it to the Company/Businesses to do their own checking. So its difficult to get a true accurate picture of the actual number of Trade Waste Consent Breaches. Auckland Council Watercare refused to give out the names of the companies/businesses that had breached Trade Waste Consent Breeches or the number of Breeches that had occurred. (Saying it’s Reasons of Privacy)

For instance: Talley’s Group website describes itself as ‘Bringing you the best of NZ- Fresh Mussels pulled out of pristine waters. Fresh fish in gleaming ice buckets & smiling factory workers gently mixing peas, corn & carrots on a production line. But 4 out of 17 of Talley’s factories breached Trade waste Consents.

Two of AFFCO Plants together Breached their Oil & Grease limits, (a combination of 190 times and their Sulfide limits 519 times. AFFCo Mear Works breaching its Trade Waste Consent- 33 times in 2 years -2018-July 2020. Napier Council struggled to fix waste from AFFCO Napier site along with 21 other Trade Waste Consent Holders over the previous 5 years. Diverting waste to the City Biological Trickling Plant, that’s not designed to treat Industrial Waste (This partially treated Trade Waste was then discharged into the sea off the Napier Coast

Tasman Tanning was reported to be causing issues at the Whanganui Waste Treatment Plant. Its website declaring that “Leather- its our Nature’ that’s amid pristine landscapes & waterways. But dumps too much Chromium into the sewer. (Chromium is a heavy toxic metal). The company breaching its Chromium limits 205 times in  1 year. And clocked up 221 Sulphite * Oil and Grease Breaches over that same period

Tasman Tanning had installed a special Filter, that didn’t work therefore reported in 2021 that they would spending $1 million on a new system to filter the Chromium out of the waste water. However the company’s Timaru branch also breached Trade Waste Consents 73 times between October 2019 & August 2020. Overshooting their limits on Sulfide *Zinc * Chromium and Ammonia leaching it down the drain

RNZ reported the comments of an Expert – a Trade Waste Advisor of 20 plus years, who had worked on some of the biggest waste Water Projects in NZ & Australia– Tara Okan. He gave recognition to the huge problem of many companies/businesses in NZ and their breaching of Trade Waste Consents. Referring to ageing infrastructure * The Councils having little to no Waste Water expertise *That companies deliberately push their Consents close to the mark to ‘Maximize Profits’

Calling them Cowboys that Run Rough Shod Over NZs Environment & not wanting to fix problems only to maximize shareholder value. Adding that ‘Trade Waste is usually a lot more toxic than other waste, can cause major effects- kill rivers. Chemicals poured down drains can produce Sulfuric Acid that dissolve concrete infrastructure ( Erode Pipes under the ground) which are extremely expensive to replace. At a minimum of $5,000 per metre.

Where pipes have burst, there’s been situations where vehicles- peoples have been walking across the ground and fallen into pipes that have collapsed under ground beneath them. That contaminated waste water can kill Micro-organisms inside a Wastewater Treatment Plant * Can suffocate creatures in the waterways where waste water is discharges * that contaminants suck up all the Oxygen.

Thus Monitoring * Treatment & Mitigation of Trade Waste is vitally Important, as it also protects Rate Payer Assets * Maintains life in our Environment. RNZ had no problems in researching publishing Stats from a number of Councils across NZ as to what companies/ businesses has breached Trade Waste Consents and the number of times annually in 2021.

However  – today  I have found through my research ( November 1^st 2025 )Stats on Companies that  may have breached Trade Waste Consents between 2024-2025 are absent throughout  Councils across NZ. (No the Loopholes- Errors have not been fixed). It is reported that there is ongoing legislative attention and local regulatory updates on specific issues being address (Review of Local Bylaws & Proposed National Legislation that has NOT yet been implemented or passed in the House

Various Reports & Govt updates highlighting 2025 issues of Regulatory gaps in  unresolved General Waste Management. With Local Councils noting that there are ongoing problems with ‘Non-compliance Notices’ * Trade waste * addressing issues effectively.. Loopholes are still left open. Trade waste is a matter of ongoing Legislation and local regulatory updates that mention specific aspect relevant to Trade Waste- where enforcements are still considered insufficient (Not Fixed)

The Erosion of Infrastructure  (Underground Pipes) , as erosion continues  and pipes have to be replaced* Ageing  Infrastructure- associated costs are directly paid for by the Rate Payers through much higher Rate Bills. This means a massive investment required to fix or replace 1,000’s of kilometers of old & eroding underground pipes

At an estimated spend of $120- $185 Billion over the next 30 years to upgrade Water Infrastructure, which Ratepayers are required to pay- either through Rates or Targeted Water Charges. The consequence of the financial burden of historical under investment and the neglect of the Govt to fix the Local Govt Act 2002 Errors Loopholes)

Over a period now of 23 years which has allowed businesses/companies to leach damaging chemicals etc., into drains- sewers- and Trade Wastes that cover the lights in Waste Treatment Plants often not being able to cope with the Trade Waste contamination. Taumata Arowai the New Water Regulator is a Government Entity that operate independently as a Water Service Regulator. Controlled by its own independent Ministerial Appointed Board which works in partnership with a Iwi/Maori Advisory Group (Te Puna).

Described as including the Obligations to Iwi/Maori and being accountable to the House of Representatives for its actions. The Maori Advisory Group ‘Te Puna’ is integral to the Governance of the Organization- advising the Board on Maori Interests * Knowledge  as to the fundamental importance of water * and the Principles of the Treaty Of Waitangi. (The Treaty of Waitangi 1830 did not create a Partnership nor did it create Principles)

Out of curiosity I researched for Trade Waste Consent Breaches- Dates – And Councils for Trade Waste Consent Breaches…Mata Piako * Hamilton * Christchurch * Auckland * Whangarei * Blenheim * Hastings * Invercargill. However Invercargill District Council refer enquiries for Trade Waste Consent  Breaches to Environmental Southland.  Then Environmental Southland  refer back to the Council  for info on Stats..(purposeful deliberate duck shoving & scape goating)

Research led me once again to the Local Govt Act 2022, described as having persistent drafting errors preventing Council from issuing Infringement Fines on Companies/Businesses that breach their Trade Waste Consents. No Infringement Fines issued. Hence the Govt has now introduced its “Local Water Done Well Plan’.. replacement program described as –

“Aiming for the new legislation to strengthen Central Govt oversight by ‘Regulating the Economic & Environment Performance of Water Services”. Helping Councils to transition, defer their Reviews of Water Service Bylaws, to be completed by July 1^st 2026. October 2025 the Water Regulator Taumata Arowai became the consulting entity on the National Environmental Performance Standards for Waste Water Treatment.

But its reported that the Trade Waste Consent breaches are still too difficult to enforce despite the New Crown Entity and the  restoration of Council control of Water Services in NZ. Where Councils still face significant hurdles to enforce Trade Waste Consent breaches. No timeline has been given to fix the Local Government Act  2002.

Recalling that in January 2021 Nanaia Mahuta Local Govt Minister announced the new Water Regulator Taumata Arowai may take several years before the Trade Waste Consent concerns are addressed. WAITING- WAITING- WAITING- STILL WAITING.  With the Govt using the 2016 Havelock North event to introduce the new Water Regulator Taumata Arowai. When May 21^st 2021 Nanaia Mahuta sister  (Tipa Mahuta) was made Chair of the Advisory Board of the new Water Regulator

As costs significantly increase for Ratepayers and the errors causing extra costs still continue to exist. But now what’s changed is that the RNZ Stats, names of Companies/Businesses that breached Trade Waste Consents  were clearly exposed to the public of NZ. Now they are clearly absent from Council Records. But the problems still exist. WakeUpNZ. Researcher-Cassie

https://at.govt.nz/media/zzyhp1s0/60-at-board-interests-register.pdf

https://www.selwyn.govt.nz/news-And-events/news/new-director-appointed-at-corde-2024

https://www.taumataarowai.govt.nz/home/articles/taumata-arowai-now-new-water-services-regulator#:~:text=Q:%20How%20is%20Taumata%20Arowai,is%20chaired%20by%20Tipa%20Mahuta.

 

RNZ LISTED- PUBLISHED THE COMPANIES – COUNCILS AND NUMBER OF BREECHES:- (February 2021) However through my Research for Fata-Stats through Councils – Stats for Trade Waste Breeches for 2024-2025 Are Absent.

Tasman Tanning 570 Breeches  Including 27 pH breaches; 58 oil and grease breaches; 59 ammonia breaches; 221 sulphides breaches; 205 chromium III breaches. Whanganui District Council

AFFCO Imlay 406 Breeches Including 103 oil and grease breaches and 303 sulphides breaches. Whanganui District Council

AFFCO Castlecliff (Land Meats) 303 Breeches Including 87 oil and grease breaches and 216 sulphides breaches…Whanganui District Council

South Canterbury Byproducts 86 Breeches Occurred between 10/12/19 and 3/9/20 Timaru District Council

NZ Light Leathers (Tasman Tanning) 73 Breeches Occurred between 15/10/19 and 20/8/20 including discharging too much sulphide, zinc, chromium and ammonia. Timaru District Council

Sanford 50 Breeches Occurred between 12/11/19 and 10/9/20 Timaru District Council

Pure Bottling 48 Breeches Occurred between 23/9/20 and 6/11/20 Tauranga City Council

Heartland Potato Chips 42 Breeches Occurred between 19/11/12 and17/09/20 Timaru District Council

HB Protein 40 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

Juice Products NZ 38 Breeches Occurred between 8/10/19 and 20/9/20 Timaru District Council

Fonterra Morrinsville 36 Breaches Occurred between 12/11/2019 and Sept 2020 including 26 pH breaches; 2 solids breaches and 8 oil and grease breaches Matamata-Piako District Council

Blue Sky Meats 35 Breaches Occurred between 11/02/19 and 7/10/20 Gore District Council

bStudio 34 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

Alliance Smithfield 30 Breaches Occurred between 17/12/19 and 9/7/20 Timaru District Council

Mataura Valley Milk 29 Breaches Occurred between 8/3/2019 and 13/10/20 Gore District Council

Liqueo 27 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

DB Breweries 24 Breeches Occurred between 26/11/19 and 24/09/20 Timaru District Council

McCain Foods 24 Breeches Occurred between 19/11/19 and 17/09/20 Timaru District Council

Affco 22 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

Washdyke Energy 19 Breeches Occurred between 15/10/19 and 20/8/20 Timaru District Council

Talley’s 18 Breeches Occurred between 3/12/19 and 8/10/20 Timaru District Council

Freshpork 18 Breeches Occurred between 5/11/19 and 3/9/20 Timaru District Council

Church Road Winery 17 Breeches  Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

NZ Wool-scouring 16 Breeches Occurred between 22/10/19 and 9/7/20 Timaru District Council

Mt Cook Alpine Salmon 15 Breeches Occurred between 3/12/19 and 8/10/20 Timaru District Council

Cedenco Foods 14 Breeches Gisborne District Council

Ziwi Peak 12 Breeches Occurred between 10/8/20 and 7/10/20 Tauranga City Council

Levin Landfill 10 Breeches Occurred between 01/10/29 and 30/09/20 Horowhenua District Council

Turk’s Poultry 10 Breeches Occurred between 01/10/19 and 30/09/20 Horowhenua District Council

Goodman Fielder Ernest Adams 10 Breeches  but breech number is unclear. Charged penalty fees 10 times – Palmerston North City

Goodman Fielder Yoplait 10 Breeches breach number unclear but charged penalty fees 10 times. Palmerston North City Council

HB Woolscourers 9 Breeches Napier City Council

Fonterra Brands 9 Breeches breach number unclear but charged penalty fees nine times. Palmerston North City Council

RJ’s Licorice 8 Breeches  Occurred between 01/10/19 and 30/09/20 Horowhenua District Council

HB Galvanising 8 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

Hexion WW 7 Breeches Related to phenol compound limits – including dumping twice the agreed limit. Phenols are a toxic organic compound used in industrial processing – Tauranga City Council

NZ Pharmaceuticals 7 Breeches  breach number unclear but charged penalty fees seven times. Palmerston North City Council

Oji Fibre Solutions 6 Breeches Occurred between 01/10/19 and 20/09/20 Horowhenua District Council

Levin Eel Trading 5 Breeches Occurred between 01/10/19 and 20/09/20 Horowhenua District Council

Simply Squeezed 5 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

Fonterra Research and Development 5 Breeches breach number unclear but charged penalty fees five times.

Palmerston North City Council Freshpork  4 Breeches Occurred between 01/04/20 to 20/06/20 Horowhenua District Council

Solvay NZ 4 Breeches Occurred between 01/10/29 and 31/12/19 Horowhenua District Council

Silver Fern Farms Breeches 3 Times between  24/02/2020 and 15/09/20 Gore District Council

BR & SL Porter 3 Breeches Occurred on 15/10/20

Greenlea Premier Meats 2 Breeches Occurred between 14/01/2020 and 18/02/2020 including discharge of blood and exceeded nitrate limits Matamata-Piako District Council

Mission Estate 2 Breeches Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

Greenmount 2 Breeches Occurred on 21/8/20 Tauranga City Council

Massey University #1 dairy farm 2 Breeches breach number unclear but charged penalty fees twice. Palmerston North City Council

Stephens Transport 1 Breech Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

Lowlen Plant Hire 1 Breech Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

Farmers Transport 1  Breech Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

Medallion pet foods 1 Breech Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

Ovation 1 Breech Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

NNNZ Casings 1 Breech Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

Wallace Group Keep it Clean 1 Breech Dunedin City Council

Wallace Group Dukes Road 1 Breech Dunedin City Council

Alliance Group 1  Breech Occured on 17/12/19 Horowhenua District Council

Lowe Corp Napier 1 Breech Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020 Napier City Council

NZ Wool Testing 1 Breech Occurred between July 2019 and July 2020

FIL (GEA) 1 Breech  Occurred on 2/6/20 Tauranga City Council

Active Tank 1 breach number unclear but charged penalty fee once. Palmerston North City Council

Moana Fisheries 1 Breech breach number unclear but charged penalty fees twice. Palmerston North City Council

Data visualization by Farah Hancock…* This story originally said there were at least 270 companies that had breached their trade waste consents. The story has been corrected to say 267. This is because IXOM (Morrinsville), Waste Management and NZ Meat Processors were originally named as having breached their consents, when they had not. This was incorrect information, supplied to us by the Matamata-Piako District Council, and has now been removed.

 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/435111/revealed-the-companies-dumping-contaminants-down-the-drain

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/435189/contaminant-dumping-minister-says-companies-must-comply-with-consents