THE PRESS TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1977. Factories and clean rivers

Press, 2 August 1977, Page 16

THE PRESS TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1977. Factories and clean rivers

The popular conception of New Zealand as a land of clear skies and clean water has taken a beating lately. The winter has reminded residents of Christchurch that the city’s air is seriously polluted. A recent incident in the lower Waimakariri has emphasised that many New Zealand rivers no longer run clear. The lower Heathcote is a permanent reminder of this

Industrial pollution of rivers has become worse in recent years as more stringent controls over effluents into waterways overseas have encouraged some “dirty” industries, particularly wool-scouring, to take advantage of this country’s more complacent attitude. Effluents from wool-scouring plants along with animal wastes from freezing works are the most serious industrial water pollutants, but many other harmful substances from a wide range of industries find their way regularly, or through occasional mishaps, into rivers.

The action taken so far to curb the discharge of industrial wastes into rivers has for the most part been directed at preventing the further deterioration of waters not yet seriously polluted. Even in the lower Waimakariri, the classification of waters in Canterbury (which determines the level and nature of permissible discharges into those waters) has not been particularly onerous to industry. Most

classifications allow for additional discharges. But at some point, efforts will have to be made to reduce the pollution of those stretches of river which are already seriously contaminated.

The equipment needed to reduce or eliminate offensive or harmful discharges from factories into rivers is expensive, whether it involves equipment installed at individual plants or regional works to cope with industrial as well as other liquid wastes. The snag is that the industries which contribute the worst pollution are either export industries or industries producing substitutes for imports. Drastic action to reduce industrial pollution of rivers would inevitably make New Zealand industry less competitive in world markets, and in the domestic market. The cost of eliminating pollution seem prohibitive to the individual firm struggling to meet world competition on an overseas market, or to maintain sales on the sluggish local market. Many firms would be put out of business by official insistence on early conformity to standards not dreamt of when the plant was installed. They need time—and some may deserve financial assistance from the Government—to meet the new requirements. Environmentalists. for their part, might achieve more .’n the long run if they showed more understanding of the plight of industrialists in today's economic difficulties.