Hundreds of companies have dumped contaminants into sewers in breach of their trade waste consents over the past year. That's when Van Betuw watches the effluent wreak havoc on the wastewater plant before it's sent out to sea off Dunedin's coast. In Timaru, every trade waste consent holder has breached their conditions, while in Central Hawke's Bay, six of eight have done so. "I totally accept that the issues with trade waste are playing into an already stressed system of infrastructure. Some businesses compare councils' trade waste rules then play them off against each other, Okan says.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 24, 2021 21:00 UTC