New Zealand First List MP Mark Patterson, left, received the petition from Laurel Turnbull, of Sort Out the Dross action group, outside the closed Mataura paper mill in March. A petition signed by nearly 4000 Southlanders, asking for the House of Representatives to take all means possible to remove a hazardous substance from Mataura, will be presented to Environment Minister David Parker on Thursday. Not-For-Syndication NZ First List MP Mark Patterson launched a petition in Mataura for the ouvea premix, which is housed in the unused Mataura paper mill buildings, to be removed and taken back to it's origin at the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter. Action group Sort Out The Dross presented the petition to Patterson in March after going door to door in Mataura, collecting signatures. The Government and aluminium producer Rio Tinto were engaged in talks about fast-tracking the removal of the ouvea premix before the Covid-19 lockdown.

Source: Stuff April 29, 2020 03:33 UTC