Photo: Gregor RichardsonInvestigators are looking into claims highly toxic waste has been buried in unmapped sites at Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. This includes spent cell liner (SCL) waste that contains cyanide and toxic fluoride, and is banned from being buried untreated in both the US and Australia. 'Structurally weakened'The documents also show that engineers recently discovered that sheds containing masses of toxic SCL waste are "structurally weakened". The European Union describes SCL waste as "carbon-based linings and refractories from metallurgical processes containing dangerous substances". About half of SCL waste worldwide is estimated to be landfilled.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 05, 2021 19:52 UTC