Maritime New Zealand is renewing its warning that oil from the grounded ship Rena is toxic.
As much as 350 tonnes of oil has spilled from the cargo ship which has been wedged on Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga since 5 October.
[image:3344:full]Some 1000 people were expected to join the clean up effort on Bay of Plenty beaches on Friday, Maritime New Zealand said.
Maritime New Zealand director Catherine Taylor said oil removed from beaches must be disposed of properly and people should take care.
"A young woman down at Maketu who's been helping with the clean-up had a little bit of oil on her fingers. She used her cellphone and she wiped the numbers off her cellphone," she said.
"We also know that if you get the oil on your clothes and you don't have protective clothing you will be covered and you cannot get it out."
Oil has come ashore along some 60 kilometres of coastline from Maketu to Mount Maunganui, the organisation said. Whakatane District Council said that as yet there was no oil at Matata.
About 500 people were at beaches with shovels on Thursday and 95 tonnes of solid waste and six tonnes of liquid waste had been taken to the waste transfer station.
Among those doing clean-up work have been 150 troops with another 50 soldiers carrying out logistics or medical work.
Overnight on Thursday strong westerly winds kept much of the oil that is in the water off the beaches though Maritime New Zealand says the wind could push it further eastwards along the coast.
Radio New Zealand's reporter said Mt Maunganui main beach appeared almost clear of oil on Friday morning though at Papamoa a quantity of engine fuel had washed ashore.
A resident helping the clean-up at Maketu said there were still problems gettng equipment such as shovels, protective clothing and skip bins. Niven Rae said no bags of waste had been collected and communication with Maritime New Zealand has been poor.
On-scene commander Nick Quinn Quinn says two barges will be working to collect oil on Friday and another two will pick up flotsam in Tauranga Harbour.
