Residents near what was one of the most toxic sites in New Zealand are living with mounds of contaminated soil of up to four-meters in height beside their houses.
Tasman District Council and the Ministry of the Environment have spent millions of dollars cleaning up the site of the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company in Mapua, near Nelson.
An audit report issued last month said the site is now safe to be developed, but piles of contaminated soil were left beside the houses after the clean-up.
Residents are concerned the toxins could still be danger and say it's like living with a giant landfill beside their homes.
Mapua and District Communities Association chair Devin Gallagher says residents were promised the land would not be left looking that way and they want someone to clean it up.
But Tasman District Mayor Richard Kempthorne says it's not the district council's job and they have no funding for it.
He told Morning Report he hoped the piles will be removed when part of the site is developed into an open space recreation area.
