6 Sep 2013

Farms used for oil waste disposal filling up

9:53 am on 6 September 2013

Taranaki Regional Council says farms used to get rid of thousands of cubic metres of oil and gas drilling muds are rapidly filling up.

Five out of the 12 sites, known as land farms, have stopped taking truckloads of waste because they are full.

Environment quality director Gary Bedford said the seven remaining land farms have months, rather than years, left in them.

No new land farms, which have been the industry and regional council's preferred method of disposal, are in the process of being created.

PEPANZ, an organisation representing oil and gas companies, believes there is no rush to find alternatives, and says the practice of land farming is still the best disposal solution.