Landfill bomb harmless, army says

A rusty old missile which caused the closure of Taupo landfill on Sunday has been found to be harmless, army bomb disposal experts say.

On Sunday morning, a landfill worker was moving household rubbish to be compacted when a 60cm bomb, complete with fins, rolled out.

The landfill was closed immediately.

Police cordoned off the area while they waited for the New Zealand Armed Forces Bomb Disposal Unit to arrive from Ohakea.

New Zealand Defence Force public information officer Brent Stein said the bomb was an old army practice device and was "completely harmless".

"But in saying that, whoever called it in did the right thing, you can never tell and it takes training to figure out which ones do what."

Taupo District Council works division management officer Brent Aitken said the public must contact the council if they have any hazardous waste.

"It would have been a really serious incident out there, we just ask that people just give us a yell if they are unsure."

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)