International wastewater experts Cardno BTO are in Wanganui to look at ways of reducing the smell from the city's water plant.

People feel uncomfortable seeing discarded plastic bags out of place, such as in the landscape, writes Al Gillespie. Plastic bags are virtually without substance.

International wastewater experts will be in Wanganui today to begin looking into whether the city's wastewater treatment plant can be saved.

The foul-smelling black sludge clogging up the river mouth at a Northland beach is not human or animal effluent, but it's still not a good idea to swim in the area, officials say.

A beachgoer is disgusted with the state of one of Auckland's top beaches, after it was left with so much rubbish on the sand it resembled "a dump".

People are being warned to protect themselves and their dogs against toxic algae in Masterton's Waipoua River after levels increased.

Some of Wanganui's largest businesses could be temporarily shut down if the Wanganui District Council receives an expected abatement notice from Horizons Regional Council.

A mining sector group says New Zealand should be doing more to capitalise on the use of pollution-soaking clay to clean up dairy land.

Discharging untreated wastewater into the sea is "not an option" for the Wanganui District Council, says Mayor Annette Main.

Auckland Council scientists are developing a computer model that will predict, for beach swimmers, the amount of sewage pollution on any given day.

John Key has dismissed criticism of New Zealand's "100% Pure" brand, by comparing it to a McDonalds marketing campaign.

Editorial: Russel Norman is absolutely right to say that scientists must be free to perform their academic duty to report environmental degradation.

According to the latest update, the salvage crew lost two work days last week because of poor weather, but on the remaining days good progress was made.

Daina Shipping representative Konstantinos Zacharatos again apologised on behalf of the company to the Bay of Plenty community and people of New Zealand.

It is appalling that so many of our rivers are not clean enough for swimming.The reason is obvious. This is a farming country.

More than half of monitored recreational sites on our rivers are unsafe for swimming, a report has revealed.

Scientists are ramping up surveying over concerns for dangerous substances that were stowed onboard the MV Rena in shipping containers and lost at sea.

Sam Judd looks at the effect of plastic and toxins on marine life - particularly killer whales.

As valuable to marine life as it is prized by humans, the Hauraki Gulf is in decline. Though solutions seem as elusive as the gulf's fish stocks, a groundswell is building for collaboration.