Health notice issued to residents near Waikato dump fire

The 3km radius around the Puke coal mine in Waikato. Image / Supplied

Waikato council authorities are asking pregnant and breastfeeding women to move temporarily outside of an area where a fire has been burning near Hamilton.

The Waikato Regional Council said a precautionary health notice had been issued to residents within three kilometres of Puke Coal's landfill in Pukemiro.

The fire has been burning at the site since August.

Waikato Regional Council resource use acting director Brent Sinclair, who is leading the incident management team for the landfill fire, said although the presence of dioxins had not been confirmed, as a precautionary measure following advice from the Waikato DHB public health unit, it was recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women seek accommodation outside of the affected area, at least 3km from the site of the fire.

"This is the recommendation by Waikato DHB's public health unit and it holds until environmental testing shows dioxin levels aren't elevated or until we know the fire is out and no longer a risk," Sinclair said.

The levels of dioxins observed in the

event were treated as a potential risk for unborn and breastfeeding babies. While unproven, the risk noted related to possible fertility issues for a child once they've grown up.

"If there is potential risk then we will take a precautionary response."

Waikato District Council chief executive Gavin Ion said its welfare response team advised some members of the Pukemiro and Glen Afton communities to find other accommodation.

"This is a precautionary approach because we promised the community we would do everything we could," Ion said.

"We have acted quickly on the recommendation from the public health unit because we said that as soon as we had new information to share, we would. We acknowledge this may cause stress to our communities, but we want to ensure you are kept safe.

"Those who are moving elsewhere for the time-being are asked to call Waikato District Council on 0800 492 452. For those that don't have friends or family to stay with, let council know and we will help. Waikato Tainui have said they're also here to help and are standing up their 0800 TAINUI number."

Mr Sinclair also acknowledged the stress the community had been under since the fire broke out.

"We know this precautionary notice won't help the stress you are feeling. However, please remember, our advice has always been to stay out of the smoke and away from the odour, and that message remains for everyone."

Waikato Regional Council has been monitoring for airborne inhalable particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in Glen Afton and Pukemiro and the results have been within World Health Organisation guidelines.

Waikato Regional Council, with support from the Waikato District Council, has a formal investigation under way into potential breaches of the Resource Management Act (RMA) in relation to the landfill site. Two abatement notices have been issued to the landfill landowner.

The health notice comes after the owners of the dump were told in early November to put a dirt cap on it.