Doubts cast on ammonia plant

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 2

Doubts cast on ammonia plant

Parliamentary reporter Environmental and health! dangers alleged to be associ-j ated with the ammonia-urea; plant proposed for Kapuni, are outlined in a report released by the Commission 1 for the Environment. The, timing of the release, when memories of the nuclear; Three Rivers scare are still! fresh in the public mind,| must cast doubts on the wis-' dom of proceeding with the, S6OM project. The commission’s report; throws doubt on the value* of nitrogenous fertiliser; which is within the capacity of the plant. It emphasises; environmental dangers, and! Bays that because of high-; intensity grazing and cropp-'

| ing in mid-Canterbury, Heretaunga, the Waimea Plains, -(Waikato, and Taranaki, the i nitrate levels in ground and i I water already exceed World! ! Health Organisation stan-j I'dards. i, The Government has a second-hand plant: •ifrom Houston, Texas, and i( plans to move quickly on: . the production of ammonia) ■ (for refrigeration) and ureal ■((for fertiliser and timber-1 ; laminate glue). The Minister ■ for the Environment (Mr V.!' ■IS. Young) allowed the Coun-! 1 |ctl for the Environment to! ■ prepare a report on the im;ipact of nitrogenous fertili- ( Users, though the Government! j had already decided to move). on the ammonia-urea nlant. | —