Oil disposal ‘lacks care’

Press, 24 April 1979, Page 6

Oil disposal ‘lacks care’

Some river pollution was caused by a lack of care in oil-trap inspections, said the chairman of the Christchurch Drainage Board’s construction and treatment works (Mr J. de C. Hanafin) at a meeting of the board yesterday. Some industries seemed to be unaware of the ease with which pollutants could escape into the stormwater system, he said. “Industry could have more disciplined housekeeping, and save our inspectors a lot of trouble if they would inspect their own premises regularly.” This month’s pollution reports showed that the efforts of one factory manager to get rid of waste oil the

correct way did little gobd. The Avon River was polluted by oil on March 26, and it was traced to the Antigua Street stormwater outlet, then to the firm. The factory manager said he had told employees to empty a 200-litre drum of waste oil into the company’s oil storage tank, but they poured it into the more convenient stormwater drain. Board members said the company’s staff could be defendants in a prosecution if that happened again. In another case the same day, oil was discharged from the Madras Street outfall because its intended channel, a sanitary sewer pipe, had collapsed. The problem led to the discovery of that failure in Ash Street.