Greenpeace volunteers team up with Maritime NZ

A team of volunteers organised by Greenpeace New Zealand will today begin work cleaning toxic fuel oil off beaches in the Bay of Plenty.

A Greenpeace scientist, who monitored the impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year, has also been brought to the Bay of Plenty to provide expert advice.

Volunteers will be working under direction of Greenpeace staff, who have completed training with Maritime NZ on how to safely deal with oil spills, and who will conduct the clean up in line with international best practice on the handling and disposal of oil.

In order to ensure a coordinated clean up effort, Greenpeace will liaise each day with Maritime New Zealand, who will direct the Greenpeace team on where to work.

Greenpeace NZ is providing the volunteers with all the equipment needed to do the job safely.

"We feel that as part of our response to the Rena disaster, it is important that we do something practical to help on the ground," says Steve Abel Greenpeace NZ Climate Campaigner.

"Our appreciation goes to all the people who volunteered their time so willingly," Abel says.

Greenpeace will be working with local and international scientists to gather and disseminate information on the likely immediate and long term effects of the Rena spill.