Pan Pac's Environment Court hearing begins, under the cloud of its pipe leak

Pan Pac appeared at an Environment Court hearing in Napier applying for resource consent to discharge wastewater into the sea. Photo / File

An Environment Court hearing began on Monday over Pan Pac Forest Products' desire to continue discharging wastewater into the sea off the Hawke's Bay coast.

The one day hearing comes as the spotlight continues to shine on the company's leaking pipe at Whirinaki Beach.

Pan Pac wants to continue releasing the discharge from the end of the pipe, which stretches 2400 metres offshore, and applied to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council in 2017.

The consent duration along with other conditions were opposed by the Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre, who stated that the "discharge will have a detrimental effect on the marine environment that will be more than minor".

"We are in the 21st century and there is no need to be polluting our marine environment anymore."

In September, the pipe was found to be leaking treated wastewater about 70m from Whirinaki Beach Rd rather than the usual 2.4km.

Repair attempts have so far been unsuccessful.

The public were advised to avoid swimming and collecting shellfish within 150m of the pipeline. Pan Pac was not prosecuted for the leak as the discharge caused minor effects on the surrounding marine environment.

Pan Pac representative Martin Williams appeared before Judge BP Dwyer along with Environment Commissioner Jim Hodges in Napier on Monday morning.

During the hearing Williams said they had been "dealing with the discolouration issue".

Representatives from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council James Winchester and Conor Pope-Moody.

Also in attendance was Emma Crayton-Brown from the Maungaharuru-Tangitu Trust, who also opposed the consent application.

In a letter sent to residents, managing director Doug Ducker said Pan Pac was planning to proceed with the fibreglass patch solution pitched in February.

Ducker said it was also exploring a repair solution that uses Swiss technology to insert a linear inside the pipe from above the water line out to the existing polyethylene pipe.

"This is a reliable method for isolating contact with the original steel pipe and reducing the risk of subsequent failures."