Power company says asbestos hazard is real

Asbestos has been discovered at Ngawha Springs.

A man who lived at Ngawha Spa for seven years says its closure in an asbestos scare is an over-reaction and "over the top".

However, power company Top Energy - which bought the hot pool complex in July as part of its plans to expand the nearby geothermal power station - says it is not a false alarm, with a specialist's initial findings backing up its concerns about asbestos contamination.

The company knew there was some asbestos present when it bought the pools but not in the quantities identified by a contractor about two weeks ago.

The site was sealed off by workers wearing protective suits and breathing equipment and a 24-hour guard was posted at the gate. A tenant and campers were told to leave at short notice.

Alan Price, who lived on site for seven years and has been associated with the spa since 1984, said the scare stemmed from confusion between products such as Hardiflex and older asbestos-based building materials. He believed the only asbestos on site was in the work shed, in an area not accessible to the public, and the changing room roof.

Mr Price said asbestos sheets were safe as long as they were not broken, drilled or burnt, creating dust which could be breathed in.

"The whole thing is an over-reaction," he said.

"I think OSH rules have got to the stage where firms are so paranoid, they don't know whether they're Arthur or Martha. The place is a health resort, not a health risk."

Following the initial scare, Top Energy brought in specialists to examine the site and prepare a full report. Their report is still about a week away but Top Energy spokesman Peter Heath said the preliminary findings were that six of the seven buildings contained asbestos.

Two were in such a state of disrepair that surrounding soil was contaminated with asbestos fibres.

Mr Heath said the specialist's initial findings backed up the contractor's advice to immediately shut down the pools until all asbestos was removed and the site was made safe.

Chief executive Russell Shaw said it was "certainly not a false alarm".

A WorkSafe spokeswoman said the agency had visited the site and was working with the company and the Northland District Health Board to make sure a plan was in place for managing any asbestos.

Northland medical officer of health Dr Clair Mills said health board staff had visited the Ngawha pools complex and were awaiting the results of laboratory tests. However, early evidence was that the risk to the public from asbestos exposure was minimal.

The closure of Ngawha Spa does not affect the nearby Waiariki hot pools, which are operated by the Parahirahi C1 Trust and remain open.