Historic Havelock North landfill sites found, primary school cordons off cricket nets

"With an abundance of caution" Havelock North Primary School has cordoned off part of the area the historic landfill sits under while they await soil tests. Photo / Paul Taylor

Six small historic landfills, including one on the grounds of a primary school, have been identified in Havelock North.

The landfills, which were used to dispose of household rubbish in the 1960s, are likely to pose minimal risk, Hastings District Council says.

Havelock North Primary School Principal Nick Reed said they found out about the historic landfill on Wednesday and from the information provided "there does not appear to be any reason for concern".

They sought advice from Hawke's Bay District Health chief medical officer of Health Dr Nicholas Jones, who also said the risk "was extremely low".

"We are expecting a positive outcome from the soil testing, but it is important every precaution is taken in the interim to ensure our student safety.

"With an abundance of caution, we have temporarily cordoned off the area until the results of the soil tests are known."

The area under investigation is a small grassed in front of the cricket nets at the north-eastern boundary of the school and the remainder of the area under investigation is covered by a carpark and AstroTurf, so there is no risk to the public.

The landfill had had no effect on the school before, and when the cricket nets were installed several years ago, there was no evidence of waste material, Reed said.

The finding of six sites is the first completed stage completed of work by Hastings District Council to locate historic landfills in the district, work prompted by the West Coast's Fox River flood that washed tonnes of historic rubbish downstream.

Two of the landfills are under private land: one at Havelock North Primary School and one at a residential address.

Four are under reserve land in Anderson Park, Awarua Cres, Tauroa Rd Reserve, and Te Mata Rd, near Durham Dr.

Hastings District Council strategic project manager Dean Ferguson said there were no records of size for any of the sites and their likely magnitude could only be assessed by comparing pre and post photos.

All had been assessed as "small" and used for relatively short periods of time. Five of the sites were collectively used over three to four years, but the Anderson park site was operational for about nine years.

"It is important to note that in most cases the sites were available for limited numbers of days in a week."

The sites have been assessed by independent engineering and environmental specialist company Pattle Delamore Partners (PDP), which has advised that the old sites are likely to pose little risk.

Further testing at Anderson Park was completed to corroborate the "low risk" findings in the initial assessment.

Physical testing is now being carried out on the remainder of the council-owned sites and investigation findings and advice on how to go about commissioning further testing has been provided to private land owners.

Given their age, the short period of time they were used, the type of waste disposed of, and the small size, on present information the council said they did not meet the threshold that required active monitoring.

PDP technical director Graeme Proffitt said the same reasons - age, type of refuse, size, short length of time – meant the contents would likely be stable so the risk of leaching into waterways was also likely to be low.

Council officers have met with the second private landowner, a rural property with long-time owners who were aware the property had been used for waste disposal, Ferguson said.

The council is continuing to review further historical records to identify whether there are any other sites in the district that might require investigation.