Efforts are continuing to remove ouvea premix from Mataura’s former paper mill, with the parties "engaged in urgently speeding up the process," Environment Court alternate judge Lawrie Newhook says.

Judge Newhook issued his second minute to media reporting on the controversial ouvea premix storage issue on Monday evening.

He is presiding over negotiations between the Environmental Defence Society, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Ltd, Gore District Council and the Minister for the Environment about where the premix material should go.

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Lobby groups and the Gore District Council do not want the material stored in Mataura. There are concerns it is hazardous to human health and the environment.

Ouvea premix is made from dross, which is produced during the aluminium smelting process at the Tiwai Point plant near Bluff.

The confidential negotiations began on September 8. The Environmental Defence Society is seeking a court declaration about who should be responsible for storing the premix, which was previously owned by Taha Pacific, a company now in liquidation.

Judge Newhook has held two conferences with the parties and has scheduled two more for October 9 and 14.

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In his first media minute, issued September 9, Judge Newhook said he was taking the unusual step of issuing minutes to the media because of the high public interest in the case.

He has directed the parties not to comment about the Environment Court negotiations.

In Monday’s minute, Judge Newhook said new storage sites had been identified “away from Mataura and other residential areas, and the commercial, central government and local government parties are involved in logistical and contractual details to this end."

“Given the number of parties involved, and the complexities of the material and the hoped-for operations, a little time is needed to bring these things together.

“The parties remain focused on the urgency of the situation however," Judge Newhook said.

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