Harbor Bridge Pollution Review to Analyze Likelihood of Health Hazards to Nearby Properties

By RNZ’s Phill Pennington

The Transport Agency has launched an external review on heavy metal and oil pollution next to the Auckland Harbor Bridge.

The review will look at whether it is “more than likely or not” that unacceptable health risks exist at nearby properties.

A Northcote owner is dismissing the review as “lip service.”

The Kaipātiki Local Board, although “delighted”, expressed concern that residents would be heard.

The Transportation Agency published the terms of reference for the review without consulting locals, despite the board asking for a meeting since September.

It was then that RNZ revealed that the agency had discovered contamination at Stokes Point a decade ago, but decided not to inform residents.

It received multiple recommendations at the time for testing nearby properties, but did not.

The first stage of the review should report to the public early next year and to the regional regulator Auckland Council.

The council has already stated that “there was no risk to human health” from contaminants found in the soil.

The terms of reference and the attached letter to residents do not say whether locals will have a chance to participate in the review, or whether it will be considered why locals were not informed 10 years ago.

The board’s vice president, Danielle Grant, said both must happen.

“It should be because there are families who have lived in the area for decades, and for their peace of mind, there should be an opportunity to have their concerns heard.”

The terms of the review do not say whether it will consider the lack of regular monitoring for contaminants; Testing was conducted in 2000 and 2010 to support resource consent requests, with unique testing in 2016 when the public reserve was updated.

“The health and safety of the community must be paramount,” Grant said.

“And whatever process needs to be put in place to ensure that this is the case, I think that’s what we should ask for.”

The Transportation Agency said it had invited residents to inquire about the review.

Phil Moore has lived in the area for 22 years.

He accused the agency of “doing the bare minimum.”

“It doesn’t build trust, does it?

“This is nothing, or there could be an ‘Erin Brockovich’ moment.

“But, you know, you need to establish clarity on that.”

Erin Brockovich was a Californian whose exposure to pollution from a power company was made into a movie.

Risk management by the Transportation Agency and the council “smells like living in the 1960s,” Moore said.

“I work in the oil industry. And I can tell you that we would never play Russian roulette in health and safety.

“If this were a situation at one of our facilities, then there would be a full investigation, the site would be closed, and everyone would be independently evaluated.”

The terms of the review do not say whether the properties of the home will be tested for the first time or not.

Danielle Grant said it should be up to each owner, echoing what the council has said previously.

The terms of the review do not mention the marine or broader environment, even though Auckland Regional Public Health told the Transport Agency in 2011 that it should consider the impacts on these.

“When they were doing maintenance on the bridge, the whole area was covered like red dust … it was like thick snow,” Moore said, referring to several years ago, although bridge maintenance continues throughout the year.

“So it was a dust everywhere. And, you know, not only would it have affected properties, it would have affected marine life,” he said.

“It is regrettable that an organization like this adopts this arrogant attitude.

“Maybe everything is fine, but until they do a proper independent investigation, no one will know.”

The agency said the impact on the port was assessed in 2010/11. RNZ has asked you to provide the assessment.

Downloads had been “well below” thresholds on resource consents, as shown in annual monitoring reports since 2015, provided to RNZ.

In a letter to residents, the agency said “records show that lead-based paints were not used on exterior surfaces … at Stokes Point.”

However, the findings of maximum lead levels in soil increased markedly between 2000 and 2010.

Since improvements to the bridge’s maintenance since 2015, less paint waste was being discharged, he said, adding that resource consent conditions were being met.

However, the 2011 documents said that consents had been widely violated over the past decade and that the bridge maintenance contractor was not even aware of the air discharge conditions.

The review would include interviews with the maintenance contractor’s staff and evaluation of its records, the agency said.

Zinc levels are very high in the Stokes Pt / Te Onewa Pa reserve

They are also high at the southern end of the bridge at Erin Point, where the houses are further away.

Zinc is less harmful to humans, although toxic to marine life and humans at high levels.

Until 2013, 1.4 tons of zinc were unloaded from the bridge per year. That has now been drastically reduced to a few kilograms.

Zinc, along with copper, is found at elevated levels in the harbor waters near the bridge.

The Auckland Council’s 2011 Health Risk Assessment, which was not released until recently, found lead and hydrocarbons to be below any risk; considered that it was not necessary to evaluate other heavy metals.

The area “is safe for the public to use and enjoy,” he said.

Cancer-causing BAP hydrocarbon contamination likely comes from old landfill or trail material.

– RNZ