Fulton Hogan consent decision

A company has been consented to backfill an existing quarry with up to five per cent asbestos containing material. Fulton Hogan applied for resource consents to backfill part of an existing quarry at Leggets Rd, Templeton, which required consents from both Environment Canterbury and the Christchurch City Council. 

Independent commissioner Ken Lawn granted both the Environment Canterbury and Christchurch City Council consents on December 14, and the decision was released publicly today.   

Under the consents, Fulton Hogan can backfill up to 1.5 million cubic metres with up to five per cent of that material allowed to be asbestos containing material. Other than the asbestos containing material, the fill will not be contaminated.  It is expected it will take about 10 years to fill up. 

All owners and operators of all the surrounding properties within 500 metres of the site gave approval for the fill activity to occur. 

Fulton Hogan will be required to carry out stringent site management to avoid dust and asbestos leaving the site. 

Monitoring stations to detect asbestos fibres will ensure there is no risk to workers and nearby properties, and groundwater quality will not be affected by the fill. 

The independent decision maker accepted that discharge of asbestos fibres to air is unlikely to occur given the proposed mitigation measures, and is further safeguarded by the proposed monitoring measures. 

Formerly, asbestos-containing material has been transported to Kate Valley landfill, taking up valuable space in a municipal landfill, or transported to Otago for disposal. Provision of a safely managed fill option closer to Christchurch will result in significant cost saving and reduced need for transport of asbestos-containing material by road. 

View the decision documents here.