le style="width: 100%; height: 1px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="https://cdn.sunlive.co.nz/images/sunlive/blogbg.jpg"> Ian McLean
Green candidate for Tauranga

With respect to the fallout from this event, here are answers to key questions from the media and public briefings up to Tuesday 11 October:

1. Can we have confidence in the readiness and capability of Maritime NZ in relation to the possibility of accidents during deep-water drilling off East Cape? A: No.
2. What are the likely long-term community impacts? A: Nobody seems to be talking about this yet, although questions are being asked at the public meetings.
3. Are the community being kept well informed? A: There was no general community consultation until the Greens proposed to hold a public meeting on Wednesday, 12 October. Suddenly the local authorities began organising meetings, making the Greens meeting unnecessary. An apology for the lack of community consultation was given on Monday night by a representative of Maritime NZ, and again on Tuesday night.
4. Can the oil be removed? A: Yes, weather and equipment willing. All the required equipment was in place by Sunday evening and pumping had begun, using the storage barge Awanuia (which came from Auckland).
5. How much oil has spilled? A: Unknown, and estimates change by the day. The current storm has caused all previous estimates to be thrown out of the window.
6. Are the dispersants toxic? A: Yes, and the dispersant (CorExit) being used has been withdrawn from use in many places around the world. Maritime NZ says that it is no more toxic than shampoo or kitchen detergent. Minister Nick Smith says it is approved by the EPA and is therefore ok. The community is not convinced and has voiced serious concerns.
7. Are wildlife under threat? A: Yes, and the threat is increasing. The main species coming to the rehab facility are penguins and shags. Oil on shore is a threat to shorebirds that forage along the tide lines. Oil is in the sand and not just in blobs on the beaches. .
8. Who should clean up our beaches? A: Best left to the experts, who are trained and have the right equipment.
9. Are the containers a threat? A: Yes, a very serious maritime hazard. They are well strapped, but recent storm events mean that some are already in the sea. The economic impact of these containers breaking free would be enormous, as that would likely shut down the port and prevent local boating activities, potentially for weeks or months.
10. What is in those containers? A: The authorities are being less than open about this. We were told Monday that 11 containers contain toxic materials, a change from the 8 of previous days. Four contain ferro silicon (which produces hydrogen gas when exposed to water); one contains hydrogen peroxide (which becomes non-toxic when highly diluted); one contains chlorine chips (for swimming pools), leaving 5 for which the contents have not been given. Little information is being given about the contents of the other containers.
11. Can the containers be removed from the ship? A: Logistically, an enormous problem and far more difficult than the oil. There are no cranes on the ship. A specialist container handling ship is due to arrive Thursday. This ship will not be able to access the forward half of the Rena. Due to the listing of the Rena, shifting containers will be a delicate business anyway, even in calm seas. Getting them from the front to the rear of the vessel is a massive logistic problem on its own and will likely require a mobile crane on the Rena. Apparently the fully loaded containers tend to be forward on the ship. Heavy lift helicopters cannot do the job.
12. Are there any other threats? A: safety issues for the personnel conducting the salvage are a significant issue, but they are well-used to those risks. There is the possibility of anti-fouling scraping off the hull of the Rena and creating a long-term environmental hazard around the reef.
13. Can the community help? A: The 0800 numbers are advertised constantly (0800 Oil Spill). Start there.