The Otago Regional Council has released details of 140 contaminated sites across Otago, but acknowledges other dirty properties could be flying under the radar.
Council resource management director Dr Selva Selvarajah said the list was released yesterday due to the high level of demand for the information from the public and the media.
However, the council is still refusing to release a much larger list of about 2000 sites across Otago suspected of possible contamination.
The list released yesterday detailed 32 sites still considered contaminated, as well as 35 with contamination problems being managed with no risk to the public or environment.
Another 15 sites had been "remediated" - cleansed of contamination - and six were considered to be on the borderline between managed and cleaned.
A further 51 sites had been investigated for contamination, and appeared on the regional council's list even though they were found to be clean.
Among the sites named as contaminated was the Threepwood farm - part of the 200ha Threepwood development at Lake Hayes, near Queenstown - due to the use of livestock dips and spray races.
The Farmers department store on George St was also listed as a "remediated" site, after contamination from fuel, chemical or liquid waste storage tanks had been found and cleaned.
Jim Boult, of Threepwood developer Meadow 3, and the Farmers store manager could not be contacted yesterday.
Dr Selvarajah said sites still listed as contaminated typically had low-level problems, as sites with more serious spills were dealt with quickly and, once they were fixed, they were listed as managed or remediated.
The list included 21 landfills, 44 service stations and 17 wood treatment plants, but Dr Selvarajah said he did not believe there was a problem with particular industries in Otago.
The historic use of "very poor" hazardous chemicals like pentachlorophenol (PCP) in timber mills was well known, but the consequences of that were "being dealt with", he said.
Service stations were strongly represented because their industry was now "extremely pro-active" in setting protocols and reporting problems, he said.
Dr Selvarajah acknowledged other contaminated sites could be missing from the council's list.
Staff had fielded phone calls from several people since Wednesday - when details of Dunedin's contaminated sites were revealed - naming other dirty sites within Dunedin.
"We have now got to look at gathering a bit more information on what other sites are not on our system," he said.
Dr Selvarajah was concerned about the impact publication would have on business and property owners, but said the public interest outweighed his concern.
However, he did not agree the public interest justified releasing details of suspected sites.
That was despite an Office of the Ombudsmen ruling in August which ordered the Hawkes Bay Regional Council to reveal its list of confirmed and suspected sites, and comments by Environment Minister Nick Smith that all councils should do the same.
Dr Selvarajah said releasing a list of suspected sites would be "irresponsible", as it would include sites listed simply because of the industry they were part of - such as service stations - even if they were free of contamination.
"We have, as a regional council, to weigh up what the benefits are and the risks of releasing that information," he said.
"The public interest is all about `is there any harm for the public as a result of withholding that information?'"We should know what is risky to the public and what is not.
We are in a better position to decide than anyone else."
OTAGO'S CONTAMINATED SITES
• 140 confirmed, managed, remediated or not contaminated (after investigation) sites across Otago, including:
- 33 confirmed contaminated sites.
- 35 managed sites.
- 15 remediated.
- 6 remediated/managed.
- 51 not contaminated.
• Sites still contaminated
- Andersons Bay Gasworks, Andersons Bay Rd, Dunedin.
- Oamaru Gasworks, Humber St, Oamaru.
- Finegand Freezing Works landfill, Owaka Highway, Balclutha.
- Craigpine Timber Treatment waste disposal area, Northland St, Ranfurly.
- Wingatui closed landfill, Gladstone Rd North, Mosgiel.
- Orokonui Holiday and Recreation Park, Orokonui Rd, Waitati.
- AgResearch Invermay, Puddle Alley, Mosgiel.
- North Taieri landfill, Milners Rd, Mosgiel.
- North Taieri recycling centre, Milners Rd, Mosgiel.
- Humber St Gasworks waste site, Humber St, Oamaru.
- Threepwood Farm Ltd, Lake Hayes, Queenstown.
- Shell Dunedin depot, Wickliffe St, Dunedin.
- Kakapuaka Garage/Scrap Metal, Kakapuaka Rd, Balclutha.
- Balclutha Motors, Elizabeth St, Balclutha.
- Wylies Garage Ltd, Northumberland St, Tapanui.
- Omakau Autos, Wilson St, Omakau.
- Lauder Service Station, Lauder-Omakau Rd, Lauder.
- BP Concord, Corstorphine Rd, Dunedin.
- Coronation Hall, Gordon Rd, Mosgiel.
- Shell Fairfield, Main Rd, Fairfield.
- BP Regent, George St, Dunedin.
- Gardens Service Centre Mobil, Cumberland St, Dunedin.
- Mobil Mosgiel, Factory Rd, Mosgiel.
- BP Hiway Autocentre, Usk St, Oamaru.
- Lengs Motors /BP Palmerston, Ronaldsay St, Palmerston.
- Glendermid Leathers, State Highway 88, Sawyers Bay.
- W E Perrin Ltd, Royal Tce, Owaka.
- Arrowtown oxidation ponds, Centennial Ave, Arrowtown.
- Toko Timber Treatments, Springfield Rd, Milton.
- Blue Mountain Lumber, Pomahaka Rd, Tapanui.
- Barrow Box, Cameron Rd, Tapanui.
- Waihemo Timber Co Ltd, Burraness St, Palmerston.
- 57 Selwyn St, Northeast Valley.
• Sites still listed as contaminated typically have low-level problems, because sites with more serious spills are dealt with quickly and, once they were fixed, they are list
