Ballance Agri-Nutrients have taken full responsibility for the release of sulphur dioxide into the region's atmosphere in May last year.

The fertiliser manufacturer have held their hands up after being fined $60,000 in Tauranga District Court following prosecution from Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients plant in Mount Maunganui.

In response to the fine, which came about after Port of Tauranga workers suffered the ill-effects of the plant's discharge, Chief Executive Mark Wynne insists the company share the community's concerns regarding environmental safety.

'The incident happened and we can't change that,” says Mark. 'What we can do, and have done, is take full responsibility and take every practical step to prevent this from happening again.

'We treat any incidents very seriously and we are completely confident we have minimised the risk of sulphur dioxide discharges at our Mount Maunganui site.

'During the incident our systems shut the plant just as they were designed to do. The key change now is that our safety shutdown systems now cut off at an even lower limit.”

Despite the incident, which saw port employees suffer from breathing difficulties, watering eyes, sore throats and coughing, Mark claims Ballance's environmental performance has steadily improved, and is far superior to what it was a decade ago.

Having invested millions at its Mount Maunganui superphosphate manufacturing plant since 2001, additional automated safety equipment has been installed and other equipment upgraded since the incident last May.

'These changes followed an immediate and thorough internal investigation supported by expert advice,” explains Mark, 'so we have every assurance our response has been robust.

'As part of our commitment to safety and environment we also undertake annual external audits of our operation here at the Mount to hold ourselves to the highest possible standards.

'We live here too - this is our community. The last thing we want to do is put our people, community or environment at risk.”

Ballance Agri-Nutrients' chief executive Mark Wynne. Photo: File.