The country's most contaminated mine is set to be cleaned up after Environment Minister Nick Smith announced a new environmental standard for better managing contaminated sites.

The Tui Mine in Te Aroha, in the Waikato, is posing a real safety and environmental risk to the community, says Nick.

'The $15.2 million contribution from the government, in tight financial times, is the largest ever for a clean up.

'Geotechnical reports show that a modest earthquake or severe storm could put lives at risk and cause damage of up to $168 million from the tailings dam failing.”

Clean up work will involve stabilising the dam by pumping and mixing cement and lime to depths of five metres with a modified excavator to strengthen the 160,000 tonnes of soil and lock in the heavy metal contaminants.

Other funding contributions include $200,000 from the Matamata-Piako District Council and $800,000 from the Waikato Regional Council.

'I'm pleased to announce a new national environmental standard to protect human health, while enabling development on contaminated land.

'Only 14 of 73 district plans have rules to manage problems of contaminated land.”

Contamination of land can come from many sources such as mining or past use of industrial or agricultural chemicals.

'If land is found to be contaminated, steps must be taken to cleanse the soil or contain the contamination, to make it safe for human use prior to development.”

Nick says the new national environmental standard applies to developments, including proposed subdivisions, changes of land use, and major earthworks, on land that has been used for certain hazardous activities or industries.

'This initiative is part of the Government's broader programme of providing stronger national direction on the Resource Management Act.

'It's far more efficient to have one nationwide standard for managing contaminated sites rather than requiring each district and city council to develop their own.”

The new National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health will take effect from January 1, 2012.