Misplaced Pages

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32-507: The Tasman Pulp and Paper Mill has been a source of controversy due to the discharging of waste into the Tarawera River . Despite protests from locals (including local Iwi), resource consent was renewed in 2009 to allow for discharge into the river for the next 25 years. The workforce at the Tasman Mill declined from its peak in the 1980s. The Norske Skog Tasman mill that produced newsprint

64-487: A heart attack , possibly due to the quake. A foreshock just minutes before had cut the power supply and many people had moved away from heavy machinery and out of their houses. The largest aftershock was measured at 5.2 and struck at 1.52 pm. A crack 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long opened in the Rangitaiki Plains near Edgecumbe, as a result of the earthquake. It is now known as the 'Edgecumbe Fault'. At one point,

96-446: A large earthquake centred on Edgecumbe shook the Bay of Plenty, causing widespread damage and causing much of the population to leave Edgecumbe. In July 2004, May 2005 and April 2017, the town experienced heavy flooding that ruined many homes. In the 2005 flood, the river swelled to within 5 cm of breaching the flood banks that had been put in place seven years prior. The earthquake

128-515: A creek that runs into the lake by the outlet), first broke on 1 November 1904, with a main flood surge on 3 November 1904 which was assessed at a peak flow of 700 m /s (25,000 cu ft/s). This flood resulted in the raising of the river bed ( aggradation ), and sedimentation problems to 50 km (31 mi) downstream of the lake. 37°54′S 176°47′E  /  37.900°S 176.783°E  / -37.900; 176.783 Edgecumbe Edgecumbe ( Māori : Pūtauaki )

160-488: A major expansion of the SCA Kawerau tissue paper production site was officially opened. The SCA Group was split into two companies in 2017, with Essity taking the hygiene products. In August 2022, an industrial dispute led to 145 workers being locked out by Essity, causing concern about the supply of toilet paper, because the plant is the only domestic producer of toilet tissue. Tarawera River The Tarawera River

192-760: A population density of 871 people per km . Edgecumbe had a population of 1,644 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 6 people (0.4%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 18 people (1.1%) since the 2006 census . There were 546 households, comprising 855 males and 786 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.09 males per female. The median age was 34.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 402 people (24.5%) aged under 15 years, 330 (20.1%) aged 15 to 29, 654 (39.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 255 (15.5%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 66.6% European/ Pākehā , 46.4% Māori , 3.3% Pacific peoples , 4.7% Asian , and 2.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas

224-405: A power source. Land for the mill was purchased from local Māori landowners for £50 per acre. Pulping operations were underway by 1955. In the 1970s a number of expansion projects took place within the mill which in turn led to a significant increase in employees. More recently, introduction of new technology, coupled with the decline of the timber industry from 1980 onwards, resulted in a decline in

256-623: Is a town in the Bay of Plenty Region of the North Island of New Zealand , 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the west of Whakatāne and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the Bay's coast. It is the main service town for the agricultural region surrounding the plains of the Rangitaiki River , which flows through the town. State Highway 2 and the Tāneatua Branch railway line (disused) pass through

288-489: Is in the Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand . It flows from Lake Tarawera , northeastwards across the northern flanks of the active volcano Mount Tarawera , and past the town of Kawerau before turning north, reaching the Bay of Plenty 6 kilometres (4 mi) west of Edgecumbe . The Tarawera Falls on the river are considered to be quite spectacular. The Tasman Pulp and Paper Mill , now owned by Norske Skog , has been discharging waste into

320-539: Is where the Tapahoro lava flow, created by the 5526 ± 145 BP Whakatane eruption, runs into a 14,009 ± 155 BP Pokohu lava flow. The Tarawera River flows across this in a 10 m (33 ft) wide channel. The 1314 eruption blocked the outlet with a temporary dam up to 32 m (105 ft) above present outlet levels, which was subsequently eroded with a great flood that created a 350 m (1,150 ft) wide, and almost 40 m (130 ft) deep valley spillway at

352-600: The 25 year water discharge permits issued under the Resource Management Act but the appeal was rejected. The Tarawera River drains the north-eastern aspect of the Taupō Rift with its river mouth west of Matata . The river commences at the north-east arm of Lake Tarawera with a mean outflow of 7 m /s (250 cu ft/s), from effectively a watershed of the Ōkataina Caldera , with its risk of volcanic activity disrupting river flow. At this normal or less flow

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384-551: The Asian region has made this market unprofitable. On 9 June 2021 Norske Skog announced the paper mill that produces newsprint would close at the end of that month, with the loss of 160 jobs. The closure was a result of a decline in demand for newsprint, the mill's only product. The Norske Skog Tasman Mill closed on 29 June 2021. Currently Oji Fibre Solutions process approximately 1.25 million cubic metres of wood annually, converting it into specialty bleached and unbleached pulp for use in

416-454: The earthquake, many people left and therefore Edgecumbe's population dropped considerably. Edgecumbe is slowly recovering as it has increased by 21 in the years 2006 to 2013, possibly due to many kiwifruit orchards being affected by PSA . In April 2017, remnants of Cyclone Debbie caused heavy rainfall in the region. At 8:30 am on April 6, water from the Rangitaiki River breached a stopbank next to Edgecumbe, causing widespread flooding across

448-404: The falls and up to 13 m (43 ft) to 8 km (5.0 mi) below the falls. The lake outlet was blocked again after the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera , and the lake level increased to a maximum of 12.8 m (42 ft) above its present level. This volcanic debris dam (the debris that blocked the outlet were not just from the eruption directly but included those washed down from

480-455: The flood. Approximately 1000 animals were rescued by an SPCA led operation, with support from local civil defence rescue teams and veterinarians from Massey University . The event highlighted a significant gap in animal welfare emergency management capability in New Zealand. Edgecumbe covers 2.01 km (0.78 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,750 as of June 2024, with

512-460: The houses in Edgecumbe being damaged by the quake. There was extensive damage to a local milk factory, with large storage tanks toppled. Kawerau was another nearby town that suffered damage and Whakatāne was also badly shaken. An 80-tonne New Zealand Railways DC class locomotive was thrown onto its side. The earthquake caused no fatalities. However, one person died at the time as a result of

544-441: The land close to the fault dropped 2 metres (6.6 ft). The epicentre of the quake was approximately 2.24 kilometres (1.39 mi) south-south-east of the town of Matata , or 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north-north-west of Edgecumbe. The intense ground-shaking caused by the earthquake led to a large number of ground surface failures, including sand boils , ridge-top shatters and debris avalanches on steeper slopes. Because of

576-444: The manufacture of paper, tissue and building products. Forty percent is subsequently sold to customers in New Zealand, primarily Norske Skog. Essity also purchases pulp from Oji Fibre Solutions for manufacture of base paper for their brands Purex and Libra , among others. The balance of production from both Norske Skog and Oji Fibre Solutions is exported throughout Asia and Oceania earning export income of $ 224 million. In 2014,

608-429: The mill's workforce, from around 2,000 in the mid-1980s to 1,200 in 1998. The population of Kawerau reduced from 8,593 in 1981 to 6,921 in 2006. In 2000, Fletcher Challenge sold its shareholding in the mill to Norske Skog. The accessibility of geothermal energy led to the construction of an on-site 100 MW geothermal power station , commissioned in 2008. The plant provided cost certainty to industry operating within

640-499: The mill. Historically, Norske Skog Tasman supplied all of New Zealand's newsprint and telephone directory requirements and also provided around thirty percent of Australia's newsprint requirements. Norske Skog Tasman was a wholly owned subsidiary of Norske Skogindustrier ASA, a Norwegian pulp and paper company based in Oslo. The corporation is the world's largest producer of newsprint magazine paper. Annual paper production by Norske Skog Tasman

672-486: The river disappears underground into caves in the rhyolite lava flow just before the Tarawera Falls. It usually emerges about halfway up the full falls drop, but can with recent rain fully occupy the drop. There have been two known major floods following the breakdown of temporary volcanic material dams at the lake outlet. The first, and larger, followed the 1314 ± 12 CE Kaharoa eruption. The present river start

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704-461: The river had reached a level where fish could survive, however the water colour was still dark. Since 1998 the colour and light penetration ( euphotic depth ) have improved in the lower section of the river due to less pollution from the Tasman Mill. In 2009, the mill gained permission to continue polluting the river for the next 25 years. In 2010, local iwi took a case to the High Court to shorten

736-418: The river since 1955. Local residents have erected signposts labelling the river as the "Black Drain" since the 1990s. The dark colour is due to the presence of pollution from farms, sewage and stormwater but it is predominantly from pulp and paper mill effluent. As of 1997, pulp and paper mills were discharging over 160 million litres of industrial waste into the river per day. By 2006, the oxygen levels in

768-508: The south and close to the town of Kawerau , is visible from Edgecumbe. The Association Football Club Plains Rangers AFC is based at the Edgecumbe Domain, along with rugby and hockey. The Edgecumbe Volunteer Fire Brigade is located on SH2 and services the township and surrounding area. The town has a local rugby club, and a Kart Sport track. Edgecumbe School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with

800-689: The start of the river. It seems the river during this flood overflowed to the east draining for a time through the Awiti Ravine, and back into the Tarawera River flood plain by the present Waiaute Stream that drains the eastern slopes of Mount Tarawera. However it also evacuated 3 km (1.9 mi) downstream from the lake at the terminus of the Pokohu lava flow the amphitheatre of the Tarawera Falls. The flood deposited large boulders up to 20 m (66 ft) in diameter for 1 km (0.62 mi) below

832-534: The town. The Edgecumbe Dairy Factory, established in 1915, employs 358 people, roughly a fifth of Edgecumbe's total population. The town is named after the small village of Edgecumbe in Cornwall , United Kingdom , between Penryn and Helston . Edgecumbe was linked with Tauranga and Auckland by rail, with the opening of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway and Taneatua Express in 1928. In 1987,

864-472: The township. A state of emergency was declared for the Whakatāne District, and around 2000 people were evacuated to Kawerau and Whakatāne . More than 300 homes were damaged, with some becoming uninhabitable. There were no deaths due to the flood, yet, over 50 percent of people there were highly affected by it. The largest animal rescue in New Zealand history was recorded during the aftermath of

896-456: Was $ 25,200, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 144 people (11.6%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 618 (49.8%) people were employed full-time, 165 (13.3%) were part-time, and 66 (5.3%) were unemployed. Edgecumbe is located inland from the coast on the end of the fertile Rangitaiki Plains. The nearby beach is part of Maketu . The volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe , 15 kilometres to

928-466: Was 300,000 tonnes from the company's two paper machines. A third paper machine was closed in an attempt to remain competitive in the overseas market. In August 2012, Norske Skog announced that it intended to cut production in the face of declining global and regional demand for newsprint. The company stated that it was currently exporting two thirds of its annual production to Asia, but that low newsprint prices, unfavourable exchange rates and oversupply to

960-466: Was 9.3, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.2% had no religion, 28.5% were Christian , 4.6% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.5% were Hindu , 0.2% were Muslim , 0.2% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 126 (10.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 318 (25.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income

992-517: Was a major turning point in the history of Edgecumbe. It measured 6.3 on the Richter magnitude scale and struck the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand on 2 March 1987, just after 1.42 pm. The earthquake was very shallow, being centred approximately 8 km from the Earth's surface. The earthquake was one of the most damaging New Zealand's North Island has experienced in recent decades, with approximately 50% of

Tasman Mill - Misplaced Pages Continue

1024-573: Was closed in June 2021, with the loss of 160 jobs. The main product from the Oji Fibre Solutions site is kraft pulp that is used for making containerboard and kraft paper. In 1952 the Tasman Pulp and Paper Company established a mill to process timber from maturing stands of Radiata Pine in the state-owned Kaingaroa Forest . The site was chosen because of the ready availability of geothermal steam as

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