Find out about gaseous wastes in All About Air . Find out about some liquid wastes in Applying Effluent to the Land and in Runoff and Leaching to the Waikato River . What s happening in our Region On average, each person in the Waikato Region generated 528 kg of waste in 1996. We dispose of most waste in landfills, but quality landfill space is becoming scarce. Several new environmentally sound, stringently controlled landfills have been built within the Region, while older sites are gradually being closed.
Hazardous substances are common in our daily lives.
Waikato roads are used to transport many flammable liquids and corrosive substances. Pesticides are extensively used for agriculture and horticulture, and many other hazardous substances are used in industry. We need to manage these substances carefully, so that they don t enter the environment by accident and through unsafe use and disposal. The few studies completed in the Waikato on background levels of hazardous substances show that levels are low and generally no cause for concern. Investigating contaminated sites is a long-term process, and focuses on those sites considered to have the greatest potential to cause harm.