Is that smoke coming from the Tauranga plant?

It isn’t smoke, it is actually water vapour which is made up of the excess water used in the process of forming the plasterboard. This excess water is used to dry out the board in order for it to be a finished product. It is put through a natural gas kiln which provides clean combustion of water vapour and natural gas.  

What are the environmental impacts/advantages?

In designing and procuring equipment for the new facility, sustainability was front and centre of every decision made and as a result:

• It’s estimated carbon emissions will be 10 percent lower per unit made at the new plant.

• The new plant will be able to recycle used plasterboard into new plasterboard reducing waste going to landfill.

• Any wastewater produced in the Winstone Wallboards process, including truck washing water, will be collected and recycled back into the manufacturing process.

• Our Tauranga plant will have one of the cleanest kilns in the world thanks to investing in the latest and cleanest technology to reduce dust particles in the air.

• You may see water vapour coming out of the facility. The water vapour is the excess water, used in the process of forming the plasterboard. This excess water is used to dry out the board in order for it to be a finished product. It is put through a natural gas kiln which provides clean combustion of water vapour and natural gas. It is not smoke.

What is the impact on local water?

Winstone Wallboards has been granted land, water and air resource consents by the Council. The water requirements of the Tauranga plant are below any level that would adversely impact local ground water reserves.

What is the energy source?

Natural gas will be the main energy source for the site, with options in place to convert to electricity or bio-mass in the future.

Moving to Tauranga is going to create congestion in Tauranga.

The new facility is providing new jobs and strong benefits to Tauranga and the local economy. The Tauriko business estate, where the new plant is located, is a dedicated industrial-zoned area and any truck movements are strictly limited to what the consents allow.