Arrests after Greenpeace activists block mine access

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The banner unfurled by Greenpeace protestors at the mine.

Protestors chained themselves to diggers and tripods.

A Greenpeace protestor in a police van after being arrested.

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Four Greenpeace activists have been arrested after trying to block access to a mine from which Fonterra obtains lignite to power its Edendale dairy factory in Southland.

At dawn today activists moved on to the New Vale mine near Gore, blocking one of the entrances and chaining themselves to some of the excavating machinery. They unfurled a banner saying: Fonterra Climate Crime.

But police moved in quickly to remove them.

The action was to protest the use of lignite coal from the mine that Greenpeace says is used to power milk dehydrators at Edendale.

"Lignite coal is one of the dirtiest fossil fuels," climate campaigner Simon Boxer said.

"In the coming year Edendale will burn 179,000 tonnes of lignite which contributes to the release of over 250,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. This is the same as the emissions from more than 87,000 cars in one year."

Three weeks out from the Copenhagen international climate talks Fonterra remained the biggest block to New Zealand doing its bit on climate change, Mr Boxer said.

"The Government needs to bring Fonterra under control."

The activity comes two months after Greenpeace activists lashed themselves to a Hong Kong freighter, protesting Fonterra's importation of palm kernel for use as stock feed because of its role in the destruction of rainforests.

"Fonterra always goes for the cheapest alternative like dirty lignite coal for energy or unsustainable palm kernel, grown at the expense of Indonesian rainforests, for animal feed."

Fonterra was putting profit before the climate, Mr Boxer said.

"Fonterra should take responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"It could start by changing to alternative fuels, stop imports of palm kernel animal feed and encouraging lower intensity farming practices to provide a secure base for our industry, our economy and our environment."

However, Fonterra sustainable production manager John Hutchings said the company constantly searched for energy efficiencies, and often achieved these.

Mr Hutchings said Fonterra used a range of energy sources, including coal. Lignite coal was used at Edendale after careful consideration of the site and international competition; at that location, it was deemed the best energy source option.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace was also keeping a close watch on plans by Solid Energy for its massive coal reserves near Mataura.

There were fears of major coal mining expansion as Solid Energy looked at a gasification plant that would transform coal into fertilizer and fuel.

"It's flying in the face of what is happening worldwide," Mr Boxer said.

- with THE SOUTHLAND TIMES

- NZPA