Winner of the BERL Award for Collaborative Government Action: Kopeopeo Canal Remediation Project
About the Winner:
The Kopeopeo Canal Remediation Project was a collaborative effort by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the Ministry for the Environment and the community to safely remove dioxin-contaminated sediment from the Kopeopeo Canal near Whakatane. We understand the project is one of the largest successfully completed remediations and has attracted national and international attention.
The Judges said:
This was a particularly complex remediation challenge met with an approach that blended science, cultural awareness and technical innovation into a successful remediation. We also noted the steps the council has taken to inculcate the project learnings into business as usual.