NZAgri manager challenges carcass-processing restrictions in Environment Court

NZAgri Development manager Da Cheng ‘Eddie’ Zhi asked New Zealand’s Environment Court on 7 October to revoke orders preventing his Tuturau slink skin factory from receiving or processing carcasses. The challenge concerns restrictions imposed in September, which the Southland Regional Council says are necessary to prevent ongoing environmental harm, RNZ reported.

Representing himself and his company before Judge Kelvin Reid, Zhi argued that the restrictions were unfair and unjustified. He disputed the council’s sampling evidence and denied discharging wastewater. RNZ’s account described the hearing as continuing at publication and did not report a decision on his request.

What the NZAgri enforcement orders require

The Environment Court granted the interim enforcement orders on 9 September. According to Environment Southland’s published notice, Zhi and his company had to stop receiving any further carcasses and cease processing carcasses immediately. The notice said the orders would remain in place while court proceedings continued.

The requirements went beyond stopping those operations. The council listed orders to cease all unlawful contaminant discharges, remove carcasses and containers storing minced carcasses, and dispose of them at appropriate facilities. Contaminated liquid from specified areas also had to be removed and disposed of at an appropriate facility.

Compliance manager Donna Ferguson said an earlier abatement notice had not been complied with, prompting the council to seek interim enforcement orders. ‘Like all enforcement decisions, this was not taken lightly,’ she said in the September notice. ‘It reflects the environmental harm and ongoing poor compliance at the site.’

Charges concern alleged discharges in 2025

RNZ reported that Zhi and NZAgri Development face six regional-council charges concerning discharges of blood, leachate and/or contaminants onto land in circumstances where they could enter water. These are allegations before the court, rather than reported convictions.

A seventh charge alleges failure to comply with abatement notices issued in August and September 2025. Environment Southland’s notice identifies the charges as proceedings under the Resource Management Act relating to operations at Frazer Road, Tuturau, between 1 August and 26 September 2025.

RNZ also reported neighbours’ complaints about offensive smells and piles of carcasses in the company’s yard. After the September court action, Zhi protested outside the regional council’s office, including carrying dead lambs into its car park, according to the broadcaster.

Sampling evidence disputed at the hearing

During cross-examination, Zhi questioned several council staff members about their qualifications, scientific training and experience collecting environmental samples. He sought to introduce water samples of his own and, at one point, asked a witness to test a glass of water in court, RNZ reported.

Zhi challenged the competence of those collecting the council’s samples. He also told the court: ‘We have never, ever discharged any single drop of wastewater to the creek, to the environment.’ The regional council maintained that regulatory action was necessary to prevent ongoing environmental harm.

Judge Reid repeatedly interrupted questioning he considered irrelevant. He said the court had affidavit evidence from council staff, including samples that had been analysed, and evidence explaining what the analysis meant and the environmental effects of discharges from the site.

The judge distinguished that material from the samples Zhi wanted to introduce, saying: ‘The council is not relying on some other samples that you have.’ RNZ’s account reported those exchanges without announcing a ruling resolving Zhi’s challenge to the orders.

Separate application seeks resource-consent revocation

Southland District Council also holds interim enforcement orders and is pursuing a separate Environment Court application to revoke the factory’s resource consent, RNZ reported. That application is distinct from Zhi’s challenge to the regional council’s restrictions; RNZ did not report a completed consent revocation.

As of RNZ’s 7 October report, the hearing was continuing. Its account established Zhi’s request to lift the restrictions and the council’s opposition, but no decision granting or rejecting that request.