Impact of CO2 shortage revealed

A processed carbon dioxide shortage that cost the economy millions should soon be over after repairs to the Kapuni plant run by the multibillion-dollar Todd Corporation.

The shutdown

WorkSafe documents state that a toxin siren was set off by ammonia discharge at the plant, and leaked for 30 minutes before a staff member wearing a respirator was able to shut off a faulty valve.

The site was immediately shut down by Todd Energy.

WorkSafe emails in January directed staff not to disclose to media that factory repairs would likely take weeks because Todd had no spare valves in the country and it was an "old plant".

The information was in bullet points titled "for us internally — not to be sent" — foreshadowing what ultimately became a five-month repair job.

The shutdown caused production halts and scaling back for small and large businesses nationwide.

About 17 million litres of craft beer is brewed in New Zealand a year and Waitoa in Wellington supplies a small portion of that — normally 200,000 to 250,000L.

But the shutdown was enough to cause close to $100,000 in losses for the business that had to stop brewing for more than six weeks.

To read the article published by 1news, please visit:

https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/05/30/beer-bread-burgers-impact-of-co2-shortage-revealed/