Cook Islands authorities have shut down a commercial piggery that had breached environmental and health regulations.
Photo: AFP
Our correspondent says raw pig waste had been discharging into a stream alongside the piggery where rubber tyres were also burnt daily to help heat cauldrons of water to clean pig carcasses.
The Takamoa Theological College, that ran the piggery, also ran an uncertified outdoor abbatoir.
The commercial operation was shut down after a local resident complained to the National Environment Service and Public Health Department and demanded the agencies conduct site inspections.
This is the second commercial piggery the school has had to close due to environmental risks.
Effluent from piggeries is known to be a source affecting nutrient levels in Rarotonga's renowned Muri lagoon, which have been confirmed to be over the critical limit for a healthy coral reef.