A major company has made a commitment to cleanup hazardous material throughout Southland.

In a multi-million dollar move, Rio Tinto will continue to relocate aluminium dross left at a old mill in Mataura - and take it to the smelter at Tiwai Point.

Once this is complete, hazardous material throughout Invercargill will also be taken to the smelter.

Environment minister David Parker told Heather du Plessis-Allan the renewed commitment is likely due to media pressure - and an already damaged reputation.

"There's been a change at the top, a new chief executive, and they came to meet with us and wanted to turn a page and they are going to get cracking removing some of this aluminium dross."

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