New Zealand Aluminium Smelters chief executive Stewart Hamilton hosted a walk through the building with guests including Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks, Mataura Community Board chairman Alan Taylor and Sort Out the Dross spokeswoman Laurel Turnbull yesterday.
Mrs Turnbull said there would be many people in Mataura who would be relieved the premix was gone.
Mr Hicks said it was welcome news the dross had been removed.
"The presence of this substance has caused all sorts of anxiety and consternation for residents," he said.
"They can now have peace of mind, and not before time," he said.
The by-product is now being stored in water-tight shipping containers at the Tiwai Point smelter.
He was pleased Rio Tinto, the majority owner of Tiwai, had accepted financial responsibility and expedited removal of the substance from storage sites, he said.
Mr Hamilton said he was pleased for the Mataura community.
"[People are] finally in a position where they no longer have to worry about the potential environmental impact of the material," Mr Hamilton said.
As well as the 10,000 tonnes at Mataura, there were about 12,000 tonnes of the premix in storage around Invercargill.
