The total cost of the Rena disaster has hit $130million with taxpayers footing almost a quarter of that bill.

Environment Minister Nick Smith says information provided to him by officials shows a crude estimate of the cost of the Rena incident is currently $130 million.

The Rena wreck on Astrolabe Reef on February 3. Photo: LOC.

He emphasises this is an estimate and the full cost of the Rena disaster will not be known until the operation is completed.

'The crude estimate since the Rena hit the reef is $130 million.”

The 47,230 tonne cargo ship Rena hit Astrolabe Reef on October 5, spilling more than 350 tonnes of oil onto Bay of Plenty beaches – an environmental disaster.

Of the $130 million, a total of $28million has been paid for by the government.

Nick says a majority of the costs of the Rena disaster have gone into the salvage of the ship, including the removal of oil, containers and general operation of the ship's cargo.

All of these costs have been met by the ship's owner – Greek shipping company Costamare.

'The owners have met all the direct costs for the salvage operation.”

This includes payment to salvage company Svitzer and environmental specialist company Braemar Howells, responsible for the removal and processing of damaged containers.

Nick says the last estimated government cost was $14million.

This was from the start of November and it has now risen to $28million.

The $28million spent by the government and its public agencies, including Maritime New Zealand, has paid for the environmental clean-up, wildlife recovery, defence personnel and other government resources.

Another $2m-3m has been set aside for the long term environmental recovery plan, officially launched at the Waikari Marae in Matapihi on January 26.

This is an extensive plan to restore the Bay of Plenty environment to the state it was in before the Rena grounded. The first review of this is due in September, 2012.

Nick says the government is still discussing the details of recovering their costs with the ship's owners and insurers, but says negotiations are sensitive and any discussion on the topic could impact the outcome.

'It is the government's intention to recover its direct costs from the ship's insurers.”

In regards to the ability to prosecute the ship's owners under the Resource Management Act, Nick says this is not a question for central government but up to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.