Category Archives: Poison

Imminent 1080 drop at Milford Sound: a local is concerned at the lack of communication with tourists on the health risks regarding drinking water

August 1, 2019 Pam Vernon 7 Comments

Impending Milford Sound 1080 drop (Southland Cleddau area)

By Sacha Stevenson

1080 – It’s nothing new to most Kiwis. Opinions are divided.

The last aerial drop of 1080 here was only two years ago. Before the last drop (although I wasn’t working in Milford at the time) there was some community consultation, including a Q & A session with the Department of Conservation (DoC) – the lead agency involved with the drop in this region. I understand some local workers and one Iwi objected, but the drop went ahead anyway, including into the public water supply catchment area.

The next drop in the Southland Cleddau/Milford Sound area is scheduled for between Aug 1st and Dec 2019 and, just like the Sept 2017 drop, this again includes dropping 1080 into the water supply.

(See map below clipped 4 July 2019 from the online DOC map.)

In my opinion, the community here has not had an honest open forum to voice their say on the next scheduled drop (and every opinion is valid) but much worse, even if we get to have our say, chances are high that the tourists will be left uninformed.

There are many aspects to this topic, many already discussed. One of the main aspects here being in regards to the Public Health Unit (PHU) VTA Permission and conditions statement and its lack of implementation here in Milford Sound, and the effect it may have on locals and tourists. I’m not a lawyer, but I see this as a legal and moral failing in our duty to protect tourists (and locals).

The Ministry of Health (the Ministry) is responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Hazardous Substances & New Organisms (HSNO) Act are complied with where it is necessary to protect public health. The Public Health Unit (PHU) is legislated by the Ministry of Health, to approve permission and attach conditions to interested parties applying a VTA (Vertebrate Toxic Agent) in a public place. This applies especially to drops into (or near) a public water supply. Public Health South (PHS) processes and approves permissions for the Fiordland area.

Permission is required because VTAs (of which 1080 is one) are toxic to humans through acute poisoning and chronic exposure. 1080 is considered a hazardous substance, for good reason. (See link to 1080 effects at p7.)

The PHU have issued a mode HYPERLINK “https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/guidelines-issuing-permission-for-using-vertebrate-toxic-agents-march13.pdf”l statement form (see p32 onwards) with examples – which includes one for where a VTA is to be dropped into a public water supply.

Some things stand out for me with the model PHU permissions:

1) Full disclosure to users is expected, with signs and warnings (which would logically be placed at the point of possible consumption)(see conditions 19 & 20 pg47 of VTA permission guide.)

2) An alternate water supply should be offered, if requested, until testing has been completed. (Case example – Condition 25 p67 note ii and conditions 25 – 32 of VTA permission guide.)

Bowen River valley and public water supply catchment area (see red circled area)

Figure 1: (Map clipped 4 July 2019 from the online DOC map.)

Milford Sound is one of NZ’s iconic tourist locations. We have between 500 to 5000 guests per day visiting the Fiord, hosted by various companies across the different seasons. The large majority of tourists are foreign nationals, many of whom don’t speak or read English very well.

However, I’ve had contact with the public water supply company in the last week, confirming that they’ve had no warning about the upcoming use of 1080. (As at 24th July)

Not a good start.

Despite the lack of communication from DoC (the lead agency for this particular drop) and from the aerial application contractor, many of the workers here in Milford know the drop is now imminent.

I understand that some of the companies here are planning to make bottled water available for their staff, but none of them (as far as I know) are planning to offer bottled water to the tourists, or even to put notices up in the terminal or on the vessels to warn them of the 1080 drop – so they can choose for themselves whether they would like to drink the tap water or not.

I believe in ‘free will’ and I can understand some people believe the Government/DoC scientists when they say the water will be safe to drink. But there have been around 3% of positive tests for 1080 in water over the years, with at least 4 positive tests in drinking water, albeit in low concentrations. (See TBFree HYPERLINK “https://ospri.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/How-1080-Breaks-Down-in-Soil-Water.pdf” info, p3.)

Knowing that 1080 is teratogenic (may cause birth defects) and with my partner being pregnant, I wouldn’t wish her to have any exposure whatsoever to 1080. I assume no foreign national in her position would wish to be exposed to that risk either. (See MOH Guidelines p7 re known 1080 effects.)

I am shocked that it appears that no one in Milford, including DoC, Milford Sound Tourism NZ (MST – the port operational company), Milford Sound Infrastructure ((MSI – the public water supply company), or the tourist companies providing vessels and the drinking water aboard them, is planning to at least inform the tourists that the water they may drink in the terminal and on board the vessels may potentially have a birth defect causing agent in it.

It is probably true that signs will likely be erected along the road into Milford, as we have seen done in various locations around NZ. But it is wrong to conclude that because those signs are at the rest areas, that foreigners will equate that with the drinking water in the terminal and on the boats being also potentially contaminated. One must remember, that many visitors can’t read English for a start, plus many come from areas where it is obvious that one doesn’t drink from any tap. Is it obvious here?

I would expect the duty of care and a minimum standard would mean that we’d firstly err on the side of caution. I would also assume that foreign governments would want us to set the minimum standard bar rather high when it comes to looking after the health and welfare of their citizens. As we would hope they do for our citizens when they’re abroad.

We know that the US and China for example, among others, take the safety of their citizens travelling overseas very seriously.

To add to the issues, Fiordland is a unique area in terms of its topography and rainfall. The Bowen River catchment valley is rather like a giant granite bath, with very little top soil, and average rainfall of 7000mm per annum. Together with winter temperatures, ice and snow melt, this will likely increase the risk of 1080 arriving at the intake at the same time and breaking down much more slowly. Further, according to TBFree HYPERLINK “https://ospri.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/How-1080-Breaks-Down-in-Soil-Water.pdf” NZ:

“Biodegradation of 1080 is faster in warmer conditions (20degC), but still occurs at 5degC. At cooler temperatures rates of degradation are slower…..”

Landcare Research not HYPERLINK “https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/209134/Protocol-for-1080-testing-in-water-4th-Edn.pdf”s (at 3.1) that:

“Urgent samples for 24-hour turnaround testing may be sent unfrozen to the testing laboratory, but they must be chilled to 4°C and placed on ice as soon as possible after collection.”

Looking closer at Landcare’s testing regime (at 4.0): “Results will be available no later than 9.30 a.m. on the following day.” This means, at a minimum, no water should be drunk in Milford for 24hrs.

Do we need reminding that there is no antidote to 1080 poisoning?

It really seems easy to avoid the vast majority of the risks in this case. Just don’t drop 1080 in the water catchment area, meaning no 1080 to be aerially dropped in the Bowen River valley area of Milford Sound.

If DOC is so determined to go-ahead with the poison drop in the catchment area, then full disclosure to tourists should be made and an alternate drinking water supply offered (as per the model PHU statement example of 1080 in a public water supply).

It’s embarrassing that we call our country ‘Open and Inclusive’, ‘Clean Green’ etc and yet treat foreigners with this sort of disrespect.

For more info regarding our area, check out online the 2017 Southland HYPERLINK “https://www.epa.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/Hazardous-Substances/1080-reports/1080-Operational-Reports/8c05e9d3da/2017-Southland-Cleddau-Report.pdf”Cleddau HYPERLINK

and the 2017 Southland HYPERLINK “https://www.epa.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/Hazardous-Substances/1080-reports/1080-Operational-Reports/ff456e54d8/2017-Southland-Cleddau-Map.pdf” which shows the GPS flight path of the 2017 1080 drop into the water catchment area.

Also of interest, according to the above Cleddau report; NO non-target species monitoring was undertaken. The water quality testing (pg 6 of DOC’s operational report 5.2.2) revealed the presence of 1080 at 1ppb.

I can tell you that as of writing, we have quite a few Kea (approx 20) hanging out in and around the village here in Milford.

Kea in Milford Sound, down near Deep Water Basin May 2019 Photo Sacha Stevenson — Kea in Milford Sound, down near Deep Water Basin, May 2019 (Photo: Sacha Stevenson)

Plenty of Wekas here as well, plus I’ve seen the odd NZ Falcon eating road kill on the drive into Milford.

Weka at Deep Water Basin July 2019 Photo Sacha Stevenson — Weka at Deep Water Basin July 2019 (Photo: Sacha Stevenson)

I wonder how they will fare with the ‘Clean Green’ 1080 pellets raining down in the near future. Will anyone know if they’ve been affected?

To conclude: yes, opinions on the use of 1080 differ here, but no locals I’ve talked to think tourists shouldn’t at least be fully informed of what might be in their drinking water, to allow them their ‘Free Will’ to drink the local water or not.

Increase the peace

S Stevenson

Skipper – Milford Sound

An update to this article can be found at this link.

RELATED: EWR links to articles on 1080 in water. Search for other articles on 1080 poison at the categories drop down box at the left of the news page.

If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

Check out the 1080 pages at the main menu, particularly the sub tab, ‘suspected 1080 poisoning cases’. Finally, remember what the retired MD Charlie Baycroft said recently …‘if you die from 1080 poisoning, nobody will know because the Ministry of Health is bullying NZ Doctors into not testing for 1080′. EWR

1080, News, Poison

MANAWATU-WANGANUI LANDFILLS ARE FULL OF 1080 POISON

July 23, 2019 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

By Carol Sawyer

Horizons Regional Council have a long history of being lax about 1080 poison going into their region’s landfills it seems. I wrote the following in January 2017:

“George Robinson has worked in the pest control industry all his life. When he left the Manawatu/Wanganui (Horizons) Regional Council he had a gagging order put on him, but the time period is now up.

This is the story he told me:

They used to use (up to 2008-2009 that he knows of) 20% 1080 stock solution and dilute it to a field solution to put it on the green-dyed carrots, for rabbits. He said they had back packs and had it running down their arms, legs, backs….. They used to find dead birds everywhere, blackbirds especially. They were told it all dissolved in water and broke down.

They had a big holding tank and the stock solution could be held for up to 7 or 8 years before it was no good, but a man from a waste removal transport company would come along and pump out the holding tank. He would take it down to the Palmerston North landfill and spread it all over the ground, driving round in a circle. George says this guy was a straight-up sort of chap who was amazed that he was given permission to do it.”

************************************************

Also the 66 tonnes of 1080 poison baits, unused at Makarora, Mt Aspiring National Park, in 2015, ended up being trucked to a Manawatu-Wanganui region landfill according to an OIA response from DoC to Ray Thompson in February 2017 – an identical performance to the 16 tonne one in this recent RadioNZ report attached. 66 tonnes of 1080 baits contain enough pure 1080 to kill 1,414,286 x 70 kg people and poison another 1,414,286 people ( LD50 0.5 to 2 mg per kg bodywight, Negherbon )

*************************************************

If I hadn’t been alerted to a rumour about JJ Nolan’s Haast (Okuru) flood-damaged storage shed, and if Joel Lund had not then gone from Wanaka to Haast and bravely taken photographs of same with a good zoom lens (because we could not be sure until then which building it was, and needed proof – the HazChem sign) and undergone on-site interrogation while he was about it (!), and if Richard Healey had not done terrific captions and graphics plotting the old water courses in the area, and also calculated the size of the storage shed from the photographs, and if Kathy White hadn’t nudged me into sending an OIA request to Worksafe (I hate doing OIAs) which confirmed that flood-damaged bait was disposed of, and if David Haynes had not followed up with a more specific OIA request to the EPA which confirmed quantity, destination and method of disposal, this RadioNZ story would never have emerged.*****

Story in more detail here: https://www.facebook.com/carol.sawyer.3511/posts/2387188484894797

These stories are almost always a joint effort and this is the true power of the anti-1080 movement. So much unacceptable carelessness and dangerous practice is hidden from the public by the Dept of Conservation. It is, frankly, disgusting behaviour. But… it is getting harder and harder for them to hide the truth !!!

*****Footnote: Organisations like Worksafe, DoC, OSPRI, EPA consistently use the full legal limit of 20 working days before responding, and more and more frequently are claiming a need for extensions of time. The flood happened in mid-March and it has taken FOUR MONTHS to get even this small part of the story into the medis – such are the holdups imposed on obtaining information which it is our legal right to have.

RNZ.CO.NZ

Listen at the RNZ Audio Player

RELATED INFO:

This is an excerpt from an OIA response from the Whanganui District Council.. You’ve got to wonder what substantial quantities implies in reference to the Palmerston disposals.. When Awapuni landfill stopped taking 1080, our government owned manufacturer applied for a consent to dispose of 80 tonnes of 1080 products in an unlined landfill in Whanganui.. right in-between a school, suburb and an industrial area. They waited months to sample the dump after it rained.. Not one soil test was taken. They submitted a few bait samples for testing that leach 1080. Finding lower amounts of 1080 in bait samples after rain isn’t proof of degradation.. it just proves 1080 leaches from baits.

(Info supplied by the No to 1080 facebook page)

1080, News, Poison

Female Protester Assaulted by Forest and Bird Conference Attendee – can you identify him?

July 20, 2019 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

From Alan Simmons at alansimmons.co.nz
Alan is President & Co-Leader of the NZ Outdoors Party

On the weekend of 29th June a peaceful protest held vigil outside the te Papa Museum in Wellington to show Forest and Bird members attending their annual conference that their support for blanket poisoning of over two million hectares of New Zealand back country was opposed by many.
The protest was peaceful and respectful holding up placards about 20 meters from the doors and handing out brochures to those who wanted them. Many of the Forest and Bird members stopped to talk and it became apparent that a lot were totally opposed to the widespread use or poisons but seemed powerless to change the opinion of the executive.

Suddenly out from within the Conference a male emerged angry and on a mission yelling abuse at the protesters and wanting to engage in a yelling match. Security tried to come between him and the protesters and worked really hard to pacify him but his demeanor increased to the point that one of the female protesters, he was right in her face, lawyer, Sue Grey felt quite threatened and started to film it.

At this point I have to say the security team on duty were excellent and tried to come between him and get him to calm down. Suddenly he appeared to lash out at Sue Grey and everyone thought he had punched her but instead he had snatcher her phone from right beside her face and started to walk off with it.
As he did so the security guards followed him and tried to retrieve the phone. He was now walking quickly away with the phone and I personally ran after him and confronted him asking his name and telling him that he had stolen a lawyers phone with privileged information on it and we would be laying charges with the police. At this point he reluctantly handed the phone over and headed back to re-enter the building however the security guards prevented him from doing so, telling him to leave and he then quickly marched off into the city.

I am sure I saw him a few hours later walk back to the conference dressed differently. No charges have been laid because we don’t know who he was but I’m sure Forest and Bird do as he would have been on their list of attendees. If anyone does know who he was please let me know. His photo is below.

here is some video of him before he became very angry.

SOURCE:

http://alansimmons.co.nz/blog/index.php/2019/07/06/female-pro

Video Credit: Sue Grey

Do you find it curious that nobody as yet has come forward and identified this man? He is somebody’s father, brother, cousin, employee, employer, neighbour, friend, enemy even? Curious indeed. He looks to me like a man with a mission and not some random member of the public. Just my opinion of course. EWR

1080, DOC, News, Poison

DOC Is Building An $11 mil Fortress Based On 35 Abusive Comments A Year.

July 19, 2019 Pam Vernon 5 Comments

From Alan Simmons at alansimmons.co.nz
Alan is President & Co-Leader of the NZ Outdoors Party

“The Department of Conservation continue to repeat the same old story about attacks on staff and how it is affecting their role in protecting our precious wildlife. NZ herald https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12249704
This article repeats the same old same old as if their spin doctors have told them that if you repeat the story enough, people will start to believe it. But the opposite is happening and dislike for the Department continues to grow at an alarming rate.

You would think that wise heads in the Department could be thinking what’s going on? What are we doing that has us becoming the most hated government department when we should be the most loved.
The department of Conservation’s obsession with the aerial spreading 1080 has built a huge dislike of the department as predicted by advisors to the Minister Nick Smith when he rammed through legislation allowing the aerial dropping of 1080 without resource consents. Nick Smith’s advice to cabinet included a statement that “Loss of local decision-making is not an effect of the proposed regulation that could be avoided, but rather its primary purpose.”
In my opinion if you take away the public’s right to be consulted then you will get opposition and resentment as the public have no ability to express their feelings except but by protest.

Using Docs own statistics it has 35 incidents per year where staff are abused or threatened out of a staff of 4000. According to press reports these are having an accumulative effect on staff and diverting them from their work. I would suspect the threats are mostly via social media and some to rangers in the field undertaking enforcement work, so how does this affect the other 3980 staff. Especially when OIA requests to police show few if any of these so called threats are reported.
Rangers trying to enforce whitebait regulations, illegal camping, taking photographs of the landscape and hunting are likely to receive abuse. I would have thought it came with the job or have rangers become so soft and sensitive they report anything that hurts their feelings.? I personally know of one incident reported where a DOC worker objected to a car parked outside their house that displayed a small ban 1080 bumper sticker.
Is it now an offense to criticise or have differing opinions to a government department?

As a result of the “35 incidents” per year the Department has convinced government to give it 11 million dollars to set up a new division of ex spies or police called “Security and Investigations Team” to deal with these threats. 6 staff to do what one might ask. Drive around town and remove bumper stickers, sit all day on computers and monitor facebook.

Part of the job description lists:

Building a security conscious culture and organisational capability
Ensuring security and other health and safety incidents are investigated and responded to appropriately

To apply for this job you need to maintain a “SECRET ” security clearance, you should be able to access government security and intelligence groups such as NZ Police, security leaders in other government agencies and the NZ Security Intelligence Service.

All of this because people are feeling frustrated about the lack of consultation or the occasional person gives a DOC ranger an earful!
Again DOC will say they have received and successfully prosecuted two major anti 1080 crimes. Both had nothing to do with the “peoples protest”. The first threatened to put 1080 into milk powder and was subsequently found to be a poison supplier who was miffed his own poison was not being used and the second was a lone wolf hunter threatening by letter to release Sika deer. Both were dealt with by the police.

It would seem to me DOC are building a fortress around themselves rather that trying to understand why they are becoming disliked and subject to a hostile public. To my way of thinking a change of culture and understanding would be a far better way to go.

Involve the public and bring the public along with you makes a far more sensible option but I fear DOC are digging themselves into a huge hole to defend their position.

It will take some courage from within the department to start the process of filling in the trenches.

SOURCE:

http://alansimmons.co.nz/blog/index.php/2019/07/16/doc-is-building-an-11-mil-fortress-based-on-35-abusive-comments-a-year/?fbclid=IwAR1LTfZcJJRyX9jzSMEm_qXhss8vfQwAipKjSZtQYPpH5txgp7Kl5ATon7Y

RELATED FROM EWR:

SOME TRUTH ON THE ALLEGED THREATS TO DOC STAFF: AN OIA REQUEST TO POLICE REVEALS 9 IN THE LAST 31 MONTHS, DOC SAYS 93 LAST MONTH

1080, News, Poison

A NZ company recently approved for 1080 bait manufacture has a little known link to the infant formula blackmailing incident

July 16, 2019 Pam Vernon 4 Comments

THE CONTINUING PRIVATISATION OF NZ 1080 BAIT MANUFACTURE IS A CONCERN! – NOW CONNOVATION LTD HAVE APPROVAL AS WELL!

By Carol Sawyer

“Infant formula blackmailer, Jeremy Kerr, imprisoned in 2016.. ‘was named as one of the original directors of Connovation..’ “

“… the infant formula blackmail threat led to 60 anti-1080 people being interviewed by NZ Police (from 2,600 suspects), some as many as four times, yet all along it was a crime committed by a member of the poison industry itself.”

Here we have yet another would-be 1080 bait manufacturer, Connovation, about to try to grab a dwindling share of the 1080 bait market. I wonder if they are planning on making the bait in Auckland?

This was an application from Invasive Pest Control Limited (Connovation Ltd) …

“to generate efficacy data for an extruded pellet bait containing 0.8% cholecalciferol and an extruded pellet bait containing 0.15% 1080″

Decision: Approved with Controls and decision notified on 26 March 2019

This came out in the EPA Hazardous Substances Update for April. Link here:

https://www.epa.govt.nz/…/hsno-application-…/view/APP203788…

Invasive Pest Control and Connovation are the same it appears. If you type Invasive Pest Control Ltd into Google, this is what you get: https://www.connovation.co.nz/about-us

********************************************************************
NEW 1080 BAIT FACTORY TO BE RUN BY CONNOVATION, …. CONNOVATION HAS A PAST WORTH LOOKING AT !

Infant formula blackmailer, Jeremy Kerr, imprisoned in 2016.. “was named as one of the original directors of Connovation..
Kerr developed an encapsulating system for cyanide and also pill manufacture for poison baits (also recreational drugs). The encapsulated cyanide (Feratox) came out in the mid ’90’s which Connovation manufactures and distributes to this day. The directors of Connovation were so upset that none of their products gained much traction in the animal poisoning market that Kerr eventually made his threat to put 1080 in the baby formula. Cholecalciferol is one of Connovation’s inventions and they have had it ready to drop from the air for 20 years.” –

John Veysey, Coromandel, 30 April, 2019

********************************************************************
For those who were not around or aware at the time, the infant formula blackmail threat led to 60 anti-1080 people (out of 2,600 suspects) being interviewed by NZ Police, some as many as four times, yet all along it was a crime committed by a member of the poison industry itself.

Jon Morgan, editor of NZ Farmer magazine, won the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Star Award last October, the first New Zealander to do so. He is an amazing example of a totally bigoted journalist! Read here:

https://www.facebook.com/carol.sawyer.3511/posts/1677534095860243

This lovely German couple, running a teashop in Takaka, were treated so badly :

https://www.facebook.com/carol.sawyer.3511/posts/2095140824099566

And all along a corrupt and greedy poisoner, Jeremy Kerr, was behind the infant formula threat, which cost the NZ taxpayer millions and millions of dollars!

Search the Register for every hazardous substance & new organism…

https://www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/hsno-application-register/view/APP203788?fbclid=IwAR3dgd99NkkyKf4RHE_xis7GNsl9nxYMsXPylk6mrks7Hoy4K-DrnQdeGNM

If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

NOTE: Comment by the author … ” I saw a news item that said he is out of hospital now. According to Kathy White’s research he spent a month in ICU, however, having opened a container in which something had spilt. But Worksafe is not going to release any findings until May, 2020.”

1080, DOC, Landfill, News, Poison

DoC sends 116 TONNES 1080 poison to landfill, 2016-2019 … 66 TONNES to the Manawatu-Whanganui region

July 13, 2019 Pam Vernon 3 Comments

By Carol Sawyer

This includes 66 tonnes of 1080 baits targeted for the 33,000 ha aerial 1080 drop at Makarora in 2015.

The pre-feed was dropped at Makarora but the poison was not. Bad timing, and initial faulty flight charts, (by HeliOtago Ltd presumably), meant the drop was postponed and then foiled by the onset of winter.

See story here:

https://www.facebook.com/carol.sawyer.3511/posts/1712843725662613

DoC Wanaka announced the poisoning would happen the following Spring but this never eventuated. The poison was dumped. They have conveniently left this out of the OIA response to John Veysey in February, 2019 (see attached), and pretended they haven’t kept records.

Just as well WE do !!!

The comment in the OIA response to Mr. Thompson about Makarora, February, 2017 – “No toxic bait was transported to the operation site. The transport cost from storage to landfill was $8,000” – is I think, just DoC being tricky. It was again rumoured to have been stored at the storage shed at Haast. This is backed up by the fact that the poison operation had been due to happen any day, but as the prefeed didn’t happen until May 27, 2015, winter had set in and they just couldn’t drop the poison.
The loading site at Cameron Flat, Makarora, would have been too dark and cold. As it was, the prefeed was done in icy conditions (see photos).

So WHY did DoC leave the 66 tonnes out of the “1080 poison to landfill” chart sent to John Veysey of Coromandel as a result of his OIA request in February this year? The OIA response only admits to 34.31 tonnes of 1080 poison to landfill. (See attached)

Add in the 66 tonnes from 2015/16 and the 16.2 tonnes of flood-damaged 1080 poison baits from Haast this year (as stated in a recent OIA response to David Haynes), and we have a massive 116.51 tonnes 1080 baits to landfill… admitted to by DoC anyway. Is this ALL ?!!! How much have OSPRI and regional councils dumped?

Also, where in the ‘Manawatu-Wanganui region’ were the 66 tonnes of 1080 baits dumped? At the Bonny Glen landfill at Marton again?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/2016/03/19/submission-reveals-negligence-by-authorities-regarding-leachate-disposal-2/

1080, News, Poison

The NZ authorities entrusted with your safety are not alarmed by a claim in mainstream media that 1080 pellets are safe to eat

July 7, 2019 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

Recently, environmentalist David McDonald contacted HS Safety Compliance in concern over a recent article from Stuff where “Epro operations director Ian Roberts said if they [forestry workers] had touched or even eaten one of the baits it would not have harmed them.” (You can read that article at this link).

David McDonald writes:

“I demand HS Compliance should go to Winston Pulp & paper and find Mr. Ian Roberts, the organizer of this 1080 drop. He is the Director at Epro, and insist that he inform those men that a single 1080 pellet can kill a human & they should all get tested by a Doctor. I think he should be charged with spreading misinformation about “One of the worlds Deadliest Poisons” & the people who told him to say that should also face justice, footnote, An American Hiker who just brushed past some 1080 jell died the same night. A doctor sent her heart to DOC for testing was astounded when he got no results back & DOC informed him that they had lost her heart. Her parents back in the USA are still waiting to hear from our Dept of Conservation.”

David McDonald, Environmentalist

And (predictably) the esteemed people entrusted with public safety regarding the use of poisons responded thus:

I refer the email you sent to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on 7 May 2019, in relation to the Waimarino aerial drop of 1080 pellets.
I note your concerns regarding 1080, the statement by Mr Ian Roberts and an American hiker. 1080 is a closely monitored and controlled hazardous substance in New Zealand under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO). More information about 1080 and its safe use can be found on the EPA website: https://www.epa.qovt.nz/everyday-environment/1080/.
The EPA requires all aerial operators to send post-operational reports for all of their activity, with details of every aerial 1080 operation and each year we publish a report using this information. Such reports can be found on our website at the following link: https://www.epa.govt.nz/resources-and-publications/monitorinqand-
reporting/.
If you want information about DOC or WorkSafe, I suggest that you contact DOC at enquiries(@doc.govt.nz and WorkSafe through an online submission at https:Hworksafe.govt.nz/contact-us/#contact-us.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us via ministerials61epa.govt.nz.
Yours sincerely
Dr Fiona Thomson-Carter
General Manager
Hazardous Substances & New Organisms

Ho-hum. One could almost detect a yawn as the good Doctor passes along all responsibility for this. “Another terrorist/environmentalist”.

I would really like to see these people eat a 1080 pellet in front of us all as proof their smug confidence in its safety is well founded. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding … in this case, the pellet.

As an addendum I personally would advise that you err on the side of caution & not eat the pellets. Many have previously noted that NZ prefers not to take the route of the precautionary principle. Better to just plow on & sweep any perceived risks (or evidence) under the proverbial carpet.

Please do take a look at our 1080 tab in the main menu, particularly the sub tab, ‘suspected 1080 poisoning cases’. Very enlightening.

1080, News, Poison

A mother & 3 children poisoned in 2016 by 1080 poison dust said the NZ hospital had no idea what to do!

June 30, 2019 Pam Vernon 7 Comments

So the NZ authorities have been bombarding our forests & farms with this Class 1A Ecotoxin for well nigh 60 years, and the hospitals still don’t know what to do?!!! Don’t have a plan in place at all? Doesn’t that sound well … not too intelligent?

The following article from e2nz.org highlights this curious anomaly. The interesting thing is, in spite of not knowing, some Doctors who perhaps are painfully aware of the situation venture to recommend testing for 1080 when folk present with mysterious symptoms, and meet with brick walls. Very curious. Remember the Putaruru family? And what Dr Charles Baycroft said? It is all looking very factual indeed. EWR

Ecocide – Toxic #1080 Drop Poisons Mother and Daughter

“What does a New Zealander, or indeed a tourist do when they suspect 1080 poisoning has occurred? Harden up? Hope for the best? Believe that “she’ll be right?” Or perhaps go to the GP who, in the case of the two sisters caught in 1080 dust during their picnic, “didn’t really know how to deal with it”. There is no process, protocol, guidance or help and many people don’t trust the system, which appears to be in place to protect the aerial-1080 programme and not us.

A recent private drop carried out in Hawkes Bay’s Panpac Forestry has resulted in a mother and her three children becoming ill from, once again, 1080 dust. The Panpac drop was on 28th August.

Immediate symptoms were that it was hard to breath, dizziness, tingling lips, and later the next day chest pains and heart palpatations. Another reaction has been a very puffy face, yet the pharmacy said it was not hayfever. They thought it was something very serious. It is a sad indictment that victims of 1080 poison feel unable to approach the authorities as they have seen too many before them be brushed aside, that there is ‘no help’, and that it is all swept under the carpet. The 1080 issue appears to be one of patriotism and one must not criticise. We must stop protesting and ‘get on board with the programme’ according to Ms Barry in The Press.

From an Otago professor who lectures on toxins in the workplace there’s this advice:

For anyone who knows or suspects they have been exposed to 1080 poison you must pass a urine sample as soon as possible into a clean jar and refrigerate it until you can send it to Landcare Research, Cawthorne Research Institute and/or Gribbles for testing.

Yet can we trust the Crown Research laboratories? (ed. are you joking?)

And this from the victim today:

“Been to hospital and waited 2 hrs to be told they couldn’t test me they didn’t know how to test for it so had dye put in my eyes and my daughters eyes looking for scratches to eye but there was none so got sent home so if I have got it it’s now been left unattended cause they haven’t a clue how to treat anyone and they were shocked 1080s been dumped they were suppose to be notified first”.

Hospital absolutely did not know what to do. No information and did not know about urine testing. She and her kids are still getting chestpains.

They were promised by a contact at DoC that there was no drop, it was postponed, and that there would be articles in the paper before any drop. She was in touch week by week with DoC to make sure it was safe to go. They went with a trapping permit and the destination was MacIntosh DoC hut.

There’d been no rain to settle the dust but very strong winds, which meant they dad to move branches. They found it harder and harder to breathe.

Are you all as appalled as I am? This is abysmal support and dangerously cavalier to have no medical back up for a poison that is so widely used. Where is the protection from any fall out from our government’s poisoning policy? It is like being at war. Yet a silent one. Women and children were running around up there – not just the family that has so far come forward. This globally banned poison, with the highest international rating for being a biohazardous chemical, is being dropped without sufficient warning over vast areas of our countryside. And our Minister for Conservation is without compassion, is simply telling us 1080 is like a cup of tea. Safe she says. You can go back to a drop zone after 48 hours.

NO. These people were there 5 days after the drop was supposedly over. The MacIntosh Plateau, which was not supposed to be in the drop zone, is full of dead birds and dead deer and that information has come from a variety of different sources.

Where is this going to end?”

Source https://www.facebook.com/1080PetitionNZ/posts/593744720810160:0

SOURCE:

https://e2nz.org/2016/09/08/ecocide-toxic-1080-drop-poisons-mother-and-daughter/?fbclid=IwAR0FW7eZEvmhsTfeRzS0sq6vTjaTM7w3ujWOa2749f6ZthCsksYIycej6xY

1080, DOC, News, Poison

Tonnes of 1080 poison from a flooded Sth Westland storage shed was recently disposed of at Marton’s Bonny Glen landfill

June 29, 2019 Pam Vernon 7 Comments

Note: 30 tonnes in total were buried at the landfill consisting of 14 tonnes of prefeed bait, and 16 tonnes of 1080.

By Carol Sawyer

JJ NOLAN TRANSPORT’S FLOODED 1080 STORAGE SHED, HAAST, SOUTH WESTLAND – POISON WAS DUMPED AT MARTON LANDFILL!!

Today we learn that the flood-damaged 1080 poison was trucked and ferried over 1,000 kms to the ironically-named Bonny Glen Landfill *** at Marton, Manawatu/Whanganui… read on :

On May 18, 2019, I received this response to an OIA request from Carl Johnson, HS Compliance, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), regarding the storage of 1080 baits in a flood-prone and flooded shed belonging to JJ Nolan Ltd at Okuru, Haast, South Westland.

The shed containing 1080 baits was flooded during the recent West Coast flood (25,26 March, 2019) that swept away the bridge over the Waiho River at Haast and caused huge damage in Westland, and further up the coast too.

“Hello Carol

On the 28th of March we received notification and following information from DOC regarding 1080 being affected by the flood:

“On the day of the flood water did seep into the shed storing 1080.
The water rose above the timbre ( sic ) pallets the bait sits on and reached some of the bottom bags.
No green dye was seen leaching out of the shed
No bags were broken open and there was no loose bait in or outside of the shed. All packing was and remained intact.
The bait that was affected by water was disposed of.”

Ho hum ! The flood “reached some of the bottom bags”.

“Some” bags! Rather an understatement, DoC! In fact more than 30 tonnes had to be disposed of!!!

Today David Haynes, Co-leader, NZ Outdoors Party, sent me the attached Official Information Act response he received from the Environmental Protection Authority, which gives the true story, plus the extraordinary fact that the damaged poison was trucked back up to Marton in the North Island….. a distance of 926 kilometres by road, plus the Interisland ferry!

Original story here:

16 April 2019

1080 STORAGE SHED FLOODED AT HAAST – WHY HAVE WE NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS ?

On 25 and 26 March, 2019, extremely severe rainfall caused extensive flooding on the West Coast of the South Island. The bridge over the Waiho River at Franz Josef was swept away, and the State Highway, the only access road up the Coast, cut in two.

Further south, on the banks of the Okuru River just south of Haast, is Nolan Road, home to members of the Nolan family and JJ Nolan, owner of ‘JJ Nolan’s Transport Ltd’. JJ Nolan’s Transport Ltd has, for very many years, transported 1080 poison baits south from Whanganui to the South Island, to Haast, Makarora, etc. … to 1080 drop loading zones, or to Northern Southland Transport in Te Anau, who then move it on to 1080 drop loading zones, etc. Nolan trucks are travelling south from Whanganui right now, in fact. They are part of the big 1080 Gravy Train.

On Nolan Road, Okuru, is a shed used for storing 1080 poison baits. This latest flood swept through the properties pictured here in the aerial photograph, including, I am told, the 1080 storage shed. The shed contained 1080 baits at the time…we have not yet found out how much. It is rumoured that it contained at least 25 tonnes. As you can see, this four bay shed could hold a large amount of 1080 poison baits. 25 tonnes is only approximately one truck and trailer unit. You can see a truck and trailer curtain-sider beside the storage shed, which gives you some idea. Only half the depth of the storage shed is visible in the street view photos, by the way.

(These photos were taken completely legally from Nolan Road, which is a public road. The ‘Closed area’ sign at Nolan Creek refers to whitebaiting. It says “Nolan Creek – This waterway is closed to whitebait fishing” )

Floods in this area are not new. Here is a video of a massive flood in the Haast area in 1994;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Zsjsgx1t8

Why, then,would you build a 1080 storage shed in a flood-prone area ?! Why did DoC give this contractor permission to store 1080 baits here? The second aerial photo shows old river courses ( marked with red dotted lines ) ! This is not a place one should even store chook food !!

1080 poison disperses in water quickly and easily, so imagine floodwaters ebbing away and imagine how enormous the concentration of pure 1080 poison in the last water to leach out of fadges of baits would be ! (1) (2)

The first property you come to on Nolan Road, I have been told, belongs to Maurice and Kathleen Nolan. In the Otago Daily Times ( 8 April, 2019 ), it is reported of this house: “Wild weather lashed the West Coast last month, forcing the postponement of the calf sale for a week – and flooding Mr and Mrs Nolan’s house, the water reaching over the top of their dining room chairs”

TVOne News apparently reported a cottage on the next property along ( the one with the storage shed on it ) as being destroyed by the flood, too.

I am told the occupiers of all three of these properties had to move to the local camping ground after the flood.

The photos show the property with the 1080 storage shed and also show you Nolan Creek, a bit further along the road, to give you some idea of flood damage. Nolan Creek runs just metres behind the 1080 storage shed, incidentally, then crosses Nolan Road and runs into the Okuru River.

The high flood level is evident from the grass hanging on the fence and the silage plastic wrapped around the top of the fence in front of the 1080 storage shed.

If it is true, as rumoured, that the shed contained a minimum of 25 tonnes of 1080 baits at the time, I should explain to you how very lethal this is :

25 tonnes of 1080 baits contain 37.5 kgs of pure 1080 poison.

The LD50 for a human being: “Based on fatal or near-fatal cases of human poisonings, the dangerous dose for humans is 0.5-2.0 mg/kg BW (Negherbon 1959)”

If we take the lowest figure that means that 35mgs pure 1080 poison can kill a 70 kg adult human being.

Therefore 25 tonnes of 1080 baits contain enough pure 1080 poison to kill as many as 540,000 people and poison another 540,000!!!

SHOULD ENOUGH 1080 TO KILL 540,000 ADULT HUMANS BE STORED IN A FLOOD-PRONE SHED?!!

****************************************************************

Photos :

Streetviews – Joel Lund
Captions and graphics on aerial views – Richard Healey
Photos of flooded fenceposts on drive of first Nolan property – sent to me anonymously.
‘JJ Nolan’ truck at aerial 1080 drop, Makarora – February, 2017 – Carol Sawyer

****************************************************************

Richard Healey comments on post :

“Hmmm… that shed is likely to have standard 6m bays, but lets be conservative and say 5m. That makes the height to the top of the doors a bit over 4m. The shed is 70% as deep as it is wide so 14m.
That makes the volume somewhere around 1,100 cubic metres. If you were to fill that to the top with wheat that would be 870 Tonne so 25T would take up about 1/32 of the space. I’m picking that bait doesn’t pack anywhere as well as wheat but it does show just how much 1080 bait you could stack in there.
At 0.15% pure 1080, and assuming that bait is 60% as dense as wheat, that’s a maximum of 783kg of highly water soluble toxin in a tanalised-post farm shed, on a flood plain, with no bunding or other containment measures. Even if it’s near the rumoured 25T that would amount to more than 37kg of pure 1080. Who issued the permit for that storage?!”

***********************************
(1) Studies reported in the ERMA Reassessment of 1080 in 2007 showed that 1080 leached readily out of baits that were made wet by sprinklers:

“rapid decline [in 1080 concentration in cereal baits on turf under sprinklers] (ERMA Agency Appendix C page 380)

“1080 was detected in soil under the baits after 20mm rain, reaching a maximum after 100mm and close to the LOD after 250 mm” (ERMA Agency Appendix C page 381)

Also one of the reasons for its low rate of detection in water samples taken after 1080 drops was rapid loss of 1080 from the baits in water:

“the reason for so many non-detects in water monitoring..may be partly due to..rapid..dilution or loss of 1080 from, and disintegration of..baits within the first 12 hours of deposition..the author [Suren, 2006] recommends sampling within 4-8 hours..frequently resource consents require monitoring one day or more after..the operation” ERMA Agency Appendix E page 473″S

(2) Richard Healey comments again :

“There have been a couple of studies that give some clues about what happens to the 1080 when it comes into contact with water. Ogilvie, in “Uptake of 1080 by Watercress and Puha – Culturally Important plants used for food”, has a couple of observations that give a clue as to how contaminated the land around the Okuru will now be:
“A study by Suren (2006) examined the fate of 1080 baits in a controlled laboratory flow tank, and found 50% of the 1080 leached after 5 hours submerged in the water, and >90% leached after 24 hours, thus being very rapid. While the flow rate used in Suren’s (2006) controlled experiment was faster than the flow rates recorded here (0.2 L/sec as opposed to an overall stream flow of 0.042 – 0.044 L/sec in this research), it still indicates the rapid deterioration and leaching of 1080 from baits submerged in flowing water”.

That study also shows that Watercress is particularly good at sucking 1080 out of water and concentrating it in plant material. The authors couldn’t find detectable levels of 1080 in water 14 hours after dropping baits into a very gentle stream, yet toxicity within the plants continued to build for the next seven days to a peak level of 63 ppb. The study methodology and reporting are however woeful.

It doesn’t seem to have occurred to the authors that water velocity is likely to be an important factor and so they give flow rates (for an undefined cross-section) which tells us nothing about how much water passed over each bait. They then confuse the issue by labeling flow rate as velocity.

One thing is absolutely certain however, someone should be checking the inventory log for that shed and sampling the hell out of the surrounding area.”

https://www.facebook.com/carol.sawyer.3511/posts/2338532503093729

**********************************************************

***Bonny Glen Landfill – see stories here : https://www.stuff.co.nz/…/deal-will-see-taranaki-waste-truc…

https://www.stuff.co.nz/…/contractors-voice-concerns-over-b…

https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/bonny-glen/…

RELATED: concerns about the disposal of the landfill leachate to Marton’s waste water treatment plant were raised in a submission regarding the quadrupling in size.
https://envirowatchrangitikei.wordpress.com/bonny-glen-submissions-hearings/

NOTE:

400 tonnes of 1080 baits contain enough pure 1080 poison to kill up to 17 million x 70 kg human beings (and make another 17 million extremely ill). One tonne can kill 42,500 70 kg humans and make another 42,500 70 kg humans very ill (LD50 0.5 – 2 mg per kg b/w – Negherbon)

***************************************************

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OIA RESPONSE:

1080, News, Poison

1080 – how it is used & what it does

June 25, 2019 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

From the Clyde Graf … “most people have heard about New Zealand’s use of 1080 poison, but most are unaware of how it is used and what it does. Here’s a short introduction …”

1080, News, Poison

The Catch 22 of 1080 poisoning in NZ – an MD says there is ‘no evidence’ of it because it is not allowed to be looked for

June 23, 2019 Pam Vernon 2 Comments

Probably botulism or another unidentified neuro-toxin again? It could never be 1080 because that is just a deadly chemical weapon that is not supposed to harm the people of NZ. The MOH says that “there is no evidence”. There is no evidence because the Ministry of Non-health does not allow the evidence to be looked for. There is plenty of evidence that 1080 efficiently kills people, causes abortions, causes stillbirths, and causes birth defects and no evidence that it does not. There are no valid clinical trials of 1080 or other poisons because they are POISONS. The only place where people do experiments in which people are exposed to poisons is New Zealand. Other countries have heard about the precautionary principle and medical ethics but the people of New Zealand don’t seem to have been provided with that news. All we get here is false propaganda, published by a tame media, controlled by self-serving bureaucrats in dysfunctional and corrupted government enterprises. When people who are potentially exposed to poisons become ill the cause of illness is ASSUMED TO BE DUE TO POISONING UNTIL CONCLUSIVELY PROVEN OTHERWISE. That is how medicine is practiced in most countries. In New Zealand we already know that the people are potentially exposed to 1080 and other poisons but our Ministry of NOT-Health policy is that people are presumed to NOT BE POISONED by this exposure unless it can be proven beyond any doubt that they have been poisoned. Just to make sure that the PROOF CANNOT BE FOUND the appropriate investigations are also prohibited. This is called a catch 22 conspiracy. People are told that exposure to a deadly poison cannot harm them “because there is no evidence”. There is no evidence because it is not allowed to be looked for. The evidence is not allowed to be looked for because the people have been told that the poison cannot harm them. Without any intent to insult any specific employee of any government enterprise, it has always been generally agreed that any doctor who is competent and capable would never work for the government.

Dr Charles Baycroft

1080, News, Poison

NINE IWI REPS APPROVED THE RECENT LUGGATE AERIAL 1080 DROP – BUT NONE APPEAR TO LIVE IN LUGGATE, & YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE

June 23, 2019 Pam Vernon 5 Comments

NINE IWI REPS APPROVE LUGGATE AERIAL 1080 DROP – BUT NONE APPEAR TO LIVE IN LUGGATE, AND WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE EITHER !!!

OSPRI’S planning process is supposed to include stakeholder meetings (isn’t that the affected community?) and consultation with landowners, Iwi, and government agencies.

Well the community at Luggate, less than 1 km from the imminent Alice Burn East aerial 1080 drop zone, did not get a meeting. However we are told nine Iwi representatives have been consulted (really ?!) but we are not allowed to know who they are or where they live.What a very strange state of affairs !

See correspondence between Luggate resident, and member of the Luggate 1080 Action Group, Tracey Morrow, and Sam Anderson-Mangai, Senior Health Protection Officer, Public Health Service / Public Health South, Southern DHB. (He signs of the aerial 1080 drop.)

Here is the correspondence:

1080, News, Poison, Water

1080 IN WATER – AN EXPLANATION

June 22, 2019 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

By Carol Sawyer

“Safe as a cup of tea…salt and vinegar chips…..disappears….dissolves…etc.”

These are the words of pro-1080 spin by those with vested interests or those whose money depends on their bureaucratic jobs, and all are unscientific lies.

The better words to think of are “soluble, solute, solvent, and solution.” A universal solvent is water, and if 1080 toxin is the solute, the number of parts per million or trillion the toxin will be diluted to will depend on a number of factors.

For example:

A bait lying in a pond of water in the bush will be a significant solute in a small body of solvent and the solution would be highly toxic.

A bait resting in a fast flowing bouldery river bed will be leaching its toxin but the solute does not disappear. The atom and molecules remain.

Temperature is the other factor (other than the solute/solvent equation) that is considered. We do know with 1080 that micro-organisms can break down 1080 over time, but only in higher temperatures and with high dilution.

In the meantime even 1080 toxin in parts per trillion can affect reproductive and mitochondrial health. 1080 is a synthetic poison that is a teratogen (i.e. an agent or factor which causes malformation of an embryo). It is also deceptively colourless and odourless. 1080 anywhere near water especially
where there are colder temperatures, (most of NZ) or not enough water (the solvent) to adequately dilute the toxin, (the solute) is simply dangerous.

(This was written and sent to me by a Facebook friend who is a high school teacher. I think it sums it up well).

Search for related articles about water & 1080 by using the categories drop down box at the left of the page.

If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

1080, News, Poison

IN SPITE OF PROMISES TO CONSULT, OSPRI PROCEEDED WITH UNJUSTIFIABLE LUGGATE AERIAL 1080 DROP YESTERDAY! – DEEMED BY AG-PILOT AS VERY DANGEROUS TO COMMUNITY

June 19, 2019 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

By Carol Sawyer
Video – by Tracey Morrow

1080, News, Poison

An OIA response from Environment Canterbury RC raises serious doubts about the safety of 1080 factory Pest Control Research Ltd

June 14, 2019 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

This concerns the recent poisoning of a worker at the Christchurch plant that manufactures 1080 poison baits. Remember our recent article from Alan Gurden raising concerns about dust from this factory? See ‘Related’ below. EWR

By Carol Sawyer

A contact in the manufacturing industry tells me :

“The way I read this, (the attached OIA response), the consent has only been live for a few weeks so any toxic bait previously made and the air consequently discharged (presumably via the front roller door) was in breach of the RMA.”

This means that all of the baits made for the Hope and Cascade Valleys, Fiordland, aerial 1080 drop last year for DoC’s ‘Battering the Birds’ programme and all of the Pindone rabbit baits were made with the front roller door used as an air extractor!

I am told that the adequacy of a single bag filter system (which is sure to fail at some point) is seriously questionable, as is its failure warning system, (which is based on pressure variations inside and outside). A particle sensor with alarm and auto shut-down might give the neighbours more comfort!!

PCR Ltd, 8 Centrum Lane, Rolleston, got consent to manufacture 1080 baits in mid-2018. The factory is surrounded by businesses. Could the workers in those businesses have been affected by toxic 1080 poison dust coming out of the roller door? It is most certainly not in an isolated area.

Now we hear that a PCR Ltd worker had an accident in a warehouse in Bromley “processing chemicals that were going to be delivered to the main PCR office in Rolleston”. This happened on 28 May and is only just released in the news tonight, two weeks later. The last I heard the poor man was in a coma. Did the warehouse in Bromley have consents to be processing poisons?!!!

On ‘Operation Ban 1080’, Dave Burrows has stated publicly “This is KiwiCare” property owned by Matthew O’Brien. It is not licensed to carry out any poison work at Bromley. He also owns 51% of PCR Ltd at Rolleston. Let us hope this does not become another coverup job!!” See photo of OBrien attached.

PCR Ltd is operated by Kiwi Care Corporation. It is 49% owned by the West Coast Regional Council, and 51% owned by Pest Control Investors Ltd ( O’Brien?), and is operated by KiwiCare Corporation.

OIA Response from ECRC:

If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

Note we don’t condone or advocate violence, & unlike those who support the use of 1080 poison we do not support cruelty to animals. Note it can take up to two days for animals to die an agonizing death from 1080. Now that is violence.

1080, News, Poison

A worker is said to be in a hopeful condition in hospital, after a workplace incident involving chemicals in Christchurch

June 14, 2019 Pam Vernon Leave a comment

This all happened two weeks ago and has only just come to the public light. I wonder why? Keep in mind the recent alarm sounded by Alan Gurden regarding the poison factory in Christchurch. EWR

12 June 2019

“The Institute for Environmental Science and Research is carrying out testing at Bromley’s Pest Control Research site, and WorkSafe is investigating.

The staff member was exposed to the chemicals two weeks ago at the site which handles, but doesn’t make, 1080 poison.

Research director at the site Matthew O’Brien says they’re supporting their worker.

He says they’re doing everything they can to support their man and his family, as well as to assist WorkSafe with their work.” (Read more related links with videos below).

SOURCE:

https://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=291995&fbclid=IwAR0r-4VkkWddldXv69UFEOep7dmjdvZTyYzxHf5zWXjTPWyzoND-qvPmyUk#.XQGRevvR_YU.facebook

Listen below to

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/investigation-sparked-after-chemical-poisoning-leaves-christchurch-worker-in-coma

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113428313/worker-poisoned-at-pest-control-warehouse-in-christchurch

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12239749

1080, News, Poison

Could this be your cat? … the two-day- long cruel & agonizing route to death by the govt-funded Class 1A Ecotoxin 1080 poison

June 8, 2019 Pam Vernon 19 Comments

A recent aerial 1080 drop in the Taranaki region has left somebody’s pet cat dead. Two weeks ago Cindy McArthur captured the image of this unfortunate animal in the Kaitake Ranges just as she found it & soon after the drop … in a position characteristic of any animal that dies this way … spine arched over and backwards. Other animals that died from 1080 can be seen below in a similar position. Safe.org has an eye witness description on their site:

A witness to a possum poisoning commented:

 ”From about four hours after poisoning until death all lethally dosed possums exhibited spasms involving the limbs or body. Possums vocalised during spasms, tremors or seizures. Vocalisation was loud and prolonged. (Squeaking, gasping and gagging noises were also frequently heard during retching and terminal breathing.) Seizures included stiffening of limbs with hunching of the shoulders; jerks in limbs, head, abdomen or shoulder; leg paddling; rolling onto the back with a stiffened body; continuous body rolling; trembling; and rigidity of the entire body. Possums were sometimes propelled into the air by these movements…”

[Note: please do not ask has the cat been tested for 1080. This is not rocket science. Along with this unfortunate cat were other dead target & non-target animals also that Cindy photographed. Although the aim of your authorities dropping 1080 is to kill pests, in spite of their claims to the contrary they can’t target one species of animal over another.]

1080 is not a humane way to kill any animal … death is painful, torturous and slow

Note some of the following photos link to videos of the animals dying. You may not want to watch them, but please don’t start up about the cruelty of the photographer not putting the animal out of its misery. The owner did not poison their own loved pet. Complain instead to your authorities for mandating this poison in the first place and educate yourself on the numbers dying in this cruel manner, all with their ‘blessing’. No owner likes to see this but the footage may at least wake people up to what is really happening to non-target animals, let alone target animals.

There is no arguing 1080 is cruel beyond imagination.

dog aussie vid.png — A 4 month old pup dying from 1080 poisoning (video by clairebetz77)

Copy of dog.png — An unfortunate dog filmed during 1950s experimentation with the effects of 1080 poison (from 6min in the GrafBoys video)

Do these look like animals that died a quick, peaceful & merciful death?
For a further description of the agonizing progression to death they experienced see the GrafBoys’ video at 6 mins … you can hear Australia’s Dr Miranda Shirley (BSc PhD, MBBS RSPCA) speak.

In addition mothers die with their young or sometimes their surviving young are left to die from starvation. The dead lamb in the image below had drunk its mother’s poisoned milk & succumbed.

In a bungled Turangi aerial drop, four horses died, one of which had coughed up its own lungs reports Reihana Robinson in her book The Killing Nation! The Animal Welfare Act was tweaked to allow this kind of animal death from 1080 poisoning.

DoC would have you believe, in spite of their own documentation stating otherwise, that non-target animals do not die in 1080 drops.

lambs — This lamb died from drinking its mother’s poisoned milk (see GrafBoys’ video at 3.35 mins)

A Veterinarian has likened death by 1080 to two days of slow electrocution

A vet who is prepared to speak out is Dr Howard Ralph BVSc (Hons). MBBS (Hons), MVS (Wildlife Medicine), JCCA Accred (Anaesthesia), Dip TESL, A/D Fine Arts, Cert Ed NSW, Clinical Forensic M O, Manly Sydney, NSW, Australia

The following video is by Torvald Nagelhjelm of Clean Green NZ a voluntary organization. He cites images from the GrafBoys’ Poisoning Paradise.

Comparing death by 1080 to death by shooting

At the Poisoning Paradise blogspot by the GrafBoys you will see photos comparing the internal organs & other features, of two deer, one killed by 1080 poison and one that has been shot. There is a vast difference.

Here are two images from the site (see at the link for more):

autopsy deer lung 2 low — lungs of the shot deer

AUTOPSY LUNGS TRIM LOW — lungs of the 1080 poisoned deer

What does the SPCA say?

For a long time environmentalists have asked why is the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) (my emphasis) not speaking out about this? Well they did recently emerge from the shadows to emit a warning that 1080 indeed inflicted a cruel death. However, the society was straight away roundly censured by Gareth Morgan who it appears does have a financial interest in 1080 through his association with Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP), a partnership between NEXT Foundation, and the Department of Conservation. Gareth’s particularly well known for his inclination to exterminate NZ’s cat population.

Thousands of non-target animals & birds suffer with every drop. Scientists (Dr Charles Eason, Dr Hugh Barr) estimate over 20,000 deer are killed every year in New Zealand by 1080, plus tens of thousands of native birds, and many pets and farm animals. See this link regarding a LandCare scientist’s estimate of 10K bird deaths in one drop, and this link for the loss of 570+ sheep in a bungled 1080 drop.

Watch video re cattle deaths in Waikato (the GrafBoys video)

What NZ’s authorities say about death by 1080 poison

Stuff reports (incredibly):

“In a 2011 report on 1080, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright said a report for the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee rated 1080 as “relatively humane”.”

The strategic use of the word ‘relatively’ of course leaves an unknown imaginary scope doesn’t it?

“1080 is classed by the World Health Organisation as an Extremely Hazardous pesticide (Class 1a WHO). You may not be aware that as such it falls within the category of Highly Hazardous Pesticides for which the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) is seeking a global phase out.

In Conclusion

The lesson here people, considering your authorities think 1080 is fine & even propose it is not very dangerous for humans & (incredibly) can even be eaten … is to be vigilant and watch the newspapers &/or check DoC’s website for 1080 drops in your area. If there’s one imminent, keep your pets indoors. Don’t walk them on leashes either. Dogs are particularly sensitive to it & a lick of by kill animals is enough from what I’m hearing, to cause fatal poisoning.

It isn’t safe any more people & the warning systems in place are not that thorough. Over & over we hear stories of people caught unawares. It is being dumped into waterways and over the land from which water runs when it rains as we know.

Your safety & that of your animals can only really be guaranteed by your own vigilance.

EWR

If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with …WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

Note we don’t condone or advocate violence, & unlike those who support the use of 1080 poison we do not support cruelty to animals. As you have read in this article it can take up to two days for animals to die an agonizing death from 1080.

Now THAT is violence.

1080, News, Ospri, Poison

Dishonouring their promise to consult, OSPRI are thumbing their noses at Luggate residents’ concerns over dust drift from an imminent aerial 1080 poison drop

June 7, 2019 Pam Vernon 2 Comments

Remember, this is a Class 1A Ecotoxin with no research studies done on 1080’s impact on the unborn, and this dust is known to drift with the wind. The late Dr Scanlon raised concerns about these risks. The drop in question is near the Luggate community & an ag-pilot of 6,000 hrs flight time has just sounded a warning regarding the dangers of the current winds influencing that drift onto the small township. This is not rocket science and yet OSPRI who promised to consult, have failed to do so. Remember also what Dr Charles Baycroft said about 1080 poisoning? If you are poisoned nobody will know because the MOH are bullying Doctors NOT TO TEST FOR 1080! Please visit our page, Suspected 1080 Poisoning Cases for further information on that topic. EWR

OSPRI REFUSE TO CONSULT WITH LUGGATE COMMUNITY OVER AERIAL 1080 DROP

By Carol Sawyer

As a result of the public meeting the Luggate 1080 Action Group held in the Luggate Hotel, 21 May, 2019, a letter was sent by Cherilyn Walthew ( on behalf of the Group ) to OSPRI’s Programme Manager, Eric Chagnon, asking for OSPRI’s attendance at a public meeting to fulfil their obligations with regard to community consultation, and containing a list of questions generated from the wider community at that community meeting at the Luggate Hotel,( see attachments) That original letter is at bottom.

Here is the response received today from ???? ( Team OSPRI), and Cherilyn Walthgew’s reply to that, also today:

From: Community Relations Southern South Island <CR_SSI@ospri.co.nz>
Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2019 8:13 AM
Subject: RE: Urgent. Outstanding questions regarding the proposed Luggate 1080 drop, 2019

Dear Cherilyn,

Thankyou for the invitation, however, OSPRI considers that all statutory obligations for the operation concerned have been met.

Your questions will be responded to as soon as possible within the required timeframe.

Yours sincerely,

The team at OSPRI

OSPRI New Zealand Limited

Level 1, 399 Moray Place, PO Box 5745, Moray Place, Dunedin 9058

P 03 477 9829 | ospri.co.nz

*******************************
Cherilyn Walthew responds:

Dear “Team at OSPRI”,

It is interesting that in refusing our invitation to come and meet the community for consultation to answer the pre-identified questions we have already sent you, you have now morphed from Eric Chagnon to a “faceless identity”.

The community of Luggate does not consider that you have met your statutory obligations around “public consultation” and given you assured them this would happen, it is not unreasonable to request that you uphold this commitment. Especially as this drop is to occur in what could be considered a highly populated “remote and inaccessible” area.

We are aware that in most circumstances, the residents of “remote and inaccessible” areas generally don’t “speak” however, in this case, the residents include quite a large number of people who reside in an area that has a 1km boundary from the poison operation.

These same people have raised serious health concerns with you, ranging from dust drift from the toxic class 1a ecotoxin monosodium fluoroacetate (1080) to E.coli contamination of water tributaries, that run through the village, as a result of rotting carcasses.

I feel that I really need to point out the obvious here, you have not met your obligations for public consultation as you committed to do so in 2017 for any future operation. Given your past history of nearly poisoning people outright, this is a shameful stance.

Pregnant women and those with health concerns have no wish to be guinea pigs in your experiments with this toxic poison. In the name of human decency, were you at least planning to publicly inform people when this drop is commencing so that pregnant women and mothers will have an opportunity to protect both existing and unborn children?

I will now be petitioning all relevant parties who have issued consents, for them to suspend the consents until these serious concerns can be responded to, and consulted on, in conjunction with the community.

I have included the question file for those parties who are cc’d in on this email and may not have seen these at this time.

This is very disappointing behaviour from your organisation and troubling from one that is looking for community support, yet fails to engage in any meaningful or genuine manner.

In the meantime, we will look to progress a public meeting without you.

Yours sincerely

Cherilyn Walthew

******************************************

On Fri, May 31, 2019 at 2:00 PM Cherilyn Walthew wrote:

Dear Eric,

It is with alarm that I read of OSPRI’s intentions, in the Wanaka Sun, to start dropping poison around the settlement of Luggate as of the 1st June, 2019.

To date, OSPRI have not fronted for genuine consultation with the Public as was promised back in 2017 by one of your predecessors.

There are still a number of questions that the community would like you to answer prior to the commencement of your poisoning operation and given that you and your Organization appear reluctant to come and discuss this, we would like to take this opportunity, on the 1 year anniversary of your organization walking out of the last promised community consultation, to invite you to a genuine consultation event.

We are aware that your staff have made claims of being “ambushed” in the past with our questions and there have been other claims that you were concerned for the health and safety of your staff. These are very destressing claims and I can assure you there is absolutely no threat to your staff from our community however, we will also look to invite a number of other people to attend the consultation meeting including MPs, local councilors, DoC representatives, Police etc. to ensure that you feel fully comfortable in your environment.

In addition, we are including a copy of the questions that have been raised by the community in advance of our requested meeting so, that you can prepare yourselves appropriately.

We are aware that the 1080 discussion has been subject to many claims of “mis-information”, particularly around these aerial operations. Therefore, in good faith, we will appoint an independent “fact-checker” to adjudicate on the answers.

We are happy to take on the administration of arranging the meeting and co-ordinate the additional guest list if you would let us know a date that will suit you and the relevant staff members you require to attend. We will be happy to try and accommodate any date after the 11th of June. I realise this is after the date you had indicated commencement for this operation however, had you come to us earlier, we may have been in a position to arrange things a bit quicker.

In view of the lack of facilities in Luggate, our suggested venues would be either the Hawea Flat Community Hall which we can secure for free and is available on either Monday evenings or Thursday evenings after 7pm. Or, we are checking dates that the Lake Wanaka Centre is available and will forward you some dates as soon as possible. The Lake Wanaka Centre will have an associated charge and we would expect you to incur this cost as part of your community consultation budget, if this is the preferred venue.

There has been some reluctance in the past by your Organization, and associated parties, to answer these same questions however, it is a matter of public urgency that you do so, before irreparable damage is caused by your actions, as was nearly the case in 2017 with the residential water supplies.

This list of questions has been generated by the wider community at a gathering in Luggate on the 21st of May. This was coordinated by a local volunteers and is a community initiative under the collective name Luggate 1080 Action Group.

Before commencing the poison operation, we formally ask that in the spirit of human decency, you answer these questions first.

Given the urgency of this subject, please respond with your intentions by close of business on Tuesday, 4th of June so, that may continue with arranging the necessary details and ensure invites are put out to the relevant parties.

Yours sincerely and on behalf of people representing

Luggate 1080 Action Group

Cherilyn Walthew

Tracey Morrow

Carol Sawyer

Kirstin Dana

Joel Lund

NOTE: If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with … WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

This is a venue for pointing to the independent science you won’t read in mainstream. It is not a forum to host for and against debate, you will have to find another venue to do that. Social media is a good option. And we neither advocate nor condone violence.

1080, News, Poison

An MD on 1080 – ‘It is accepted beyond all doubt that exposure to any toxic substance after conception is likely to harm foetal development’ a word of caution to Luggate residents, NZ

June 2, 2019 Pam Vernon 1 Comment

A word of caution here from the author of this post featuring an article by a NZ MD. It is cautioning pregnant mothers, and in particular at this point in time, pregnant mothers who live in or near Luggate in NZ’s South Island. A while back we published information regarding two other medical professionals (midwives) warning pregnant mothers to leave town before a 1080 aerial drop, confirmed by the research of another NZ MD. (See that information at the end of the article).
See also related articles:
UPCOMING AERIAL 1080 DROP, LUGGATE – ‘UNJUSTIFIABLE & VERY DANGEROUS TO COMMUNITY’ – AN AG-PILOT SPEAKS OUT
WITH NO COMMUNITY CONSULTATION & IN SPITE OF HEALTH WARNINGS BY AN AG-PILOT A 1080 AERIAL OPERATION AT LUGGATE IS SOON TO GO AHEAD

LUGGATE AERIAL 1080 DROP – PLUS “POISONS AND PREGNANCY” by Dr. C. Baycroft

I do not like the role of fearmonger, but I’d rather sound a word of caution than say nothing. What I do have to say to you is that, after five solid years of studying this whole 1080 poison mess, I know a lot more now than when I started. Therefore, one of the things I can say to you presently, with absolute certainty, is that if I was a pregnant woman, or planning for a family, I would be getting well away from Luggate for at least two weeks after the drop, and longer if I could manage it.

Luggate is less than 1 km from the 1080 drop zone and the prevailing winter katabatic winds will be coming over the town with their load of toxic dust. We all have different susceptibilities to poison – some hardy souls seem able to tolerate all manner of abuse. But what will happen to newly forming life is another matter entirely.

I understand there are at least six pregnant women in Luggate at the moment, and with a population of 324 ( according to current statistics ) quite probably more.

Here is an important piece of information from Dr. Baycroft

Carol Sawyer, Wanaka, May, 2019

********************************************

“POISONS AND PREGNANCY”

by Dr, Charles Baycroft

The development of a human child is an extremely complicated and amazing sequence of events by which one cell becomes a fully formed human being.
This is achieved by rapid cell divisions and changes in the cells to create all the different tissues of the body and have them in the right place at the right time.
People have absolutely no appreciation of how miraculous this is and how it works so perfectly most of the time.
Sometimes it does not work properly.

Perhaps the most critical period is shortly after conception and for the 1 st 3 months. If the sequence of changes is not perfectly coordinated the foetus will be abnormal. If those problems occur in the 1 st 4 to 8 weeks the pregnancy will often terminate naturally. One should be pleased because what was developing would not be anything like a normal baby. Less serious impairments of the process result in babies with congenital abnormalities.

It is accepted beyond all doubt that exposure to any toxic substance after conception (even if pregnancy has not been confirmed) is likely to harm foetal development. The more toxic the substance the worse the harm will be. Look at the manufacturer’s warnings on all medications and other chemical products and you will find the warning.
THIS MUST BE AVOIDED DURING PREGNANCY AND EXPECIALLY DURING THE 1 ST 3 MONTHS OF PREGNANCY. Have you ever seen a product with THIS IS PERFECTLY SAFE TO USE DURING THE 1 ST 3 MONTHS OF PREGANCY? I do not think you will see that.

Some medications have been considered to be relatively safe to use during pregnancy and later found to be extremely dangerous. Thalidomide was a good example.

If someone says that a toxic chemical, POISON, has NOT BEEN PROVEN to cause birth defects or abortions that Means NO STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE! This is presented by dishonest people as a suggestion that POISONS WILL NOT HARM A DEVELOPING BABY. These people are abusing science to tell lies. The research has not and will never be done because we already know that exposure to poisons will interfere with the development of the baby and cause abortions or birth defects.
Are you pregnant?
Any sexually active woman could be pregnant at any time unless proven otherwise. Contraception does fail.

The New Zealand government is knowingly and intentionally polluting our environment with 1080 and other lethal chemical weapons and exposing pregnant women to the associated
dangers. If you think that you have control over your body and the baby developing within your womb you are mistaken.
When you are told that this dangerous exposure will not cause abortions and birth defects, they are saying: “It probably will but the victims will not be able to prove it!”

If you are a sexually active woman, you are either pregnant or about to become pregnant unless proven otherwise.
If you are exposed to any amounts of toxic chemical substances (especially ones labelled as poisons) this will probably harm you and your developing baby because there is no evidence or proof that it will not.

The safe amount of toxic chemical poison, that one can risk exposure to in pregnancy, is ZERO. If you are in any doubt of this, please discuss it with your chosen Medical Professional and seek advice based on clinical trials of toxic chemical poisons in pregnancy.

Dr, Charlie Baycroft
BSc (Chemistry, Biology and Philosophy). MD, FRNZCGP, Dip MSM, QBE
(I am currently not paying for an annual practicing certificate because I have no need for such a piece of paper)

Photo: Supplied by Carol Sawyer, Room for an ‘alpine’ baby,

The other article mentioned earlier, included information from another MD the late Dr Peter Scanlon who also sounded this warning for pregnant mothers. I will quote what he said (including a link to the article):

“Where are the cancer causing or carcinogenicity studies? … there aren’t any;

Where are the reproductive studies, particularly focusing on female eggs? … there aren’t any;

Where are the developmental studies, early exposure to brain, immune system? … there aren’t any;

Where are the long term chronic exposure studies looking at mitochondrial DNA content and mutation rates? there aren’t any.

There’s a lot of doubts about this substance, it’s dangerous.”

You can read that article at this link.

If you are new to the 1080 poisoning program, here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison. There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further information.

Check out the 1080 pages at the main menu, particularly the sub tab, ‘suspected 1080 poisoning cases’. Finally, remember what the retired MD Charles Baycroft said recently …‘if you die from 1080 poisoning, nobody will know because the Ministry of Health is bullying NZ Doctors into not testing for 1080′.

1080, News, Poison

With NO community consultation & in spite of health warnings by an ag-pilot a 1080 aerial operation at Luggate is soon to go ahead

June 1, 2019 Pam Vernon 2 Comments

By Carol Sawyer

LUGGATE 1080 DROP GOING AHEAD WITH NO COMMUNITY CONSULTATION …. at any date after this weekend!

OSPRI Programme Manager, Southern South Island, Eric Chagnon, responded to Tracey Morrow of Luggate today… see comment highlighted in screenshot. (Tracey had written a long email outlining all the concerns about this drop, which I will post up separately). The advertisement for the 1080 drop was in Thursday’s ‘Wanaka Sun’. His response states “We are consulting with landowners and other affected parties”. Well there are only two landowners, who have not said a ‘dicky bird’, and a whole small town less than a kilometre away which Eric is IGNORING, so I am not sure who the “other affected parties” are.

He also says, in justification for non-consultation,

“This (drop) area is much smaller than previously planned aerials”.

Is there a sort of hectare limit below which you do not need to consult? Fascinating. This is a new one!

This man needs to front up… and NOW.

On 10 August, 2017, ‘Wanaka Sun’ (yes, this debacle has been going on for two years) Eric Chagnon’s predecessor, Brent Rohloff, wrote …

“Consultation with the Luggate community would be conducted “well before” the drop was due to be completed.”

Eric Chagnon also received the following communication from Cherilyn Walthew (Luggate 1080 Action Group) today:

“Dear Eric,

It is with alarm that I read of OSPRI’s intentions, in the Wanaka Sun, to start dropping poison around the settlement of Luggate as of the 1st June, 2019.

To date, OSPRI have not fronted for genuine consultation with the Public as was promised back in 2017 by one of your predecessors.

We are aware that your staff have made claims of being “ambushed” in the past with our questions and there have been other claims that you were concerned for the health and safety of your staff. These are very distressing claims and I can assure you there is absolutely no threat to your staff from our community. However we will also look to invite a number of other people to attend the consultation meeting including MPs, local councillors, DoC representatives, Police etc. to ensure that you feel fully comfortable in your environment.

In addition, we are including a copy of the questions that have been raised by the community in advance of our requested meeting so, that you can prepare yourselves appropriately.

We are aware that the 1080 discussion has been subject to many claims of “misinformation”, particularly around these aerial operations. Therefore, in good faith, we will appoint an independent “fact-checker” to adjudicate on the answers.

We are happy to take on the administration of arranging the meeting and co-ordinate the additional guest list if you would let us know a date that will suit you and the relevant staff members you require to attend. We will be happy to try and accommodate any date after the 11th of June. I realize this is after the date you had indicated commencement for this operation. However, had you come to us earlier, we may have been in a position to arrange things a bit quicker.

In view of the lack of facilities in Luggate, our suggested venues would be either the Hawea Flat Community Hall which we can secure at no charge, and is available on either Monday evenings or Thursday evenings after 7pm. Additionally, we are checking dates that the Lake Wanaka Centre is available and will forward you some dates as soon as possible. The Lake Wanaka Centre will have an associated charge and we would expect you to incur this cost as part of your community consultation budget, if this is the preferred venue.

There has been some reluctance in the past by your organization and associated parties to answer these same questions. However it is a matter of public urgency that you do so before irreparable damage is caused by your actions, as was nearly the case in 2017 with the residential water supplies.

This list of questions has been generated by the wider community at a gathering in Luggate on the 21st of May. This was coordinated by local volunteers and is a community initiative under the collective name Luggate 1080 Action Group.

Before commencing the poison operation, we formally ask that in the spirit of human decency, you answer these questions first.

Yours sincerely and on behalf of people representing

Luggate 1080 Action Group

Cherilyn Walthew
Tracey Morrow
Carol Sawyer
Kirstin Dana
Joel Lund”

Eric Chagnon, a man of few words, responded today:

“In response to your email and to a voice mail message from Carol Sawyer left earlier today, I confirm that there will be NO aerial operation going on in Luggate VCZ over the Queen’s Birthday weekend.”

Questions arising from the public meeting held at Luggate are attached to this post.

1080, News, Poison

Upcoming aerial 1080 drop, Luggate – ‘unjustifiable & very dangerous to community’ – an ag-pilot speaks out

June 1, 2019 Pam Vernon 5 Comments

UPCOMING AERIAL 1080 DROP, LUGGATE – UNJUSTIFIABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS TO COMMUNITY – AN AG-PILOT SPEAKS OUT

By Carol Sawyer

DUST CONTAMINATION:

The immediate threat to Luggate township, (near Wanaka, Central Otago), is that the prevailing wind at this time of year comes straight down the valley to Luggate. See ag-pilot John Sarginson’s testimony here:

“‘The Pisa range to the Southwest of Luggate is known to generate Katabatic winds (downhill winds). Katabatic winds are very common on calm wind days typical of the days we have in Autumn, Winter and Spring, hence fog in the lower catchments. These winds start from high on the Pisa range and start flowing down the hillsides, gaining speed as the night approaches. They flow with strength well into the small hours of the night. Hence there is often no fog in these areas in the evenings.

It is very common for places like Luggate and Queensberry to experience long periods (> 10 hours) of quite strong Katabatic winds, say > than 15 knots (30 km/h) late evenings. The Katabatic winds are strongest when channelled by valleys. Luggate has four main valley systems that line these winds up for the Luggate township. The four valleys are Luggate Creek, Alice Burn, Tin Hut, and Dead Horse Creek. All four valley katabatic wind systems converge on the township of Luggate.

As a former accredited agricultural pilot with more than 6000 hours of flight time I would consider dispensing 1080 in the hills to the south of Luggate during these times of the year to be a very high risk to all. The baits may fall in no wind, but when the wind increases, maybe days later, some baits will fall further in scrub and others are blown across exposed areas causing toxic dust to become airborne again. Sublethal amounts of a harmful poison would be distributed onto roofs that collect drinking water and onto gardens that grow food.

No one can guarantee such drift of 1080 dust will not cause future health risks to our generation, or to generations of the future.

No one can guarantee that people won’t suffer increased illnesses or deficiencies.

No one can guarantee that people’s lives will not be shortened by 1080 toxic dust.

And worse still, no one can claim to detect acute 1080 poisoning in all instances, and sublethal poisoning is almost impossible to detect.

My past work has involved the application of many chemicals onto our land, including 1080 poison, and I still have a vested interest in aerial ag operations and wish to protect it. It is my view from the knowledge I have gained in industry, that sublethal 1080 poisoning is a very real and dangerous risk that should be avoided. Effects from sublethal 1080 poisoning can’t be detected or traced, symptoms mirror other serious illnesses, there is no known antidote, and again no one knows the extent of its real dangers.

John Sarginson, Thornbury, Southland, 28 May, 2019

************************************

Statements from the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) Review (2007) outlined the threat from toxic 1080 dust . See note 2 at end.

Also the NZ Journal of Ag Research has an interesting article on dust contamination. See note 3 at end.

A scoping study was done by the Institute for Environmental Science and Research (ESR) which mentions the possibility of dust inhalation and dust deposition on food and crops and in drinking water. See note 4 at end.

*************************************

NO TB IN WILDLIFE:

In mid-May, 2019, I spoke to Eric Chagnon, operations manager OSPRI, Dunedin, who told me there has been no change in their information/justifications for the drop since last year. In other words the status quo remains the same as it was in June, 2018. Here are the findings at that time, as revealed in a response to an OIA request by Alan Galletly:

OSPRI’s findings:

260 possums tested – NONE with TB
130 ferrets tested ONE with TB in 2012
6 feral pigs tested – NONE with TB

See complete OIA response below. Note 1.

*************************************

THAT 2012 FERRET:

When Mt Roy, Wanaka, was due to be aerially 1080-poisoned, in early 2015, one of the justifications for it, received via OIA request, was that same ferret found at Luggate, 20 km away, in 2012.

Mt Roy never happened. The Alice Burn East drop at Luggate should not be happening either!

**************************************

WATERWAYS:

This drop is less than 1 km from the nearest homes in Luggate Village and the baits will be going directly into the Alice Burn and Luggate Creek, which flows through Luggate Village and through the Luggate Campground. Poisoned carcasses will also end up in the two waterways. ( Both the end of Atkins Rd and end of Kingan Rd, including the Camp Ground, are less than 1km away from the drop boundary.)

***************************************

ACCESSIBILITY:

The land is NOT inaccessible for trapping… see photo… and this is borne out by the fact they trapped possums there for TB testing! There is no need to arerially and indiscriminately drop poison from helicopters onto this land. See photos.

*********************************************************

END NOTES:

Note 1:

Alan Galletly’s OIA request and OSPRI responses… 2018

Question: How close to the drop zone is the nearest infected herd?

Answer: Adjacent to the aerial control

******************

Q :What monitoring of possums has been done in the drop zone? If so when was this done?

A: None

******************
Not guilty!

Q : Have possums been caught in the drop zone. If so when

A: Yes: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016

******************

Q: Were any possums tested for TB from the drop zone? What number were tested for TB? What was the results of those tests?

A: Yes: 260 tested , 0 positive for TB

******************

Q: Have any ferrets been caught in the drop zone ? If so when.

A: Yes: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018

******************

Q: Were any ferrets tested for TB from the drop zone? What number were tested for TB? What was the results of those tests?

A: Yes: 130: 1 positive for TB (2012)

*******************

Q: Have any feral pigs been caught in the drop zone? If so when?

A: Yes: 2014 and 2015

*******************

Q: Were any feral pigs tested for TB from the drop zone? What number of feral pigs were tested for TB? What were the results of those tests?

A: Yes; 6 tested; 0 positive for TB

******************

Q: What percentage of the drop zone is Department Of Conservation estate. What is the total hectares of DOC estate in the drop zone if any?

A: Out of total consented area of 1,973 hectares:

292 ha DOC
1,681 ha private land

****************

Q: Spending taxpayers money to solve a non-existent problem – bovine TB

What is the total OSPRI budget for the Luggate aerial drop and is it expected to exceed that budget ?

A: The Alice Burn East Aerial is not expected to exceed the budgeted amount of $194,640

****************

Q: How close to the drop zone is the nearest infected herd?

A: Adjacent to the aerial control

*****************
Q: Finally I must remind you of your obligation to consult with the local community. To date you have failed dismally and the behaviour of OSPRI staff at the Wanaka event can best be described as childish and completely unacceptable for such an government appointed organization. You are obliged to address public concerns and you have failed to do so to date. I ask when are you going to do this in a public forum?

A: OSPRI considers that all statutory obligations for the operations concerned have been met. No further public forum is planned

*****************************************************************

Note 2: DUST

Statements from the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) Review (2007).

475 5 Agency App. E “The main conclusion that can be drawn..is that dust drift can occur over a considerable distance off-site (at least 1 km)”

475 3 Agency App. E “Three aerial operations using cereal baits were monitored for dust drift in 1997 and 1998..The maximum deposition of 1080 falling in dust [from cereal bait] was 25.2 μg/m²..residues in dust inside all treatment areas were significantly greater than outside at day 1, but not at day 5”

477 1 Agency App. E “[1080 concentration in dust, μg/m², inside treatment area] Day 1 3.81 , Day 5 0.1..outside treatment area (day 1) 0.2 at 200m, 0.06 at 1 km”

475 6 Agency App. E “The Agency is not aware of any other studies reporting on dust drift from aerial application of 1080..there is insufficient information to know whether other bait types or delivery buckets would create more or less dust”

476 2 Agency App. E “Trace levels (of 1080) were found in 11 plant samples [after 1080 cereal operations at Whitecliffs and Titirangi]..the maximum measured was 0.014 mg/kg..on day 1..it is unknown whether the residues in plants resulted from dust deposition or uptake from the soil, the authors attributed them to dust.”

13 1 Submitter 9143 “Observation on the day of the poison operation showed that the fine particles and dust were blown across the forest canopy from the helicopter bait bucket” (Meads report)

3 2 Submitter 9143 “181 mm of rain fell in the second fortnight after the poison operation. Thus an influx of 1080 may have washed from the tree tops to the ground” (Meads Report)

Note 3: DUST CONTAMINATION

“The risk of drift of 1080 dust:

While the 1080 concentration found in the bait dust
was much greater inside than outside the treatment
areas, results were less clear for the soil, leaf litter,
and plant samples. In some of these cases, similar
concentrations of 1080 were found outside as inside
the treatment areas. These results indicate that bait
dust can drift outside the boundaries of a treated
area up to and possibly more than 1000 m. ”

https://www.researchgate.net/…/links/55f8853708ae07629dd826…

Note 4: SCOPING STUDY

Study by the Institute for Environmental Science and Research (ESR):

“Dust drift may potentially arise from aerial application of 1080. This is because physical abrasion from transport, loading and aerial application of 1080 bait can generate dust particles that could drift over loading zone and application zone boundaries. Some of these particles could deposit on food or crops, or in water tanks used for drinking water. Other particles may be sufficiently fine to travel significant distances and be inhaled by people.”

In the end, I am told by a researcher, the study “…. was flawed though. For example control sample got contaminated (again) and they ‘couldn’t get hold of the distilled water for the collection points’. Not sure why as distilled water is widely available isn’t it!?! ”

https://www.esr.cri.nz/…/FW15060-1080-dust-report-FINAL-web…

Photos of Luggate: Tracey Morrow

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1080, Birds, DOC, Native Birds in decline, News, Poison

A NZ ecologist firmly believes the near extinction of our Kea & Rock Wren is due to the continued use of 1080

May 22, 2019 Pam Vernon 13 Comments

WITNESSING THE EXTINCTION OF SPECIES

From Carol Sawyer

By Bill Wallace, (Leader of the Ban1080 Party and a qualified ecologist), April 22, 2017

The first Department of Conservation radio-tagging trial with Kea during an aerial 1080 poisoning operation was in 2008. Of the 17 monitored Kea at Franz Josef, 7 died of 1080 poisoning. (40% mortality)

DoC’s excuse at the time “may have been because juvenile Kea in the area had a habit of investigating “human-type” junk foods. .” (ODT 2/08/08)

In 2008 The Dominion Post obtained a draft internal report by DOC after the 7 deaths. The report says “aerial 1080 may well be a significant threat to the Kea population” with some drops “probably devastating”…

DoC’s Dr. Josh Kemp said “The Franz Josef Kea deaths had “shocked and stunned” DOC” (Stuff 28/01/09)

But Kea deaths from 1080 poison have been proven for over 52 years.

In 1964 Protection Forest workers picked up 4 dead Kea and 8 dead seagulls after a single 1080 drop. The birds tested positive for 1080 poisoning. (M.H.Douglas: Control of Tahr: Evaluation of a Poisoning Technique July 1966).

To find 12 large poisoned birds on foot would indicate the death rate must have been devastating for all the bird species in the area. DoC like to blame the decline in Kea numbers on early bounties. “ Kea had numbered in the hundreds of thousands but were devastated when a bounty was paid to kill them because of concerns they attacked stock.” (Press 29/07/08)

In 2011, DoC poisoned 7 out of 11 Kea at North Okarito ( 60% mortality). DoC’s excuse this time “It seemed likely the more open nature of the North Okarito forest was a factor, Mr Costello said” (ODT 12/09/11)

DoC then went on in 2013 to kill 5 radio-tagged Kea at Arthur’s Pass, DoC’s excuse this time “the repellent was less than the target concentration”( Stuff 21/08/13)

If such inane, puerile excuses were put forward by CYPS or the Police next time a vulnerable child is brutally killed, the media and politicians alike would take the offending officials to task. DoC appear immune from such scrutiny.

In 1999 DoC’s Dr’s Elliot and Kemp said “Kea nests appear to be relatively immune to predation from introduced mammals…Our results agree with a previous study of Kea nesting at Arthur’s Pass, where no evidence of significant nest predation was found (Jackson 1963).” (G Elliot & J Kemp 1999)

Now DoC claim “The Kea deaths are unfortunate but without protection most Kea chicks are killed by stoats. (Westport News 26/01/15)

So what has changed, DoC’s inept monitoring of nests since 2000 would appear to be resulting in further Kea predation and nest abandonment.

Overseas bird experts warn “Avoid leaving tracks or human scent that can direct predators to nests.” (Cornell University Ornithology Dept 2011) “visiting nests to check the contents necessarily results in disturbance of the individuals being studied. Moreover, investigator disturbance may increase the probability of nest predation… Human disturbance may also reduce nest attendance” (Elser and Grand 1993).

The logic is simple. Birds fly to their nests and leave no scent trail. Dr’s Elliot and Kemp and their sweaty cohorts leave a scent trail to the nests that a geriatric stoat on crutches could follow. “Eggs and chicks disappeared from 35% of the nests we monitored and at two of these nests definite sign of stoat predation was found” “Once it was found, we checked each nest every 2-3 weeks until it either failed or the chicks had fledged…” (G Elliot& J Kemp 2004)

Black-billed seagulls are now endangered, but DoC’s predecessors knew they were slaughtering them in their breeding grounds during the nesting season back in 1964.
“A Department of Conservation report on bird numbers has classified the Black-billed gull “nationally critical”, the most serious category, usually reserved for our rarest birds, because of the rate of expected decline. There were an estimated 180,000 to 200,000 of the birds in 1977. There are now thought to be 60,000 to 70,000.” (Stuff 30/10/14)

In 2014, when DoC first monitored the endangered Rock wren through an aerial 1080 drop, 29 of 44 birds “disappeared” ( 65% mortality). DoC blamed “heavy snowfall” at the time and said “We have found no dead rock wren. There’s no evidence to suggest that … we’ve knocked them out with 1080.”(Herald 19/01/15)
But DoC’s Dr. Elliot now admits “The 1080 drop in 2014 killed four Keas and led to the death of Rock Wrens” (Fairfax Nov 16th 2015)

So why do so many otherwise sane people accept everything that DoC tell them? The so called independent EPA report is often cited, and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment, Dr Wright is an absolute “1080-ophile”

But the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) review was called for by Department of Conservation (DoC) and Animal Health Board, and there was no cross examination of witnesses from either side of the debate. In October 2006, the AHB and DoC jointly submitted the formal application for reassessment of 1080. The applicants argued that 1080 is essential to controlling possums, which pose significant risks to farming (through the spread of bovine Tb) and to the environment (through predation of native plants and birds – EPA 2007).

The EPA report therefore, is similar in stature to a Local Council decision, made by Councillors or Commissioners. Such Council decisions are often completely rejected or significantly modified by the Environment Court, with the benefit of cross examination of witnesses.

Even after 63 years use of 1080 poison, DoC’s Graeme Elliot says “How are you supposed to find out how to do it perfectly? There is a lot of learning to do before we will get these operations perfect.” (Fairfax March 29th 2016)

There is not a shadow of doubt in my mind, or in that of the many retired Forest Service personnel and bushmen that I know, that the single biggest cause of the rapid decline of species such as Kea and Rock wren, is DoC and its inept and continuing use of 1080, and these species may well be extinct in our lifetimes, probably before Dr. Elliot finishes “learning”.

Bill Wallace
Ecologist
Leader Ban1080 Political Party, (April, 2017)

1080, Corporations, News, Poison

Is this honey giant telling the truth?

May 17, 2019 Pam Vernon 2 Comments

More miracles here from the corporates: this time it isn’t DoC … getting really hard to believe anything they say these days isn’t it? …

IS HONEY GIANT “COMVITA” TELLING THE TRUTH?

By Carol Sawyer

On September 21, 2018, Benita Martin sent a question to Comvita:

“Please advise what tests for 1080 are undertaken on your honey? I’m worried about the bees that were found on the 1080 poisoned cows and your hives are closest to the location.”

*****************************************************************

A Comvita representative responded :

“Comvita uses Analytica Laboratories to undertake Sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) testing. Analytica are an IANZ accredited laboratory who perform a wide variety of bee product testing on behalf of the Apiculture industry.

Comvita undertook 1080 testing on a range of honey samples which were taken from honey harvested between September 2017 – March 2018 including honey from 1080 drop zones. No traces of 1080 were detected in any samples which is inline with all scientific literature which suggests the risk of contamination to bees and their products appeared to be negligible.

‘Low risk’ is a category we assign to this residue in our testing schedule, and best reflects where no verified evidence of cross contamination is known to occur. This is consistent with research we have seen elsewhere which indicated 1080 is not attractive to bees and poses no threat.”

******************************************************************

However the Executive Director of Analytica Laboratories said on 20 June, 2018, in an email to beekeeper Roy Arbon :

“… we are not able to test your honey for 1080 unfortunately, because we don’t have a testing method for doing so…”

******************************************************************

What happened between March 2018 and June 2018? Did Analytica lose their testing equipment?! Is Comvita telling the truth?

If you still imagine a corporation or it’s representatives wouldn’t lie to you you need to watch The Corporation movie. You’ll find it if you scroll down our ‘Corporations’ page at the main menu. An excellent exposé of the way of corporations that will not only surprize you but will explain an awful lot of things that are going on today. When you’ve done that, do explore our 1080 pages at the main menu. There have been other posts about the contamination of honey by 1080. Use the search box or the categories drop down box at the left of the news page.

1080, DOC, News, Poison

IF YOU DIE FROM POISON IT’S YOUR OWN FAULT AND WE, THE CROWN, ARE NOT LIABLE?

May 13, 2019 Pam Vernon 6 Comments

By Carol Sawyer

If you die from poison it’s your own fault and we, the Crown are not liable …

Well that is what it seems to say, to me.

“Disclaimer :

While the information in these pesticide summaries is provided in good faith, any person using the information does so at his or her risk solely, and neither Her Majesty the Queen, nor the Minister of Conservation nor Director-General of Conservation nor any employee or agent of the Department of Conservation shall be liable for any errors or omissions in these summaries.

Any person who takes any animal from land administered by the Department of Conservation does so at his/her own risk and no warranty, express or implied, is given as to the fitness for human or other consumption of such animals”

READ FULL DOCUMENT AT SOURCE:

http://maps.doc.govt.nz/Geocortex/Essentials/REST/TempFiles/PesticideSummary.pdf?guid=5f7e71bd-1f71-4507-8ea4-aaf09b3d6333&contentType=application%2Fpdf&fbclid=IwAR2pxKSuJlF2St2qyiAGql_FYx2DydXM0fJbVREPNgYN-crcFYzKH4pbsXs

Note: So there it is people, your government has just told you that if you eat any meat from animals hunted off their 1080’d land, they are not liable. They can now poison your water with 1080 with impunity, no resource consent required. It’s a lot like the escape from culpability that vaccine manufacturers enjoy with no liability for damages. I see a pattern emerging here.

If you are new to NZ’s 1080 poisoning program here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison.

Check out also 1080science.co.nz for the independent science.

There are links also on our 1080 resources page to most of the groups, pages, sites etc that will provide you with further independent information.

1080, News, Poison

Whanganui, scene of recent 1080 protests, still awaits investigation of 1080 health concerns raised by a Doctor over one decade ago

May 12, 2019 Pam Vernon 3 Comments

Whanganui is the scene of health concerns regarding 1080 that were raised by the late Dr Peter Scanlon over a decade ago and which have never been fully investigated by the authorities. He said in a submission in 2010:

Given the “scientific ignorance” of those who proclaim human safety when doing aerial drops near water supplies in the West Coast, Whanganui, Coromandel, Levin, Hutt Valley and other regions of New Zealand and the real lack of safety data, especially for NZ’s most vulnerable human populations, our unborn, young and old and those with chronic illnesses, one really must question whether it is ethical to use such a poorly studied chemical from a human health risk perspective. The native flora & fauna are replaceable. TB ridden cows are replaceable but the future health of our children & our most vulnerable is not.

“I nga wa o mua” − The past informs the present. ” Foresight should be sought as hindsight is dearly bought”

Dr Peter Scanlon (Accident & Medical Practitioner)
M.B.ChB.. B.H B., P.G.DipCEM.. B.Sc.. F. AMPA

Thanks to Stewart Shand for the video

Environmentalists who protested recently against the slathering of the Class 1A Ecotoxin 1080 all over our once pristine environment (contaminating/poisoning our food, air & water) are not going away any time soon.

More than 200 gathered in Whanganui recently (1/5/19) to make known their concern for the welfare of both people and the environment. As you’ll see below in Carol Sawyer’s article, poison is big business and it’s expanding & set to be privatized.

Firstly though, Whanganui is a location of concern that the late Dr Peter Scanlon brought to the attention of NZ authorities regarding a cluster of health concerns following an aerial 1080 drop …

“A concerned Maori woman contacted me and presented to the Waitangi Tribunal evidence for the Whanganui Inquiry last year her concerns that 1080 may have been implicated in causing a cluster of miscarriages, stillbirths and congenital malformations to the children of pregnant Maori women following aerial drops and raised the question of bowel cancer in some adult Maori being possibly linked to environmental 1080 exposures through contaminated food and water sources. The current scientific gaps which the ERMA 2007 reassessment failed to address and assumptions based on out−dated or poorly studied science for human risk considerations cannot exclude the possibility of 1080 having such adverse health effects in Whanganui or other NZ rural communities The current medical system cannot easily investigate such concerns.”

Most importantly, as he says in the video clip in that article:

“Where are the cancer causing or carcinogenicity studies? … there aren’t any;

Where are the reproductive studies, particularly focusing on female eggs? … there aren’t any;

Where are the developmental studies, early exposure to brain, immune system? … there aren’t any;

Where are the long term chronic exposure studies looking at mitochondrial DNA content and mutation rates? there aren’t any.

There’s a lot of doubts about this substance, it’s dangerous.”

As far as I know there has yet been no investigation into Dr Scanlon’s concerns. We need to be asking ourselves, ‘why not?’ We need to be asking our authorities, why not? Why are they not sharing the same concerns this good Doctor voiced about the health of NZ citizens? About vulnerable pregnant women’s exposure to 1080 when it’s clear there have been NO LONG TERM STUDIES PROVING ITS SAFETY for them & their unborn?

In addition, as retired Doctor Charlie Baycroft has told us over and over, 1080 kills people, and if you die from 1080 poisoning, nobody will know because the authorities are bullying his profession not to test for it. Take note and peruse our Suspected Poisoning page.

Finally, Carol Sawyer’s article below outlines the history of 1080 suppliers in NZ & elsewhere

PROTEST OUTSIDE ORILLION (1080 BAIT FACTORY) IN WHANGANUI, 1st MAY, MAYDAY, 2019

By Carol Sawyer

Animal Control Products Ltd, Whanganui, trading as Orillion, is the state-owned enterprise (SOE) that manufactures 1080 baits for New Zealand.

Until mid-2018 this was the only place that manufactured 1080 baits in New Zealand. Now the NZ government is set to privatise everything, which is even worse news !

Mid-2018, Pest Control Research Ltd (PCR Ltd) in Rolleston near Christchurch, was given consent to manufacture 1080 baits. The first baits it produced were used to poison the Hope and Cascade River catchments in South Westland in August, 2018.

Now the Dept of Conservation’s “Battering the Birds” programme is using 50% baits from PCR Ltd and 50% from Orillion.

In March, 2019, ANOTHER factory, Invasive Pest Control / Connovation Ltd in Auckland, was granted consent to manufacture 1080 baits.

And so it grows…..

HOW THE NZ GOVT’S 1080 PESTICIDE COMPANY RE BRANDED ITSELF AND WHY

TWO MDS AND AN EXPERT ON MAORI MEDICINAL PLANTS DISCUSS THE TOXICITY OF 1080 IN OUR FOOD & OUR ENVIRONMENT

A RETIRED NZ MEDICAL DOCTOR WHO RECOMMENDED BEFORE & AFTER 1080 MEDICAL TESTING TO THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN THREATENED WITH PROSECUTION BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH

NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO DO AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY IN NZ TO SEE HOW 1080 POISON MAY BEHAVE IN OUR POPULATIONS LIVING WITHIN THE POISON AND DUST ZONES

PEST CONTROL IS BIG BUSINESS: 1080, THE CURIOUS TRAIL OF SOURCING, MANUFACTURE & INVESTMENT

1080, News, Poison

As outraged forestry workers are exposed to deadly aerially dropped 1080 poison pellets, Epro operator advises they are safe to eat!

May 11, 2019 Pam Vernon 6 Comments

Note, whilst the NZ news media publishes this ridiculous advice, your authorities mandated to protect you from the poisons have absolved themselves from all responsibility with a disclaimer in their documentation … should you happen to touch any poisoned game in your travels (more to come on that). First it’s safe, then it isn’t. Just whom do we believe these days? Maybe start with the data sheet? sds1080pellets

“May be fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin”

Read Herald’s article below (emphases are mine)…

From nzherald.co.nz

Poison Drop Outrages Forestry Workers

A group of forestry workers were upset earlier this month after a helicopter dropped 1080 poison baits in the Waimarino Forest where they were eating their lunch.
The drop, by Taupo company Epro Ltd, was intended to stay at least 100m from the three gangs working in the forest.
The men’s boss, Ray Flavell, said the helicopter may have been in the wrong place.
None of the baits touched the workers.

However Epro operations director Ian Roberts said if they had touched or even eaten one of the baits it would not have harmed them.

“There’s only 800g of poison per tonne of bait. I weigh 75kg and I would have to eat 20 to 22 baits in order to have a 50 percent chance of being killed.”
The baits were made from carrot pieces of approximately 7g each, dyed green. One or two of them was enough to kill a possum.
Forestry worker Terrence Mcleod said he and two others were eating their lunch in a clearing about 5km from the Pipiriki Rd at about 12.30pm on October 1 when a helicopter flew across about 150m overhead. One of the men, John Ratima, took photos of it.
The men had been told the aerial operation was happening, but Mr Mcleod said they didn’t know when.
“It was quite shocking. We were disappointed that they didn’t have any thought for us.” Mr Flavell said he had told the men the operation was happening that day.
The group kept working until 4pm and then knocked off and had a good wash. They wondered if they should also have a medical check for any ill effects from the poison.
Mr Roberts said there was no need for this. He said his company had given Mr Flavell information packs to hand out to his workers, packs which would have allayed their fears.
Mr Flavell said he had never received any information packs. The manager of the forest on behalf of Winstone Pulp International, Keith Wood, said the baits were dropped over 3800ha of forest.
The timing was chosen because it was hoped the baits would kill not only possums but rats and mice and the stoats that fed on them.
A good stoat kill would give any kiwi chicks hatched in the forest a six-month opportunity to grow big enough to defend themselves and greatly improve their chances of survival.
The baits were screened to remove smaller pieces which might be eaten by birds.
“There shouldn’t have been any people working under the actual drop. It would have been dangerous, and certainly not the intention of the operation,” Mr Wood said.
Winstones had already apologised to the men, Mr Mcleod said yesterday. 1080 was a necessary evil, in Mr Wood’s opinion.
“It’s still one of the more practical and cost efficient means of dealing with possum control. Because of the terrain that we are working in the use of ground-based trapping and poisoning is difficult.”
Keeping people safe while using the toxin was “a balancing act”, he said.
The Epro operations director Ian Roberts said the baits were distributed at a rate of one every eight to 10 square metres or 2kg to 5kg per hectare.
They were treated with a deer repellent substance so deer would not be killed.
“Little pigs about the size of a cat can be killed. But the big ones, about 40kg to 50kg, detect the presence of poison and they vomit it up.”
Dogs could be killed, however, by eating poisoned possums. For a human adult even eating one bait (though it would be foolish) would have no ill effects.
However 1080 continued to be an emotional issue, Mr Roberts said, especially for hunters angry about the deaths of their dogs or their game animals.

SOURCE:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=10915363&fbclid=IwAR1i1Hf622VsfyfFUJqx-ohYtLDjMbBRIlNaeZPeOzNYfYQNk0OUJ4cea10

And this is not a one off occurrence going by other conversations I’ve read in social media. Dropping baits where they shouldn’t be dropped is not an uncommon occurrence & frequently people are taken by surprise as these forestry workers were. And so continues Waikato Regional Councilor Kathy White, commenting on the above article:

“And less than an hour from me, in ANOTHER block of forest north of Taupo, exactly the same thing happened this week with the same pest contractor. Baits were dropped while forestry workers were on the job. Some of the workers didn’t know what the bits of carrot were, and hadn’t been warned about the dangers of taking bits of 1080 bait home in the tread of their boots to their kids and pets. What are the requirements in terms of informed consent to working in the middle of a 1080 drop? I hope the foreman of the site has reported this recent debacle to Worksafe and to HScompliance@epa.govt.nz”

Government Rains “1080 Hailstones” On Visiting Anglers – Welcome to Paradise Down Under
THREE years on, two women alleging 1080 poisoning while picnicking STILL waiting for answers from NZ Health

If you are new to NZ’s 1080 poisoning program here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080?

Check out also 1080science.co.nz for the independent science.

1080, News, Poison

Kathy White: 1080 – The Unintended Consequences for Water, Wildlife and Us

May 9, 2019 Pam Vernon 3 Comments

Published on May 5, 2019

Kathy White, a Waikato Regional Councillor (in NZ), shares her excellent presentation
1080 – The Unintended Consequences for Water, Wildlife and Us
with the FLORA & FAUNA Aotearoa Sustainable Conservation Conference attendees, about the use of 1080 and pest control, health effects and more.

The FLORA & FAUNA Aotearoa Sustainable Conservation Conference – Shifting from Poison to Ecology – was held in Auckland, New Zealand, April 2019.

Caution: video contains some graphic images, of dead animals, relating to the use of 1080 and other poisons in NZ.

Check out our website: http://floraandfaunaaotearoa.co.nz/

1080, News, Poison

The DoC contractor who ADMITTED to dumping 75kg of 1080 poison into a Stewart Island swamp was let off with ZERO consequences

May 9, 2019 Pam Vernon 4 Comments

By Carol Sawyer

On Feb 21, 2019, I wrote:

No surprises here – they can hardly prosecute someone for dumping 1080 when they sign off on the dumping of 1080 themselves !

‘Environment Southland director for policy, planning and regulatory services Vin Smith said Environment Southland completed its review of the DOC investigation in November (2019).

“After seeking legal advice, we’ve decided not to take this further as it was indicated the evidence would be insufficient to lead to a successful prosecution.” ‘ Stuff, 27 January, 2019.

See link here :

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/109253377/investigation-into-stewart-island-1080-dump-ongoing?fbclid=IwAR1Mi8mS9agVKxh01rNQX8_ruwBzY6D4chTs4RxTXjODUL7ZhwquJAyT_q8

WHAT DO THEY MEAN – INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE ?! The contractor, Tony Leith, admitted it!

On July 14, 2018, I wrote :

A DOUBLE “ONE-OFF” ACT!

DoC’s acting deputy director-general for operations, Reg Kemper says, of contractor Tony Leith’s dumping of 3 x 25 kg bags of 1080 in a swampy area of forest on Stewart Island :

“It beggars belief that a qualified professional hired to do pest control would think it is acceptable to dump toxin…….He has assured us that it is a one-off incident.”

So how come last night’s news carried the story that this same contractor dumped an 8 kg bag of 1080 in the same block on Stewart Island, which was discovered last April, and REPORTED TO DoC at the time ?

1080, News, Poison

Rolleston people, are you aware of the risks of toxic dust dispersal from your local 1080 poison factory?

May 6, 2019 Pam Vernon 11 Comments

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Since posting this a worker at this factory has been poisoned, is hospitalized & is in a coma. We did not hear about this in the media until two weeks after the event. You can read about that incident at the links below:

AN OIA RESPONSE FROM ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY RC RAISES SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF 1080 FACTORY PEST CONTROL RESEARCH LTD

A WORKER IS SAID TO BE IN A HOPEFUL CONDITION IN HOSPITAL, AFTER A WORKPLACE INCIDENT INVOLVING CHEMICALS IN CHRISTCHURCH

NOTE; for the second time now I see these videos are ‘unavailable’ or ‘cannot be played’. A regular occurrence these days. If you find they cannot be played please give me a heads up in comments below the article. Also, try refreshing the page, that sometimes works. Or wait & try again, as has happened to me. It is unavailable then after a few tries it functions properly.

NOTE: Watch this post as I will add updates as they become available

Alan Gurden has filmed this factory in Rolleston in the South Island that manufactures 1080 baits. These are a Class 1A Ecotoxin with no known antidote. Air vents in the roof it’s been noted by neighbouring workers, emit dust into the atmosphere. These staff when interviewed were shocked and had no idea what was being manufactured in such close proximity to them. The question asked is how were the consents granted without neighbouring businesses knowing about it?

More info below from Alan Gurden at a local protest near the factory. Do those people really look like the terrorists NZ lamestream media would have you believe they are? This is just a ploy to get you to look away people, while they poison your country with impunity. There have been deaths & there will likely be more if they don’t stop the blasé attitude they are promoting towards poisons. They are teaching your children in schools that it is ‘not very dangerous to humans’ and an Epro contractor was recently quoted in the media as recommending a 1080 pellet was safe to eat.

Jim Hilton has advised “that the Selwyn District Council (SDC) were the consenting authority for this factory. They colluded in secret with the West Coast Regional Council (WCRC). This is a $1.2 M investment in a POISON BAIT factory (manufacturing plant) 92% of West Coasters don’t want. It is the Council’s biggest cash cow. The voting public have a asked a lot of questions (OIA’s) about the reasons this “investment” was kept secret. Surprise surprise …. they are not being answering quickly!

Ratepayers do not give permission to Councils to secretly invest in products which Councils then use to poison their ratepayers, their food and drinking water.”

As Alan suggests, get in touch with your local Council and ask some pertinent questions. You should familiarize yourself with safety precautions in the event of a fire & in the event of dust blowing out of the air vents.

For more info on the manufacturers of 1080 around NZ go here.
For articles relating to the regulations around 1080 storage hazards go here.
Know also that 1080 manufacture is big business.
(Note the Pest Control Research sign has been removed from the building).

4. PEST CONTROL RESCH ROLLESTON - SIGN TAKEN DOWN AFTER A PROTEST THERE.jpg — Pest Control Research, before removal of the signage Photo: supplied by Carol Sawyer

If you are new to NZ’s 1080 poisoning program here is a good article to start with …

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO CONCERNED ABOUT 1080? A must watch also is Poisoning Paradise, the doco made by the GrafBoys (banned from screening on NZ TV, yet a 4x international award winner). Their website is tv-wild.com. Their doco is a very comprehensive overview with the independent science to illustrate the question marks that remain over the use of this poison.

1080, News, Poison

A duck shot in Nthn Southland contains what may well be a poison pellet – duck shooters beware

May 5, 2019 Pam Vernon 5 Comments

THIS DUCK SHOT TODAY (5/5/19) IN NORTHERN SOUTHLAND APPEARS TO HAVE EATEN POISON

By Carol Sawyer

“This photo was sent to me today by a concerned duckshoooter. He shot it today in Northern Southland and discovered the green paste in its digestive tract when he was cleaning it. This is a bisection of its entrails at the tail end.”

[Note: please see this previous post on the dangers of eating duck. Our wild food sources have become endangered with the liberal & frequent spreading of poisons into our environment. A precautionary approach is advisable.]

(Facebook have called it “violent or graphic content… it is a duck prepared for someone’s dinner, for goodness sake!)

It may be 1080, Pindone, or Brodifacoum. We don’t know.

This photo was sent to me today by a concerned duckshoooter. He shot it today in Northern Southland and discovered the green paste in its digestive tract when he was cleaning it. This is a bisection of its entrails at the tail end.

A lot of discussion has ensued behind the scenes. Ducks can have greenish poo, for sure, but that is more a khaki brown/green colour. None of us have ever seen any duck poo this colour (and I used to have about 300 wild ducks arrive in duckshooting season to join the home mob, so am VERY familiar with their ‘deposits’).

Birds can apparently live for quite a while after ingesting 1080 poison and longer with Pindone or Brodifacoum presumably.

During duckshooting season, particularly in this first weekend of the season, they are dispersing widely and flying longer distances to find safe places, too.

A lethally poisoned duck may well survive for many, many hours flying time.

In an article on vertebrate pesticides in ‘Veterinary Toxicology for Australia and New Zealand, 2017’, Rosalind Dalefield BVSc PhD DABVT DABT, states “Birds have survived up to 10 days after dosing with sodium fluoroacetate”. ( 1080 ).

(In the ERMA Review it is stated ““[weka and pukeko] time to death 4-18 [hours]” & “[time to death for blackbirds dosed with 1080] 10.8-30.5 hours”).

Header Photo Credit: skeeze Pixabay.com

Impending Milford Sound 1080 drop (Southland Cleddau area)

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NOTE:

OIA RESPONSE:

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OIA Response from ECRC:

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1080 is not a humane way to kill any animal … death is painful, torturous and slow

A Veterinarian has likened death by 1080 to two days of slow electrocution

Comparing death by 1080 to death by shooting

What does the SPCA say?

What NZ’s authorities say about death by 1080 poison

In Conclusion

Now THAT is violence.

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OSPRI REFUSE TO CONSULT WITH LUGGATE COMMUNITY OVER AERIAL 1080 DROP

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LUGGATE AERIAL 1080 DROP – PLUS “POISONS AND PREGNANCY” by Dr. C. Baycroft

“POISONS AND PREGNANCY”

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UPCOMING AERIAL 1080 DROP, LUGGATE – UNJUSTIFIABLE AND VERY DANGEROUS TO COMMUNITY – AN AG-PILOT SPEAKS OUT

NO TB IN WILDLIFE:

OSPRI’s findings:

THAT 2012 FERRET:

WATERWAYS:

ACCESSIBILITY:

END NOTES:

Note 1:

Note 2: DUST

Note 3: DUST CONTAMINATION

Note 4: SCOPING STUDY

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WITNESSING THE EXTINCTION OF SPECIES

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IS HONEY GIANT “COMVITA” TELLING THE TRUTH?

What happened between March 2018 and June 2018? Did Analytica lose their testing equipment?! Is Comvita telling the truth?

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Whanganui is the scene of health concerns regarding 1080 that were raised by the late Dr Peter Scanlon over a decade ago and which have never been fully investigated by the authorities. He said in a submission in 2010:

Read more about Dr Scanlon’s concerns at this link:

Most importantly, as he says in the video clip in that article:

“Where are the cancer causing or carcinogenicity studies? … there aren’t any;

Where are the reproductive studies, particularly focusing on female eggs? … there aren’t any;

Where are the developmental studies, early exposure to brain, immune system? … there aren’t any;

Where are the long term chronic exposure studies looking at mitochondrial DNA content and mutation rates? there aren’t any.

There’s a lot of doubts about this substance, it’s dangerous.”

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“May be fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin”

Poison Drop Outrages Forestry Workers

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“After seeking legal advice, we’ve decided not to take this further as it was indicated the evidence would be insufficient to lead to a successful prosecution.” ‘ Stuff, 27 January, 2019.

WHAT DO THEY MEAN – INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE ?! The contractor, Tony Leith, admitted it!

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Watching our environment … our health … and corporations … exposing lies and corruption