Clearly some serious serious oversights made . The council guys came by and then drove off. Two different lots too. Characteristic really of previous disasters we’ve seen here. EWNZ
Questions are being asked about why campers weren’t evacuated from Mount Maunganui’s popular campground at the foot of the mountain before a deadly slip, despite a series of smaller slips that were reported to authorities. Six people were buried and inquiries have been launched. Michael Morrah and Alanah Eriksen, who have been on the ground in the past week, detail who knew what and when.
“A hole hastily dug in sand on a tourist beach by the Dept of Conservation last weekend doesn’t cut it! A hole containing 700 dead rats, a goat, seabirds and marine life… a toxic time bomb !”
It’s been pointed out in the article here below the 1080 manufacturer’s instructions regarding the disposal of 1080-poisoned carcasses. What we have seen over the past weeks regarding the environmental disaster that’s been dubbed ‘ratgate’ has been apparent failure to adhere to any kind of precautionary principle. as has been recommended by the two NZ environmental groups Flora and Fauna Aotearoa and Clean Green New Zealand Trust who have produced independent testing on the rats. NZ’s DoC have also tested however they have not yet released the results. Regarding handling of carcasses however this is how DoC rolls it seems*. Poisoned carcasses left to rot in waterways have been observed & reported by environmentalists for a very long time. DoC has been saying it’s unlikely the wildlife washed up at North Beach were the result of 1080 poisoning so we’ve seen them dig a hasty hole in the sand of a tourist beach to bury it all… near human habitation, and no warnings early in the piece. And so now we know the poisoning of the rats was almost certainly due to 1080 there is more independent testing of the other wildlife to come. Watch this space. EWR
IT’S CONFIRMED! 1080 POISON IS “ALMOST CERTAINLY” THE CAUSE, SAY LAB SCIENTISTS …
by Carol Sawyer
“Independent tests of samples collected by volunteers from the area confirm the presence of substances that indicate the deaths were almost certainly caused by 1080 poison”.
Laboratory scientists’ professional conclusion is that the deaths were almost certainly caused by 1080 poison. Meanwhile, what about the toxic dump on North Beach, Westport? 1080 manufacturer’s instructions are that all carcasses should be buried at least a metre deep, at least half a mile from human habitation and at least half a mile from any waterway. A hole hastily dug in sand on a tourist beach by the Dept of Conservation last weekend doesn’t cut it! A hole containing 700 dead rats, a goat, seabirds and marine life… a toxic time bomb !
Re independent testing, Asha Jade, of Flora and Fauna, says ” Hope to have full results to share next week. More species are currently being tested as well. Hope to share with redacted details to protect the lab, which is of the utmost importance at this stage. We needed to get it out to the public given the health & safety risk, and that DoC is withholding results.”
RELATED:
(Information from the GrafBoys). Regarding a drop at Mt Pirongia in 2014, fight charts released by the Department of Conservation reveal that 1080 poison was dropped directly into most streams and catchments, including to eight of the nine known water abstraction points. Poisoned carcasses have been left to rot in the streams, and animal welfare concerns have been raised. The Department of Conservation Mt Pirongia aerial drop, breached or ignored all of these warnings …
*The New Zealand manufacturer’s (owned by NZ Govt) 1080 poison label includes the following warnings –
“Ecotoxic”,
“Toxic to terrestrial vertebrates.”
“Take measures to reduce of non-target animals being exposed to the toxin either through eating the baits or by scavenging the carcasses of poisoned animals.”
“Harmful to aquatic organisms.”
“Take all practicable steps to manage any harmful effects of a spillage including preventing baits from accidentally entering streams or waterways.”
“This product is toxic to wildlife. Birds and mammals feeding on carcasses of contaminated animals may be fatally poisoned.”
“Where practicable, the exposed bodies of all poisoned animals should be collected and destroyed by complete burning or deep burial in a landfill approved for hazardous substances. Dehydrated carcasses may remain dangerous to dogs or cats for an indefinite period. A single mouse poisoned by 1080 may contain enough poison to kill an adult dog.”
“Take measures to minimise the chance of baits accidentally entering any body of water.”
And … “Apply the product only as specified by label directions.” …
There is much more in terms of outcome to this item posted at the Save Raukumara from 1080 FB page which you can read if you are a member of FB. I will endeavor to post the remainder later but for now, what struck me most about this news item from 2000, was that DoC handed this land over knowing full well they had buried a Class 1A Ecotoxin in the form of 1080 pellets only 6 feet down and refrained from informing the new owner.
Let that sink in for a bit & perhaps ponder on the dishonesty of this corporation that has the mandate for CONSERVING your environment. This is an oxmoron.
This of course is the way of corporations. Profits first & people & environments not even second if you watch ‘The Corporation’ doco (on YT) that is well illustrated … and let’s not forget our former govt depts are corporations now. Many have missed that important feature of our recent history.
And you have to wonder how many more lots of 1080 are buried all over NZ including landfills, considering it is the world’s largest consumer of this deadly product that was once added to water to kill ship rats and is extremely difficult to detect if you are poisoned by it. In fact your government doesn’t want you to detect it according to recent information by a retired MD.
EWR.
Greymouth Evening Star 28 July 2000 (posted at the Save Raukumara from 1080 FB page).
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