Concern for Aucklanders Over 1080 Drop

Aucklanders should be concerned about a planned 1080 poison drop in the Hunua Ranges, their catchment for drinking water, says New Zealand First.

“Nearly 50,000 kilos of 1080 poison baits will be dropped over the very heart of the Queen City’s largest drinking water catchment and reservoir area,” says Outdoor Recreation and Primary Industries Spokesperson Richard Prosser.

“Watercare Services, which runs Auckland’s water has stringent protocols in place, but cannot stop the drop which is part of Auckland Council’s pest control programme.

“The concern for Auckland is that half the Hunua holding dams will be shut off each time to protect the water supply. This will happen for as long as it takes to get clear test results back to ensure the city’s water supply hasn’t been inadvertently poisoned.

“If anything goes wrong, Auckland’s entire water supply surety may be endangered.

“The Auckland Council says the amount of 1080 used will only be about a teaspoon per hectare, yet hypothetically that’s still enough to kill roughly 340,000 people. No-one believes the operation could go wrong to anywhere near that degree, but it does illustrate just how potentially dangerous this stuff is.

“More concerning are the potential sub-lethal health effects which are known to be serious but not yet fully studied.

“New Zealand First is repeating our call for an immediate moratorium on the use of aerial 1080, and investment in alternative methods and research, until 1080 can be proven to be both necessary and safe – which it very probably can’t,” said Mr Prosser.

ENDS

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