18 DECEMBER 2015

Pest control firm praises ‘exemplary’ 1080 investigation

Animal Control Products (ACP), the State-Owned Enterprise that imports 1080 and manufactures 1080 bait products for pest control in New Zealand, today congratulated the Police on arresting and charging the blackmailer who threatened to contaminate infant formula with 1080 poison.

Chief executive William McCook said ACP was pleased to have been able to assist the Police with their investigation, in particular with some of the technical and historical aspects of their investigation.

He said the Police had done an exemplary job in tracking down and bringing the blackmailer to justice, and that the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) approach to protecting consumers and ensuring infant formula was safe was well-coordinated.

“This was a very challenging and meticulously-conducted investigation, and a great credit to the Police and MPI for how this was handled.

“They have brought to justice the perpetrator of a crime that has cost the country millions of dollars and had the potential to cause huge damage both to our export dairy industry and to our ability to protect our environment from pests,” said Mr McCook.

He said that 1080 remains our most important tool for large-scale pest-control operations, and that it is one of the most closely monitored hazardous substances in New Zealand.

“The public can be confident that the processes around the manufacture and use of 1080 in pest control operations is subject to rigorous, world-class health and safety precautions, and that it is doing its job to protect our environment.

“The blackmailer’s day in court coincided with the release of the Environmental Protection Authority’s annual report on the aerial use of 1080 which found that the 1080 programme “is working as intended, with the benefits of using 1080 being seen while the risks are minimised.”

“Some very pleasing new evidence of the benefits of 1080 use came to light just two weeks ago in the form of a pair of kōkako found nesting for the first time ever outside of the intensively managed kōkako conservation area,” said Mr McCook.

He said the blackmail threat had cast a shadow over the conservation and pest control sectors and industry participants were pleased to see the matter being brought to a conclusion. He said they looked forward to seeing the as yet unnamed ‘businessman’ named and dealt with appropriately by the criminal justice system.

ENDS

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