Dioxin disaster
TV3’s Melanie Reid has spent the last year investigating dioxin contamination from the herbicide 2-4-5-T, especially in the New Plymouth suburb of Paritutu, where Ivon Watkins Dow manufactured the chemical for more than 20 years. The result, a 90-min documentary called Let us Spray went to air last night. If you missed it, you can watch it online here.
The documentary is extremely disturbing. Most notably, a forensic accountant hired by TV3 went through an earlier Ministry of Health report into dioxin contamination in New Plymouth and found that ill-defined parameters, muddled reporting of facts and inconsistencies in drawing conclusions masked the true extent of the dioxin contamination problem.
Also disturbing are the birth defects documented by a local midwife, and the fact that Ivon Watkins Dow continued to manufacture 2-4-5-T in New Zealand until 1987, making us the last country in the world to manufacture the dangerous substance.
Sue K is calling on the Government to undertake a six-point programme of response:
1. Issue a formal apology to the Paritutu community for the role of successive governments in promoting and subsididing the use of 245T, and in concealing its effects.
2. Launch legal action against the parent Dow Chemical company in the interests of obtaining compensation for residents, and to demonstrate that New Zealand is not a place where multinationals can readily escape the consequences of their actions.
3. Create a national register of those current and former Paritutu residents affected with symptoms of dioxin poisoning.
4. Provide free healthcare and a blood serum test for those people (and their children) on the register.
5. Appoint an inter-generational study of the health effects of the Dow Chemical plant’s proximity to the residents and former residents of Paritutu, to be carried out independently of the Ministry of Health.
6. Provide accident compensation to all employees who worked in the Dow factory and who suffer health effects as a consequence.
She requested an urgent debate on the issue today, but the Speaker declined the request. The official response so far has been underwhelming, to say the least.
October 24th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
Didn’t see the film but will watch it soon.
Problem is there needs to be hard evidence-based science to separate any real cases from bored hypochondriacs, random general health problems and compensation seekers, and this is difficult to supply in retrospect. As a result, most of the arguments rely on hearsay and coincidence.
If there was a real problem it would be expected that those who produced and used the chemicals daily would be far worse affected than those who simply lived in the vicinity. Is that the case? How does this factory compare with overseas ones?
It is all very well to have a list of numbered demands, but given that the taxpayer will pick up the tab it would be good to have some scientific data analysis before giving every man and his dog huge cash handouts.
October 24th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
Clean, green New Zealand has a bit of a ropey track record in terms of what we will do (and perhaps continue to do) to prop up our rural economy. Years before we infused our land and our people with 245T (and dioxing for good measure) we laid waste to Nauru for phosphorus.
So perhaps we should not be too annoyed with Dow, they were just fulfilling our desires, and we didn’t want to hear about the downside. Certainly sueing them is a bit of a case of those in glass houses throwing stones inappropriately.
Time to pay the piper.
October 24th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
I saw some of the programme last night. It sounded like there were many people in NZ who did not choose to be exposed to 2,4,5-T contaminated with dioxins. The programme showed outraged people protesting about babies’ deaths and deformities that were in their view associated with the widespread use of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D and dioxin contaminant. Yes, some people in NZ wanted those chemicals to be used, but not everyone. It sounded like the government didn’t want to know about any downsides.
Overall I got the impression from the programme that the relevant NZ officials were busy saying for decades “there is no evidence”, while steadfastly refusing to get any studies done that could have provided any NZ evidence. Finally, a study was done that showed that Paritutu residents had several times the level of dioxin in the blood compared with the NZ average; the results were released in 2004, 17 years after the plant finally closed! But even now the D-G of Health goes on TV and says “if someone can give us evidence…”
The programme raised the question again and again: why did NZ officials (and by that I tend to read: government Ministers) do nothing to safeguard the people?
October 25th, 2006 at 1:18 am
I saw the whole programme last night. It was well researched, well presented and the arguments compelling.
I am also old enough to remember the political climate(s) of the time(s).
The big farming lobby and big business were far more important than expendable workers and their families, especially to a National Government.
The Company concerned was an American Copmpany and the USA would be in the act there behind the scenes. (If New Zealanders got compensation, what about Vietnam and other SE Asian countries.)
Pre MMP Governments with a reasonable majority in the House had close to absolute power. Once the evidence was coming in both major Parties AND Civil Servants from several Government Departments would be ducking for cover.
I remember an expresssion my father was told “in jest” (at about this time but not about this topic):
“Tell me the outcomes that you want, and I’ll set up a Royal Commission with a Terms of Reference to ensure that you get those outcomes.”
We MUST follow this case through.
October 25th, 2006 at 3:01 am
UK_Kiwi… you should definitely see it. I do agree that simply tossing money at former residents indiscriminately is ill-considered, but the blood-tests are a necessity and the rest of those points are quite reasonable. The exposure had the negative correlation with continued health that you expect. The government of New Zealand wearing its pro-business hat, killed people and destroyed lives and families. It is a perfect example what of the phrase “the invisible hand also kills” means.
Given the nature of the chemical it is unlikely that any of those in the population exposed is completely unaffected.
I doubt however, that any lawsuit is going to get traction, as the company long since has altered its form and ownership in order to short-circuit such claims of liability. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want a lawyer to check the prospects of such a thing. I’d just be surprised (but pleased) if there was a strong legal basis for proceeding.
Eredwen… could you clarify “Once the evidence was coming in both major Parties AND Civil Servants from several Governmemt Departments would be ducking for cover.” I can’t parse it in context too certainly… from the film it appears that the government folks of the day were playing offense and keeping the evidence from actually coming in… usually I understand you better, perhaps it is the hour.
You’re right about the US government being behind the scenes, and their involvement might be exposed through some judicious use of the “Freedom of Information Act” back in the USA. Could take a while, but there’ve been a lot of surprises out of that law, and not many of them comfortable for the folks running things.
respectfully
BJ
October 25th, 2006 at 10:21 am
The 5 “D’s” identified by Corporate Watch: Deny harm, Delay solutions, Divide opposition, Dupe the public and then Dump the product.
Seems like this is still happening here, and there are still a lot of facts to be uncovered.
There are reports of containers of 2,4- D and 2,4,5-T still being found around Back Beach, Paritutu as late as 2001 - see http://www.safe2use.com/ca-ipm/01-05-05-comment.htm.
There are also allegations that IWD manufatured not just the 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T components of Agent Orange, but with the complicity of the (National) Government of the day, actually manufactured Agent Orange for use in Vietnam, and thereby committed a war crime.
Take a look at the email below from Major (Rtd) John A. Moller QSM, former President of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association, to Labour MP Steve Chadwick, when she was Chair of the Health Select Committee:
—– Original Message —–
From: John Moller
To: Steve Chadwick
Cc: judith collins ; sue kedgley ; Pita Paraone ; Bill Gudgeon ; Ron Mark MP ; judy turner
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 8:37 PM
Hi Steve. One noted with interest the TV coverage tonight of the passage of the “Civil Union Bill” and all the kissie kissie stuff and trays of champagne in Parliament at this huge victory for New Zealand Society and the social engineering which led to this bun fight.
For the second time I am asking you again when Cabinet might report back on the Agent Orange Inquiry? I point out to you that since the Select Committee completed it’s hearings that at least another ten Vietnam era Veterans have become deceased.We are of course not very happy about that.
For the historical record I make the point to you as Chairman of the Select Committee that only one third of the evidence given to that political hearing has actually been published in the official Select Committee Report.You will also be aware that I have officially lodged a complaint with the Attorney General in regard to the commission of a probable War Crime by members of Parliament circa 1967 when attempts were made to supply Agent Orange to Vietnam for chemical warfare use.I note with interest that you have not communicated with me in regards to this matter and that Wilson as the Attorney General has passed the complaint to the Hon . Mark Burton as Min of Def.
I should also advise you as the Chairman of the Select Committee that I am now advised by media investigators that such supply through the Taranaki Port via the USA Military base in Subic Bay (the Phillipines) is now established.What that means Steve in legal terms is pretty serious and opens the avenue of Kiwi Veterans to make a large dent in Cullens clutch of monetary eggs.
My advice to you is that the Labour Government bites the bullet and sets the injustice right. If they do not then it would be right and proper for all of the vets and their families and wider friends to declare political war on Helen’s stance.
Cheers and best wishes,
John A. Moller.
Local Labour MP Harry Duynhoven then appeared to publicly confirm Agent Orange was manufactured at the Paratutu plant for export and use in the Vietnam War, but again the issue was officially fudged - not sufficient evidence. What that probably means is that someone has carefully destroyed the paperwork that would officially confirm it.
A Vitenam vet I know recalls there was a big panic at some stage in the late 60s when 6 drums of what he is certain was Agent Orange went overboard off Opua Wharf while being shipped overseas.
Maybe this is one where we’ll never know the full story, but there’s enough to be very, very concerned.
October 25th, 2006 at 10:22 am
The 5 “D’s” identified by Corporate Watch: Deny harm, Delay solutions, Divide opposition, Dupe the public and then Dump the product.
Seems like this is still happening here, and there are still a lot of facts to be uncovered.
There are reports of containers of 2,4- D and 2,4,5-T still being found around Back Beach, Paritutu as late as 2001 - see http://www.safe2use.com/ca-ipm/01-05-05-comment.htm.
There are also allegations that IWD manufatured not just the 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T components of Agent Orange, but with the complicity of the (National) Government of the day, actually manufactured Agent Orange for use in Vietnam, and thereby committed a war crime.
Take a look at the email below from Major (Rtd) John A. Moller QSM, former President of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association, to Labour MP Steve Chadwick, when she was Chair of the Health Select Committee:
—– Original Message —–
From: John Moller
To: Steve Chadwick
Cc: judith collins ; sue kedgley ; Pita Paraone ; Bill Gudgeon ; Ron Mark MP ; judy turner
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 8:37 PM
Hi Steve. One noted with interest the TV coverage tonight of the passage of the “Civil Union Bill” and all the kissie kissie stuff and trays of champagne in Parliament at this huge victory for New Zealand Society and the social engineering which led to this bun fight.
For the second time I am asking you again when Cabinet might report back on the Agent Orange Inquiry? I point out to you that since the Select Committee completed it’s hearings that at least another ten Vietnam era Veterans have become deceased.We are of course not very happy about that.
For the historical record I make the point to you as Chairman of the Select Committee that only one third of the evidence given to that political hearing has actually been published in the official Select Committee Report.You will also be aware that I have officially lodged a complaint with the Attorney General in regard to the commission of a probable War Crime by members of Parliament circa 1967 when attempts were made to supply Agent Orange to Vietnam for chemical warfare use.I note with interest that you have not communicated with me in regards to this matter and that Wilson as the Attorney General has passed the complaint to the Hon . Mark Burton as Min of Def.
I should also advise you as the Chairman of the Select Committee that I am now advised by media investigators that such supply through the Taranaki Port via the USA Military base in Subic Bay (the Phillipines) is now established.What that means Steve in legal terms is pretty serious and opens the avenue of Kiwi Veterans to make a large dent in Cullens clutch of monetary eggs.
My advice to you is that the Labour Government bites the bullet and sets the injustice right. If they do not then it would be right and proper for all of the vets and their families and wider friends to declare political war on Helen’s stance.
Cheers and best wishes,
John A. Moller.
Local Labour MP Harry Duynhoven then appeared to publicly confirm Agent Orange was manufactured at the Paratutu plant for export and use in the Vietnam War, but again the issue was officially fudged - not sufficient evidence. What that probably means is that someone has carefully destroyed the paperwork that would officially confirm it.
A Vietnam vet I know recalls there was a big panic at some stage in the late 60s when 6 drums of what he is certain was Agent Orange went overboard off Opua Wharf while being shipped overseas.
Maybe this is one where we’ll never know the full story, but there’s enough to be very, very concerned.
October 25th, 2006 at 11:47 am
This is as bad as it gets, as bad as the tobacco scandal, and it happened, is happening, in NZ. Much as the Paritutu community needs sympathy and compensation, the really shocking thing is that somehow, the Health Department, and its scientists, conspired with the Agricultural Chemicals Board (controlled by farmers and the chemical companies), Farming Leaders, (people like Elsworthy were in power then,) and the National Government ( George Gair was Minister of Health), to actually doctor the figures about dioxin levels in the population, simply because they deemed these highly dangerous chemicals were necessary to boost farming and the economy!!! These people should be named, hung, drawn and quartered. Its also clear why it was suppressed by ongoing governments, afraid of the damage to our clean green image.
October 25th, 2006 at 11:52 am
One more thing, farmers were encouraged to stockpile 24D and 245T. It is probably still being used.
October 25th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
2,4D is quite good actually in that it is not a known carcinogen and also breaks down in the environment in a few days. I think you can still buy this commercially in NZ?
2,4,5T is more persistent, and is no longer widely used. The manufacturing of this also produced the dioxin contamination, which is the major worry in this case.
Pesticides have their place- without the ‘green revolution’ of pesticides and fertilizers billions would probably starve.
October 25th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
“Pesticides have their place- without the ‘green revolution’ of pesticides and fertilizers billions would probably starve.”
Can’t say I agree with that. There are numerous papers in scientidic journals such as “nature” and conference proceedings, as well as publications such as “new scientist” attesting to the ability of organic agriculture to be as productive or more so per hectate than pesticide and fertiliser riddled “green” revolution agriculture. Organics is not so efficient per person hour, but there is no shortage of labour, just of land, fuel and clean environments, so that should not be such a problem.
Also much modern agriculture is concerned with growing grain not for human consumption to feed the starving millions but to give to cattle, which is a very wasteful means of production. Prim also made a point on another thread that the population will just expand to fill the amount of food available.
I took issue on that comment with regards to moves to free up agricultural land by eating lower on the food chain because I considered that if we are wise enough to turn to ecological solutions to feed the existing population we would also be wise enough to limit population growth. But he/she is mot likely right with regards to the green revolution because the mentality is different and seems to assume that we can ignore Malthus forever.
Of course if the only alterntaives were the green revolution or twiddling our thumbs, then people would have starved without the green revolution, but there is a common fallacy that because something did happen then it had to have happened. Other examples are the role of the internal combustion engine in our transport system and animal experiments in medicine. In each case these solutions were not the only ones available, or even necessarily the best ones, just the ones chosen.
October 25th, 2006 at 3:59 pm
Kiore1-
I did not say that “the population will just expand to fill the amount of food available. ” I said that it might. This is quite a different statement. We both have Malthus in mind, however.
I think that the green revolution is a double edged sword.
All the best.
October 25th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
HI Uk_Kiwi: Strongly suggest you see “The Future of Food” to see what the “Green Revolution” is all about and how this is a fallacy perpetrated to sell agrichemicals and eventually ge crops. When you see it, you will see what I mean. Have a look here : http://www.thefutureoffood.com/ The Green’s of NZ have been putting on screenings in several locations. If you are in the UK as your name suggests you may need to buy a copy?
October 25th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
bj: My wording should have been “would have been ducking for cover.” …
(ie informed conjecture, rather than accurate knowledge on my part! I remember the body language … portrayed on black and white TV!)
Also, my MD brother did two six months stints in Vietnam at one of two Australia/NZ Field Service Hospital for Vietnamese civilians. (… the sort of thing Kiwi Governments sometimes do to placate Uncle Sam without being part of the “killing machine”.) The effects of dioxin were becoming all too evident there.
October 25th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
I also remember the years of aerial topdressing and herbicides sprayed over the farm my parents worked on. My sister and I have chronic allergies, as do some of our children (so far 4 out of 6 children). I’ve been following Greenpeace’s toxics campaigns since about 1983, this was an issue that drew me into green politics, anti-GE protests, and a firm belief in the worth of the organic growing of food.
I also knew a friend of my mum’s in the early 80’s, a Vietnam vet, who was already showing symptoms of health problems that he thought were caused by Agent Orange. He had been an Army engineer, and in civilian life, ran a firm contracting earthworks equipment for road building. He was being stone-walled in 1981, so I doubt that 25 years later, Min of Health personnel are any more sensitive, courteous or responsible in the face of this latest development in this sorry saga.
Dow Chemicals are not reknown for caring what happens to staff or local inhabitants in and around their plants.
October 25th, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Its ACC thats the problem with a NO-Fault health insurance policy/company owned by the government, labour denies everything so they don’t have to pay out in ACC claims.
And now they are importing tomatoes from china that are poluted by a similar chemical, and they don’t want to inform the public because its more important to get a free trade deal than to save your health.
I have had a look at children in my area which is a farming area and you can see the dioxin in their faces (they look ugly and retarded). Generation after generation of the government does not care about us; new zealanders, and i can’t see that the greens doing any better with keith locke wanting every immigrant who flushes their passport down the plane’s toilet too waste another 3.4 million in the courts as Ahmed Zaoui has (half a dozen people’s life time of taxs).
October 26th, 2006 at 1:17 am
the “green revolution” is the biggest fraud of all time.
synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides and fungicides are killing us, and detroying the soil and ecosystems.
we have had a 50-year population blip, but the long-term disaster will resonate for many hundreds of years.
global food production is declining year-on-year already, despite ever more chemicals and GE.
October 26th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
uk_kiwi
I suggest you do see the doco. Although it is produced in a dramatic fashion (an unfortunate nature of the TV medium) it raises un-answered questions.
Morning Report had the Ministry of Health and ESR ducking and diving for cover this morning.
You can listen here.
Also I’d dispute your assertions about the safety of 2,4D.
Source
It’s also a probable endocrine disruptor which is of major concern.
As with most agrichemicals, commercial formulations contain multiple ingredients - which are not tested together for their toxicity!
You also asserted “… breaks down in the environment in a few days.”
The toxicological evidence says otherwise.
Not exactly a “few” days !
October 27th, 2006 at 11:15 am
Todays good news - I just looked on a map, and in the mid-60s I lived about 2 miles from the Dow plant
Perhaps I’m a walking Dioxin infestation!
October 27th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
db,
If you have no adverse immune dysfunctions yet, just keep any eye on it.
There appears to be a pattern of immune dysfunctions and neural system defects and cancers, which take varying amounts of time to manifest.
There do appear to be some genotypes more susceptible to damage than others, which is why some people who worked there had more problems/illness/died younger than others.
My heart goes out to the people of Taranaki at this time, the concentration of misery there is a curse on our civil services, who approved this toxic wasteland in the first place.
IWD should never have been allowed to continue to produce their chemicals here after they were made to close down production in the USA in 1984. They were deemed culpable for the US Vietnam Vet illnesses, and made to recompense sufferers there for their disabilities, and pay for ongoing health problems. Here they have just waited, denying the issues and letting people die without any compensation, or acknowlegment of the causality of dioxin in the pathology.
The Min of Health is as culpable as IWD, since they allowed this farce to continue in the face of International scientific evidence of toxicity.
October 27th, 2006 at 3:55 pm
and who was the minister of health in the 80’s labour government..?
helen clark..?..wasn’t it..?
i can’t believe the agent orange cr*p we demonstrated against so many years ago…was still being made in taranaki..for so much longer..
you won’t hear ‘peep’ from labour on this….they are as culpable as national..and the investors/shareholders/operatives of ivan watkins dow…
(a pox on all of them..eh..?..)
w.t.f were national and labour governments doing just ignoring this/allowing this..?
this manufacture/sale/use of products known to be poisonous to all who come in contact to it..?
and banned in america..!..for feck sake…!
the neglect of those successive national/labour governments is criminal….
and another consequence of their deriliction of duty is the fact that in the last 50 years this country has been drenched in poisonous chemicals…
the ‘harvest’ of this we have yet to reap…
isn’t it amazing how we’ve managed to feck this country over..in such a short time…..?
and you know the really scary thing about this..?
this proof of their bullshit/neglect of duty..?
that ..if this…what else..?
eh..?
(”..what’s that..?”.. i hear you say..
“..the dangers/connections between consuming enormous/world-beating amounts of dairy..and our world-beating stats in certain major causes of death..?..”
“…sshhh!!!..”..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 27th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
and who was the minister of health in the 80’s labour government..?
helen clark..?..wasn’t it..?
i can’t believe the agent orange cr*p we demonstrated against so many years ago…was still being made in taranaki..for so much longer..
you won’t hear ‘peep’ from labour on this….they are as culpable as national..and the investors/shareholders/operatives of ivan watkins dow…
(a pox on all of them..eh..?..)
w.t.f were national and labour governments doing just ignoring this/allowing this..?
this manufacture/sale/use of products known to be poisonous to all who come in contact to it..?
and banned in america..!..for feck sake…!
the neglect of those successive national/labour governments is criminal….
and another consequence of their deriliction of duty is the fact that in the last 50 years this country has been drenched in poisonous chemicals…
the ‘harvest’ of this we have yet to reap…
isn’t it amazing how we’ve managed to feck this country over..in such a short time…..?
and you know the really scary thing about this..?
this proof of their bullsh*t/neglect of duty..?
that ..if this…what else..?
eh..?
(”..what’s that..?”.. i hear you say..
“..the dangers/connections between consuming enormous/world-beating amounts of dairy..and our world-beating stats in certain major causes of death..?..”
“…sshhh!!!..”..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 27th, 2006 at 3:59 pm
katie:
… plus politicians/political parties who wouldn’t/couldn’t admit that they had been wrong.
I guess those that are still alive remain in denial to this day.
October 27th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
phil:
You and I were busy writing at the same time …
Yes, unfortunately politics is usually about expediency (especially for the major parties /older politicians who still tend to see things in FPP terms).
I share your OUTRAGE about the coverup and non-action taken … but we are all guilty of not doing enough to change that.
Those older politicians are well aware that (by definition) half the population has an intelligence level that is average or below… and that is a major reason why things are presented as black or white. (Shades of grey are too subtle for the average politician’s canvas.)
However, of the two major Parties I still prefer Helen Clark and Labour (unadmitted, but most likely learnt-from, mistakes and all) to the alternative of Brash/ Keys and National.
MMP and its possibilities to do things differently will gradually bring change I hope. However, those changes will depend on the Electorate at large becoming more “mature” in its thinking, and (much) better informed.
… Meanwhile we have the Greens and the few allies they have formed in other parts of the House and the community at large. (The “GreenLabour”
branches of the Labour Party are an interesting development … now we have the National Party trying its hand. I’m cynical about their motives, but … )
October 27th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
eredwen said..”..I’m cynical about their motives..”
even a year ago i would have agreed with you…
but we are in the middle of the rest of the world waking up to what we have been banging on about for quite some time now…
so..even if some in national have cynical motives..and see this as just a marketing exercise..
events are about to overtake them….so their motives are irrelevant…
they won’t be able to turn back the clock..
and i’m sorry..i don’t accept your contention that “..we are all guilty..”
it’s their job….that’s what we pay them to do…
part of their job is to protect us from b*stards who want to poison us..(in their search for the dollar…)
and they failed..they failed when there were feckin’ neon signs pointing at their failures/shortcomings…..
( i cannot believe a politically aware animal such as cleark was not aware on the ongoing dialogue/concerns about dioxin…)
they (labour and national) could not possibly have not known these poisons were banned in america because of the cancer-causing dioxin..
yet they did…nothing..
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 27th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
cont..
as this is why there needs to be some form of full-blown inquiry…
i think we all would like to see the names of those who ’signed off’ on this…
we need to follow the paper trails…
we want to know when they knew….
and for them to tell us why they allowed this situation to continue…for yeara..and years..and years..
this isn’t a witch-hunt..
it’s called accountability…
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 28th, 2006 at 12:19 am
phil says:
“this isn’t a witch-hunt.. it’s called accountability…”
I totally agree!
Also, I stand by “we are all guilty of not doing enough to change that.” … in the sense that repetitive nagging, especially from a large number of people, does get results (from some/most? politicians). It may even give an individual MP the support he/she needs to stand up to the Collective in ways that would lead to change.
My father (now deceased) made a point of writing a letter to his local MP and/or appropriate Cabinet Minister(s) every week telling them what needed to be done, and giving positive feedback when they did things well. When he died, a whole bunch of them (past and present) turned up to his memorial gathering. He had become well known and well respected in that circle.
October 28th, 2006 at 9:05 am
It’s easy to be mad at (former) governments, but it ignores our (ie we the people) role in this.
There was an article on the news very recently about dairy farmers polluting through inappropriate drainage techniques (wasn’t really listening, so I apologise for the roughness of data), and there was a suggestion that Fonterra should not purchase milk off non-compliant farmers. The man from Fonterra made noises like “this is a very last resort”, ie it wont happen.
Ultimately, NZ currently makes money of farming, and if anyone tries to break farming then they are going to be held accountable by us for that, so its very difficult to get in the way of this juggernaught. Public health and pollution are just two examples of collateral damage on the way.
It s not right, but its the way it is. I have no idea how to change it, short of NZ being not reliant on farming, then there is no stranglehold to break.
October 28th, 2006 at 11:04 am
dbuckley:
That “Fonterra” article was about the affects of new breed of farmers/farming on the aluvial plains of Canterbury, where the current bylaws etc have not yet caught up with the current play.
Artesian water and hydro electricity (from the Grid) are being used to make the formerly dry land (traditionally “marginal” for pasture or low grade cropping) into lush green pasture for heavily stocked dairy farms (despite the searing drying of our famous Nor’West winds).
The problems are the traditional rules about extracting the (absolutely pure) water from the aquifers below AND the disposal of waste products into the porus land has meant that some of these precious aquifers (which have “always” stored the “100% pure” rainfall on the eastern side of the Southern Alps) are in danger of being polluted and/or seriously depleted /endangered by the influx of these newcomers to the area.
It will be hard to stop because they have been allowed to spend huge sums setting up these dairy units under the currrent inadequate rules.
It is a whole “get rich quick enterprise” for the individuals (and for our “balance of payments”) at the expense of the future.
October 28th, 2006 at 11:26 am
Please amend my last sentence (above) to:
In some cases it is seen as a “get rich quick enterpriseâ€? for the individuals (and for our “balance of paymentsâ€?) but potentially at the expense of the future.
October 28th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
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October 29th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Another potential chemical issue that is in progress right now … on Wednesday 25 Oct, I received a Greenpeace email that said:
“We have recently had a big win in the fight against the Marsden B coal-fired power station proposal , with the High Court proclaiming that we can now use climate change in our argument on the Appeal, as far as impacts on renewable energy is concerned.”
“But in the meantime, the Department of Conservation has announced that it intends to allow Mighty River Power to build a coal “conveyor” from the Whangarei Port to Marsden B, right through the Ruakaka Conservation Area. The “conveyor” will, according to Mighty River, look like a series of containers, end on end. ”
“It would be used to transport millions of tonnes of coal from the port to the power station. ”
“Mighty River Powers’ application has some glaring omissions in its application which DOC appears to have overlooked. These include no consideration of what will happen to the surrounding area if there is a fire on the conveyor from the coal dust, nor the impact of the coal dust on the local environment - or how that would be dealt with. ”
“DOC’s consent is open for public submission until 21 November. ”
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Now for a question -
Does RMA really stand for “Resource Munting Act”?
November 28th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I read more about this Dioxin poisoning this year. Reminds of Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich where a California power company is accused of polluting a city’s water supply and found guilty. Here some of what I found about this in May of 2008.
The Health Ministry has acknowledged the exposure may have resulted in a 10 per cent increase in cancer deaths in the New Plymouth area.
Dioxin Investigation Network spokesman Andrew Gibb reckons the number of deaths is much higher: he alleges the wrong tests were done on the wrong groups of people, “diluting” the results.
“During community consultation, we repeatedly expressed concern that historical matters would not be addressed by studying largely different residents 25 to 30 years after exposure took place. “We were told the health effects of historic exposures would be addressed by a second-tier investigation, but this has never happened.”
In addition to deaths from cancer, many women have reported miscarriages and birth defects.
“Parents and grandparents carry this burden of guilt for exposing their children to this poison, even though they didn’t know.”
In addition to the stress of ill health, the people of Paritutu have to deal with skepticism from others in the community.
“I think some people were worried about property values, but we’re not talking about Paritutu now, but the fallout from something that happened decades ago.”
This news saddens me. How many other cases like this go unnoticed from the ill effects of a company poisoning their community to reap profits short term?