Toxic Fracking Waste Entering Food Supply?
Thursday, June 6, 2013
”The practice of dumping toxic oil drilling and fracking waste on farmland is compromising the ability of New Zealand
farmers to grow good food,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health - Organic NZ.
Her comments follow recent media attention that 12 farmers in Taranaki practicing so-called ‘land farming’ are providing
milk to Fonterra.
Land farming allows toxic waste from oil drilling and fracking which may include arsenic, lead and mercury to be dumped
on land in the hope that it will be neutralised by providing pollution-eating organisms with fertilizer, oxygen, and
other conditions that encourage their rapid growth.
”Whilst big oil would have you believe this is effective it really isn’t rocket science that it is not. Their profits
should not come at the expense of human health,” says Swanwick. “Fracking wastes have already contaminated groundwater
in the US and elsewhere and we need to learn lessons from this.”
Oil companies are giving dairy farmers the same returns for land that would be used for milk production to instead dump
this waste, and are also paying for pasture renewal.
With 140 new oil wells in the region forecast in the next two years more land is being demanded.
”To grow good food you need good soil that is contaminant free. Dumping fracking waste on farms is compromising the 100%
pure NZ brand and it must stop,” says Swanwick.
”The only way New Zealanders can be assured that our food is free of GE, pesticides, additives and contaminants is to
grow or buy organic. Look for the organic certification labels of BioGro, AsureQuality, Demeter or OrganicFarmNZ,” says
Swanwick.
Soil & Health - Organic NZ is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to
have fresh, healthy, organic food and water that is free of GE, pesticides and additives, and their right to know what
is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food
subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ
ENDS