Safety Fears About Painted Apple Moth Spray

New Zealand First Biosecurity spokesperson Brent Catchpole says he is deeply concerned about the safety of the spray used to eradicate Painted Apple Moth.

“After all the assurances from the Government that the spray Foray 48B used to eradicate the moth is completely safe, why is the Deputy Prime Minister now issuing an indemnity, to AgriQuality NZ Ltd against claims in respect of any chemical and long term effects on health or the environment from the use of Btk contained in the Foray 48B spray?”

“Obviously by this action, the Government no longer has confidence that their assurances of the spray’s safety are reliable and they now accept that there is a potential danger to the health of the people living in and surrounding the spray zone.”

“The $90million approved for the spray programme is now destined to explode as the medical and health bills for the people living in Auckland begin to escalate. It is the Government’s responsibility to face up to this issue and to assist the people in Auckland who are affected. This is a cost that AgriQuality is not willing to accept in the face of growing threats of legal and health costs,” concluded Brent Catchpole.

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