Time to pull stumps on arsenic herbicide

green-party

Thu Feb 19 2009 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Time to pull stumps on arsenic herbicide

Thursday, 19 February 2009, 3:58 pm
Press Release: Green Party

19 February 2009

Green MP Sue Kedgley is calling on the Environmental Risk Management
Authority (ERMA) to immediately halt the use of methylarsinic acid - an
arsenic based herbicide used on New Zealand sports fields. ERMA today
confirmed it is reviewing this arsenic based herbicide.

"Arsenic is something most people associate with poisoners' in old
movies not something we expect is being sprayed around sports grounds.
The next Dan Vettori or Dan Carter could be playing on fields sprayed
with this muck," said Ms Kedgley.

The preliminary recommendation made by ERMA is that existing approvals
for this herbicide be revoked. Ms Kedgley hopes ERMA will take a strong
stand on this substance, as they did with the insecticide Endosulfan,
and stop its use.

"Arsenic does not degrade in the environment and is like a ticking time
bomb when it comes to people's health. The European Union, Canada and
the United States are all withdrawing this toxic substance.

Massey University even point out on their website that this chemical is
too toxic for home use but continues to be used by commercial
green-keepers.

"About the only benefit likely to be put up as an argument for keeping
this dreadful stuff is that it controls weeds cheaply. More important
surely is the cost to people's health and our over-stretched health
system from continuing to spray arsenic into our environment," said Ms
Kedgley.

"Let's not let this compound continue to be used during a likely 'phase
out period' should ERMA's initial assessment be confirmed. The umpire
needs to give this poison 'Out' right now."

Link to Massey University website

http://weeds.massey.ac.nz/weeds.asp?pid=48&sf=common

ENDS

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