Stricter 2,4,5-T control urged

Press, 28 August 1979, Page 2

Stricter 2,4,5-T control urged

PA Hamilton The Farmworkers’ Union yesterday called for stricter guidelines to control the use of 2,4,5-T and other dangerous chemicals on farms. The union’s secretary, Mr W. Withall, said from Levin that there was a need for guidelines to be adhered, to when dangerous chemicals were used on farms. “Farmers and their farmworkers have to be more l. are that they are handling dangerous chemicals,” Mr Withall said. His comments were made after the New Zealand manufacturer of 2,4,5-T reacted to the Federation of Labour pledge to support any union banning the weedkiller.

The general manager of Ivon Watkins-Dow (Mr R. Bollen) said workers were not as exposed to 2,4,5-T as were farmers, and farmers were completely happy with it. Mr Withall said his members had “mixed feelings” about the use of dangerous chemicals on farms. “The reports coming from overseas are so varied — one group gets a set of experts to say one thing, and another gets another set of experts to say what it wants them to say.” The association had tried to get guidelines for the handling of dangerous chemicals written into the Agricultural Workers’ act and their award, but had not been successful, Mr Withall said.