‘No 2,4,5-T risk’ but worker died

Press, 7 October 1980, Page 3

‘No 2,4,5-T risk’ but worker died

PA Wellington The Health Department l will investigate the death of] a chemicals worker who took part in a survey which concluded there was no health risk to employees at the Ivon Watkins-Dow New Plymouth plant. The pesticide, 2,4,5-T, is| one of many produced at the' plant.

Amid the growing controversy over 2,4,5-T, the workers asked the Health Department to assess their health.

Releasing the - departmen-1 tai report yesterday, the Minister of Health (Mr Gair) said it stated "quite clearly”! that there was no evidence to suggest that any of the employees’ health had been adversely affected by their present jobs. Since the completion of the report, Mr Gair said, information had been received that one of the participants in the survey had died.

"Although there is no reason to suppose that the cause of death was in any way associated with chemicals manufactured at the plant, the Health Department is investigating causative factors relating to this employee,” Mr Gair said. A supplementary report on the worker’s death would be issued in due course, he said.

An independent specialist was engaged by the Health Department to examine workers directly involved in the manufacture of 2,4,5-T between May and August this year. At the same time an assessment at the manufacturing plant was made by staff of the Auckland Environmental Laboratory. Of the 50 employees involved, 45 accepted the offer of an examination, the re-

port said. Four of these. were women. “After collating all the relevant data from the personal questionnaires, laboratory analysis and his clinical examinations, the consultant physician reported that there was no evidence to suggest that any of the employees’ health had been adversely affected by their present job.” the report said. But it warned that this conclusion did not prove that 2.4,5-T was safe, noting that the study was limited to those who were working at the plant and did not

ntake into account those who had left. • In a section on birth de- • fects, the report said the, ■ rate of miscarriages was • about what could be ex- ■ pected in line with average I statistics. : The report recommended • that the monitoring pro-1 i grammes used in the main r plant to determine dioxin concentrations in materials ; should be extended to the : pilot plant. It also suggested - that workers in the pilot ■ plant should be examined - each year and their medical t records kept for 30 years.