Chch street contaminated

Press, 9 June 1986, Page 2

Chch street contaminated

PA Wellington The air surrounding main streets of Auckland and Christchurch is highly contaminated with petrolbased lead, according to the Royal Society’s committee on lead in the environment.

The report found that general air lead levels in New Zealand were low by international standards. “But measurements made in Queen Street, Auckland; Manchester Street, Christchurch; and beside the southern motorway in Ellerslie,

Auckland show that the air in specifically busy areas is highly contaminated with petrol-based lead.” It noted that human blood-lead levels had fallen about a third since 1974 in spite of petrol lead usage remaining constant. “The most likely cause is the reduction in the use of canned foods and particularly the replacement of lead-based solders in food cans,” the report found. Lead-based solders in canned food are no longer

used. The report said a recent study of blood-lead levels had found that petrol-based lead was not a serious health hazard in New Zealand. “Lead in water supplies in New Zealand offers no cause for anxiety and the same applies to food — even canned food. “On the scant evidence available the drinking of large volumes of wine could possibly result in undue but not dangerous consumption of lead,” the report said.