Chemical plant may be inquiry subject

Press, 13 June 1986, Page 4

Chemical plant may be inquiry subject

PA Wellington The Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, is considering setting up a Commission of Inquiry into alleged health hazards involved in the production of 2,4,5-T by the Ivon Watkins-Dow plant in New Plymouth, the “Dominion" newspaper reports. Dr Bassett yesterday referred a call by the member of Parliament for New Plymouth, Mr Tony Friedlander, for an official investigation into the plant, to the Health Department. A spokesman for Dr Bassett’s office said the department had been asked for an urgent response, including more background on the issue. Mr Friedlander, in a letter to Dr Bassett, said the controversy surrounding the Ivon Watkins-Dow plant and the production of 2,4,5-T had simmered for many years. While many claims that the plant was a health hazard had been made, both the Health Department and the company had assured the people of New Plymouth such claims were not correct.

“Any matter which may threaten the health of people in my electorate is of the gravest concern to me . . . such matters should be thoroughly in-

vestigated and the conclusions given the widest publicity within the interested community,” he said.

An official investigation would either calm the fears of residents or point to any remedial steps, he said.

An Ivon Watkins-Dow spokesman, Mr Tony Jacques, said last evening that though the company did not believe an official investigation was necessary, it would, co-operate if one was set up. “Our response is that we are not aware of any ill effects to health resulting from the activities of the I.W.D. plant,” he said. “No study involving our plant or its products, including 2,4,5-T, has ever shown any health effect and we are confident that, if any further study is in fact set up, it will simply reinforce what we already know. There have been a lot of other studies.” Mr Jacques said previous experience had shown the “main agitators” against the plant refused to accept the results of previous studies and he doubted they would accept future study results which did not agree with their point of view. He said a properly organised and scientifically based survey of the

health of the people of New Plymouth would set any fears to rest without the need for a formal inquiry. “We acknowledge people have these (health) fears, but we don’t believe they are justified,” he said. He also believed a formal inquiry would duplicate some of the studies which had already been done, including an Environmental Council study which was expected to be made public soon. Included with Mr Friedlander’s letter was a letter by the group Residents Against Dioxin, which asked him to introduce a private member’s bill calling for a ban on the production of 2,4,5-T if a poll of New Plymouth residents showed the majority were opposed to 2,4,5-T. The group also called for Health Department blood tests for a broad spectrum of chemicals on some people living near the plant, a Health Department survey looking at the general health of residents, including young children, in the area surrounding the plant, and a visit to New Plymouth by Dr Bassett and the Minister for the Environment, Mr Goff, to hear about health concerns.