Fewer 2,4,5-T purity tests?

Press, 12 August 1986, Page 8

Fewer 2,4,5-T purity tests?

PA Wellington The Pesticides Board has decided to halve 2,4,5T purity testing and has discussed leaving all pro-duct-sampling of the herbicide to the manufacturer, Ivon Watkins-Dow. Since 1973 the board, as statutory body controlling pesticides, has monitored 2,4,5-T for dioxin levels. The registrar, Mr Brian Watts, said yesterday that the board voted to reduce the number of tests from 12 to six, annually, but this would not be implemented unless it was costefficient

Instead of the monthly random sampling, it was decided that two audits a year would be made on Ivon Watkins-Dow testing methods, he said. Before tests were reduced, prices for sampling and audits would have to be compared.

The tests were constantly finding dioxin levels were about .004 to .005 parts per million — well below the statutory requirement of .01. "There is a very marked similarity between our results and the company’s results,” he said.

Another factor was the user-pays principle. According to a confidential agenda and other information leaked to the “Dominion” newspaper yesterday, Mr Watts asked

the board to leave all testing to Ivon WatkinsDow.

In the .past, Ministry of Agriculture inspectors took samples, and the D.S.I.R. tested them at no cost to the board, the agenda said.

Now the board was being asked to pay more than $6OOO a year.

“On balance I would suggest that continued analysis by the D.S.I.R. is not necessary,” Mr Watts wrote. ■' • •

A large percentage of board members supported Mr Watts’s, , suggestion, a reliable source said..

The body is made up of representatives of the Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Federated Farmers, Vegetable and Producer Growers’ Federation, Beekeepers’ Association, Agricultural Merchants, Wine Institute, Agricultural Chemical and Animal Remedies Manufacturers’ Association, plus appointees from the Ministers of Science, Health and Environment Last week an Environmental Council report called for a moratorium on 2,4,5-T manufacture pending a new study on health risks.

The Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, said a production halt could be called only on the advice of both the Toxic Substances Board and the Pesticides Board. '