Concern about insecticide sale

Press, 16 December 1988, Page 17

Concern about insecticide sale

PA Auckland An insecticide linked in England to epilepsy, kidney disorders and muscle damage is still on sale in New Zealand, experts say. Lindane, a broad-spectrum insecticide used to control pasture pests, seed treatments and, until recently, in borer bombs, had been banned or severely restricted in many countries but was still used in England and New Zealand. A senior toxicologist at Leeds University, Dr Alastair Hay, said one of the known effects of lindane was that it caused epileptic fits. But the Pesticides’ Board registrar, Mr David Lunn said he had not heard of any problems associated with lindane apart from its long residual period. All registrations of lindane would be withdrawn at the end of 1989, said Mr Lunn. He expected all stocks would be sold by then. This was part of the Health Department’s overall plan to phase out organo-chlorine insecticides including D.D.T. in favour of chemicals which did not linger in the environment. The head of the health protection department, Mr Jim Waters said tests had shown lindane could cause ill-effects in animals. “But it is an extrapolation to say humans are affected. As far as I’m aware use of lindane has not been linked to human health problems,” he said.

An entomologist with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said lindane in spite being a very good insecticide stayed around too long.