Toxin victim campaigns to warn others

Press, 27 June 1989, Page 9

Toxin victim campaigns to warn others

By

JANE DUNBAR

When Bryan Goulstone started tripping over and falling asleep at work he knew something was wrong.

"It was very embarrassing,” he said. “I found I was tripping over, my hands wouldn’t work properly, and I kept dropping off to sleep.”

Mr Goulstone went to a neurologist and found his problems had been caused by a long-term exposure to chemicals. As a research chemist working for the packaging industry he was exposed to low levels of normal hexane, and over a period of time this began to destroy the nervous system in his hands and feet. He was forced to leave his job and has not been able to work again. Fortunately for him, his condition was measurable and could be documented by a doctor. This meant he was eligible for accident compensation. But others were often not so lucky, he said. In some cases there were no official ways of pinpointing their condition and sb they were not eligible for compensation.

Mr Goulstone is now the secretary of the Canterbury Toxins Action Group, and is campaigning to raise people’s awareness of the dangers of exposure to chemicals. People should make sure they knew what chemicals they were working with and the possible effects, he said. They should then take precautions such as wearing gloves, goggles and masks when working.

Young apprentices in particular needed to be made aware of the dangers. Otherwise they tended to think “she’ll be right” and not protect themselves.

Many people affected were often not aware of what was happening. They would start off the week feeling fine, then gradually get a shorter temper, feel sleepy, develop headaches and by the end of the week feel terrible. After a week-end off they felt fine again. Mr Goulstone said many industries in Christchurch had a “Dickensian approach” to chemicals, and people were led to believe exposure “was just part of the job.”

Some industries, such as the rubber trade, were well aware of the dangers and its union was involved in the issue. Mr Goulstone is also concerned about the easy availability of “pesticide nasties” for home gardens.

Although lindane, chlordane, and DDT would be banned from December, they were still available in supermarkets, and small packs could be thrown into a shopper’s trolley along with food. The Canterbury Toxins Action Group is trying to raise money to do a survey of pesticides available in supermarkets.