Southland Environment to Investigate 1080 Landfill on Stewart Island

Environment Southland awaits a report from the The Department of Conservation before deciding when it will take action on the 1080 spill in Rakiura National Park on Stewart Island

It was reported last week that 1080 had been dumped into the park national by a contractor. 75kg of 1080 were found in a swamp near the mouth of the Rakeahua River, 30 meters from a public road.

The poisoned operation of Stewart Island took place in what is known as the "Rakeahua Possum Control Block". From March to June

The contractor confirmed that three 25 kg bags of grain bait containing 1080 were left in a remote backcountry during the five months of the operation. Baiting on the ground

. The person stated that the police were aware of the case, but that she was not investigating at this stage. Southland Environment Director Nicol Horrell said he was awaiting a report from the Department of Conservation on dumping, which he hoped. be ready this week.

"We must get this report and see what it contains, then the staff will make a recommendation from there.

" I can not really say much until we got that and I'm hesitant to speculate on a lawsuit, but we had a contaminant in a waterway.

Horrell stated that the 1080 broadcast licenses were granted by the central government, not by Environment Southland.

All contractors using 1080 must hold a controlled substance license

The contractor was required to return any unused bait to be destroyed with a certified disposal company.

The department uses poison in its Battle for the Birds campaign to control predators such as rats, stoats and opossums in native forests.

On Friday, Acting Assistant Director General Operations Reg Kemper said that he condemned the actions of the entrepreneur who threw and buried the pest toxin

the belief of the beggars that & # 39; A qualified professional hired to fight the pests would think that it is acceptable to dump toxins. "

The incident was also reported to the Environmental Protection Authority of Ions and the Medical Bureau of Health.

– Stuff