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Media Statement responding to Ministry for the Environment

Organochlorine Study reporting on Persistent Organochlorines in New Zealand

The New Zealand Chemical Industry Council says first results from an MfE nation-wide survey of levels of chemical contaminants in the New Zealand environment are encouraging and reflect the responsible attitude and superior performance standards demonstrated by chemical manufacturers and users.

NZCIC Chief Executive, Barry Dyer, says members support the Ministry for the Environment’s Organochlorine Programme which proposes to establish the true extent of the contamination and is keen to help the Ministry develop the necessary environmental performance guidelines to ensure the long term protection of the New Zealand environment.

"There is already a high degree of self regulation in our industry", he said. "All manufacturing processes are subject to strict consent requirements under the Resource Management Act and are scrutinised by independent audit. The Council works closely with the authorities to continuously improve performance standards and demonstrate compliance with New Zealand’s demanding SH&E protection legislation".

"Jointly developed guidelines which reflect New Zealand conditions are welcomed by all responsible manufacturers, importers and users. The Ministry’s initial survey paints a positive picture of the New Zealand environment. The key to maintaining and achieving continuous improvement is risk management, education, training and performance auditing – all key principles of the international chemical industry’s Responsible Care™ programme".

"Incentives rather than prescriptive regulations are a more effective route to follow and we all have a part to play in establishing realistic outcomes. Good business relies on sound management and the chemical industry is no exception," Barry said. "Our industry welcomes the opportunity to demonstrate superior safety, health and environmental performance, not only as good employers, but also as responsible members of our local community".

Some key findings from the MfE survey

Air, soil, rivers and estuaries were assessed in the MfE’s nation-wide survey to establish background levels of organochlorines existing in the New Zealand environment.

Air Report:

Current monitoring indicates domestic emissions in urban environments during winter are a major source of PCDDs and PCDFs to the New Zealand atmosphere. Motor vehicles also contribute substantial pollution.

Concentrations of most organochlorines in New Zealand air are lower than have been reported for comparable studies overseas, particularly for Northern Hemisphere countries.

Tighter government regulations, improved industrial processes and the use of modern pollution control equipment have resulted in lower PCDD and PCDF emissions from known industrial sources in many countries. However, it is unlikely that complete elimination of such contaminants is possible due to uncontrolled or natural releases, e.g. forest fires, volcanic explosions, other accidental fires, etc.

Soils Report:

The levels of PCDDs and PCDFs measured in New Zealand pristine agricultural and urban soils are consistently lower, in some instances substantially lower, than concentrations measured overseas for similar types.

PCDD and PCDF concentrations in agricultural soils were extremely low, with a media contaminant level for hill country pasture of 0.58 ppt and a media level for flat land pasture of 0.54 ppt. These results are consistent with the recent finding of low dietary exposures of the New Zealand population to PCDDs and PCDFs.

Rivers Report:

No PCDDs or PCDFs were detected above the method detection limit in any of the 16 primary river water samples analysed.

No organochlorine pesticides or chlorophenols were detailed in any river water samples.

The survey has demonstrated that New Zealand’s riverine environments are relatively free of contamination by persistent organochlorines. The accumulation of only trace levels of these contaminants by finfish is indicative of the generally low level of contamination in the New Zealand environment.

Estuaries Report:

The survey has demonstrated that New Zealand’s estuarine environments are relatively free of organochlorine contaminants, although levels in some estuaries are approaching those reported for urbanised estuaries overseas.