ERMA To Hold Public Hearing On Endosulfan

6 October 2008 MEDIA RELEASE

ERMA To Hold Public Hearing On Endosulfan

The Environmental Risk Management Authority plans to hold a two-day public hearing in Wellington on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 October 2008 to hear the views of over 40 people and organisations on the use of the insecticide endosulfan. The venue is yet to be confirmed.

In June this year the Environmental Risk Management Authority started the formal reassessment of endosulfan by releasing a document for public comment.

This contained information on the use of endosulfan and preliminary recommendations that stronger restrictions be put in place to control its use, should its continued use be permitted.

Over 180 submissions were received when submissions closed on 8 August.

Andrea Eng, ERMA's Hazardous Substances General Manager, said a briefing paper containing a summary of submissions and other new information had been prepared for the Authority and those attending the hearing. It was released today on the ERMA New Zealand website. (at http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/appfiles/execsumm/pdf/HRC07003-003.pdf )

Following the hearing, the Authority hopes to make a final decision on the future use of this chemical before Christmas.

It would base its decision on consideration of the information contained in the original reassessment document, all submissions and other further information received, and on information provided at the hearing.

The briefing paper just released says: "If the benefits outweigh the risks and costs, the Authority may approve the continued use of endosulfan in New Zealand for some or all of its current uses (possibly with stricter controls or with further restrictions on use). If the benefits do not outweigh the risks or costs then the Authority may decide to prohibit endosulfan or some or all of its uses."

ENDS

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