1080 Usage in New Zealand

1080 Usage In New Zealand

The use of 1080, a pesticide using sodium fluoroacetate, is a contentious issue in New Zealand, with the majority of the debate occurring between conservationists and hunters.

Although the use of 1080 in New Zealand was deemed "effective and safe" by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in a 2011 re-evaluation and is widely considered to be the most effective tool currently available for controlling possums over large areas, it remains a contentious issue, with the majority of the debate occurring between conservationists and livestock farmers on one side and hunters and animal rights activists on the other. Concerns are also raised about security of potable water supplies in areas where 1080 is applied.

New Zealand is the largest user of biodegradable 1080 poison, using about 80% of the world's supply. Biodegradable 1080 poison is the only toxin currently registered for use on mainland New Zealand as suitable for aerial targeting of the common brushtail possum - a major conservation and agricultural pest. It has been used as such since the late 1950s. Sodium fluoroacetate is imported in a raw form from the United States.

Read more about 1080 Usage In New Zealand:  How and Why 1080 Is Used, Debate, Alternatives, See Also

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