Napier Port defends use of toxic fumigation chemicals banned in Europe

Logs piled up at Napier Port. China and India require imported timber to be treated with methyl bromide. Photo / Duncan Brown.

Napier Port is continuing to use a controversial and potentially dangerous toxic insecticide but says it would welcome an alternative solution to debugging logs for export.

Chief executive Todd Dawson said the substance, methyl bromide, which is banned in Europe, was used to treat cargo at dedicated fumigation areas at the port, under strict safety precautions.

"In Hawke's Bay methyl bromide fumigation is carried out by fumigator, Genera, who is engaged directly by cargo owners shipping via Napier Port, particularly log exporters.

"As landlord, Napier Port has a responsibility to ensure activities carried out on site are done to the highest safety standards. We take our responsibility to keeping our own staff and the wider community safe very seriously."

Methyl bromide had been used here to fumigate logs since 2011 but, to a lesser extent, for containerised cargo for more than 25 years.

Last year, 118 tonnes of methyl bromide was used to fumigate logs and containers at Napier Port.

"Methyl bromide is used to treat cargo where there is a 'phytosanitary requirement', put simply to kill bugs. China and India require logs to be treated with methyl bromide."

Although required by those two countries for log imports, the port itself would welcome an alternative method.

"The phasing out of methyl bromide is an issue the forestry industry is grappling with at the moment. We support the investigation of alternative methods for fumigating forestry products."

Usage was monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency but Napier Port had put in a range of additional measures to ensure fumigators used methyl bromide safely.

Dedicated fumigation areas were at the northern end of the port's breakwater, well away from its landside boundary.

Fumigation company Genera also had its own processes.

Todd confirmed that port staff had raised concerns about the use of methyl bromide.

"Methyl Bromide is raised as an issue from time to time. We take on board any suggestions for improved practice from our staff.

"As a responsible employer, we empower our staff to discuss any health and safety concerns they have and actively involve them in the improvement and management of fumigation processes."

Ministry for Primary Industries guidelines about its use say that at concentrations not immediately fatal, the chemical still produces neurological symptoms. High concentrations may bring about death through pulmonary injury and associated circulatory failure.

A single small exposure from which a person recovers quickly is not likely to cause delayed or long-term effects.

However, after a "serious exposure" that causes lung or nervous system-related problems, permanent brain or nerve damage can result.

The current Workplace Exposure Standard for methyl bromide at 5ppm over 8 hours is 30 times below any known effect.

* Methyl Bromide:

Its use has been widely and successfully used for more than 70 years in New Zealand for quarantine purposes.

Chemical composition is CH3Br and it is also known as bromomethane.

It is produced from both human sources and natural ones – in the ocean; marine organisms are estimated to produce 1-2 billion kilograms annually.

In November, 2010, the Environmental Protection Authority allowed the continued use of the fumigant, after an extensive reassessment of the substance's use in New Zealand.

Its use is banned in Europe and it only able to be used in the United States and Australia under critical exemption purposes.