Evacuate children before moth spraying, says group

A community group monitoring aerial spraying for painted apple moth in Auckland suburbs wants schools and childcare establishments closed or evacuated during spraying.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's community consultation group, CC-PAM, released a report yesterday alleging that children forced to remain in the spray zone in buildings vulnerable to spray penetration and build-up were at risk.

"Unlike homes, which can be closed off until the spray has cleared, schools by their nature are open for business," said the author, Hana Blackmore.

The first round of spraying was done during the school holidays, but the next helicopter passes are due on Tuesday - weather permitting.

Officials said on January 29 that they were reconsidering whether it would be better for aerial spraying to be done at the weekend or during the week.

MAF planned its aerial spraying in Auckland to start on a weekend and continue at three-weekly intervals.

But unsuitable weather and equipment failures delayed completion of the flights, and bumped the start of the second bout of spraying back to days when schools were occupied.

The first operation had its start delayed until Monday, January 21, and was not completed until the following Thursday.

Consequently, the second operation is now due to start on a weekday.

But Ms Blackmore said international research showed that, within a few hours of spraying, the levels of pesticide inside schools wouldbe greater than outside.

MAF and the Government had refused to carry out indoor sampling in schools to determine the actual levels of spray penetration, concentration and persistence.

"Without these studies we cannot begin to estimate the exposure levels faced by children in school," Ms Blackmore said.

It also made it difficult to determine methods of venting or cleaning the buildings so it was safe for children to return the following day.

The report said public health officials acknowledged that they could not conclusively prove the spray was either safe or unsafe.

The same non-chemical insecticide was previously sprayed over 40 sq km of Auckland to eradicate white-spotted tussock moth in 1996 and 1997.

A two-year independent study of the health effects of the Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki spray used in that campaign found some minor respiratory problems at the time of spraying but no evidence of chronic illness.

The author of that study, Francesca Kelly, canvassed individual, local, regional and national health information, including residents who reported concerns, and consultation rates at doctors.

But Ms Blackmore said yesterday that recent analysis of the so-called inert ingredients in the spray showed the presence of chemicals that could be implicated in triggering hyperactivity and asthma.

Pesticides expert Meriel Watts said the physiology and lifestyle of children tended to make them more vulnerable than adults to pesticides.

- NZPA