Office opens to help former mill workers

Former sawmill workers exposed to toxic chemicals through their employment now have somewhere to go in the Bay of Plenty for information and support.
After a three-decade campaign for recognition of the link between chemical exposure and health issues, members of Sawmill Workers Against Poisons (Swap) are satisfied with the opening of an Whakatane office administering the Government's sawmill workers' service package.
Joe Harawira, who has spearheaded the Swap campaign for 30 years, admits the package has been a long time coming.
"As has the realisation this is a community issue and not just a mill workers' one," Mr Harawira said.
He says he was 9 years old when mills began dumping toxic waste.
"We've identified 38 dumping sites in Whakatane alone - and even now we're not sure if we have them all."
The Bay of Plenty office is housed at the Ngati Awa Social and Health Services Trust village on Thornton Rd and is manned by a staff of three including Mr Harawira.
"The Government signed off the health support service package earlier this year and now we are in business," Mr Harawira said.
He is joined at the office by an administration person and a facilitator.
"We will be looking after former workers in the Bay of Plenty region from Taupo to Katikati, South Waikato and as far as the East Coast while the Ministry of Health will be looking after the rest of the country," Mr Harawira said.
The Eastern Bay has the highest number of Sawmill Workers Against Poison (Swap) members in the country, most who have been beside Mr Harawira during his battle for recognition and support.
"Swap was formed in the late 1980s with about 200 members after an abnormally high rate of death, which we attribute to chemical exposure," Mr Harawira said.
"There are only about 100 of the original 200 with us today."
When the government finally recognised that workers' poor health was directly related to the exposure, the support service was offered.
While the package does not yet provide a service for spouses, children or grandchildren of workers, research into their exposure is to begin.
"That's why we need to get as many wives, children and grandchildren as we can through the doors - so the research can be carried out," Mr Harawira said.
"We need the numbers."
The Ministry of Health also intends to fund researchers in consultation with Swap to discuss and, if possible, develop research methodology on impacts of PCP on spouses and/or the children and grandchildren of sawmill workers.
For further information please contact Joe Harawira on 0272550160
THE SERVICE
The government service provides:
-Information and advice for doctors, other health practitioners, and patients about historical exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) and subsequent health risks
-A free annual health check provided by a doctor
-Access to health promotion initiatives, like programmes to reduce cancer risk
-Counselling and other primary mental health services
-A service to help people access other social services they are entitled to.