Time is up for Methyl Bromide

The Mari­time Uni­on is back­ing ral­lies in New Zea­l­and ports over the next week to end the use of methyl brom­ide.

Mari­time Uni­on of New Zea­l­and Gen­er­al Sec­ret­ary Joe Fleet­wood says mari­time work­ers want to see the tox­ic gas taken out of use.

“The time is up for methyl brom­ide and New Zea­l­and needs to be mov­ing into line with where the world is going.”

He says the Uni­on is part of a new Coali­tion Against the use of Methyl Brom­ide bring­ing togeth­er work­ers, envir­on­ment­al groups, polit­ic­al parties and com­munity organ­iz­a­tions.

Methyl brom­ide is used in ports and aboard ships to fumig­ate logs for pests but most of New Zeal­and’s major trad­ing part­ners will accept oth­er treat­ments.

Methyl brom­ide also harms the ozone lay­er, and is being phased out inter­na­tion­ally under the Montreal Pro­tocol.

Mr Fleet­wood says the deaths of six port work­ers in Nel­son from motor neur­on dis­ease has led to ongo­ing debate about pos­sible links with methyl brom­ide.

He says that fur­ther research is being car­ried out on the effects of methyl brom­ide on human health, and there was cause for con­cern.

He says the Mari­time Uni­on is very con­cerned that busi­nesses profit­ing from methyl brom­ide use and Gov­ern­ment agen­cies have been too closely linked up until 2009 through the STIMBR group.

“It seems once again that profit has taken pri­or­ity over the safety of work­ers, com­munit­ies and envir­on­ment.”

Protests tak­ing place at the ports of Pic­ton, Wel­ling­ton and Taur­anga will high­light the large amount of methyl brom­ide gas that is being used at these ports, and the risk this poses to worker’s health and the ozone lay­er.

Protest Sched­ule

Pic­ton

Date: Fri­day April 23
Time: 12.00
Loc­a­tion: Shakespeare Bay Lookout
Map — http://bit.ly/9tNucR

Wel­ling­ton

Date: Monday April 26
Time: 12.00
Loc­a­tion: The foot­path out­side of the Bluebridge entrance
Map — http://bit.ly/9MqJ2R

Taur­anga

Date: Wed­nes­day April 28
Time: 12.00
Loc­a­tion: Corner of Totara St and Hull Rd. It is the first inter­sec­tion from the wharf.
Map — http://bit.ly/aZW3US

Mem­bers of the Coali­tion are:

Soil and Health Asso­ci­ation of New Zea­l­and
The Green Party
Rail and Mari­time Trans­port Uni­on
New Zea­l­and Coun­cil of Trade Uni­ons
The Safe Food Cam­paign
Guard­i­an of the Sounds
Pesti­cide Action Net­work Aotearoa New Zea­l­and
Mari­time Uni­on of New Zea­l­and
Friends of Nel­son­haven and Tas­man Bay
The Alli­ance Party