Animal Control Products (ACP) chief executive William McCook is better known for his previous role as head of OSPRI, the agency overseeing NAIT and TBfree. He has recently taken up the role of ACP chief executive.
ACP’s history stretches back to the 1950s when it was set up under the direction and funding of local bodies then Ministry of Agriculture. Its role was to import and distribute toxins as bait for the control of pests including wallabies, rabbits and possums.
Today, it has expanded its range with key customers including regional councils and central agencies like Tbfree.
McCook said despite extremely strict handling and storage controls around the company’s importation of powdered 1080 to its Wanganui plant he was running a “fresh set of eyes” over all aspects of the facility. It remained the largest authorised importer and processor of 1080.
The Wanganui plant employed 14 people, turning the imported powdered 1080 into an assortment of baited products for pest control.
McCook said ACP sourced all 1080 from Tull Chemical Company, in Alabama, the largest manufacturer of the product in the world.
“Once it is in our secure facility, we do not sell it in its powdered form and once in a pest control bait form it has a concentration of only 0.15%. There are no issues over human health with it in its pest control form.”
McCook said he was confident about ACP’s security over 1080 importation and processing.
But the possibility a chemist with access to the right chemicals had made the powder received by Fonterra and Federated Farmers staff could not be ruled out.
“There are universities and research organisations with lots of chemicals on their shelves, some will have access to pure 1080.”
Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith has announced rule changes to tighten up on “high purity” 1080 that is highly toxic.
While he had no information indicating the powder sent in the mail was sourced from research organisations, Smith said the threat was sufficient to justify tighter controls on high purity 1080 access by research organisations.
They would include tighter lab security, tracking of the poison and Environmental Protection Authority certification of high purity 1080 importers.
McCook said his company was the only one selling registered 1080-based products.
Christchurch company Pest Control Research was established in partnership with the West Coast Regional Council with a view to ultimately producing 1080-based products.
The company’s website does not list any 1080 products.
McCook said while Tull Chemical was the largest manufacturer he suspected there were other sources via Chinese suppliers.
An internet search on the chemicalregister.com website found 18 vendors for sodium fluoroacetate, 1080’s formulaic name. Most were in China.
