Emergency Warning to Tourists Visiting New Zealand, Health Bulletin # 3

[New Zealand Poisoning Syndrome (NZPS), Health Bulletin # 3. Toxic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), Feb. 13, 2008]

If You Must Visit New Zealand, Ask Yourself This:
Do I Feel Lucky?

New Zealand health officials have closed another lake in Hawk’s Bay, Lake Tutira, north of Napier, due to cyanobacteria poisoning (toxic blue-green algae) warning swimmers against coming into contact with the water.

Nearly all of New Zealand rivers are infested by blue-green algae—some to a dangerous extent.

Below extracts from: Truth About ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ Advertising Campaign

Toxins from certain species of cyanobacteria “are poisonous to cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks (domestic and wild), pigeons, geese, herons, songbirds, dogs, rabbits, small wild and domestic animals, and even frogs, fish and snakes. Cyanobacterial toxins are primarily neurotoxic (affect the nervous system) and hepatotoxic (affect the liver). Clinical signs in cyanobacterial poisoning include nervous derangement, staggering, tremors and severe abdominal pain.”

“Intoxication with cyanobacteria is characterized by convulsions, ataxia (in- coordination), bloody diarrhea and sudden death. Affected animals rarely range far from the water source.”

The toxins are also poisonous to humans and can cause liver damage, asthma attacks, gastroenteritis, skin rashes, eye irritations and allergic responses.

The toxins are absorbed from the water that contains high concentrations of cyanobacteria or cyanobacterial toxins via ingestion (drinking or swimming in contaminated water) or via inhalation (breathing air that contains airborne toxins.) [For references, click here.]

Original Report: Toxic algae closes lake to swimmers

Related Links:

• New Zealand Poisoning, Bulletin # 2. Exposure to Compound 1080, Feb. 10, 2008
• New Zealand Poisoning, Bulletin # 1. Exposure to Bromoethane, Feb. 6, 2008
• THE POISONING OF NEW ZEALAND
• Truth About ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ Advertising Campaign

Who’s Afraid of Compound 1080?

[New Zealand Poisoning Syndrome (NZPS), Health Bulletin # 2. Exposure to Compound 1080 Feb. 10, 2008]

Should You be afraid of 1080?

Sodium fluoroacetate (aka, sodium monofluoroacetate, compound 1080 or 1080)

1080 is a potent metabolic poison that works by interfering with the citric acid cycle, and is used primarily to control mammalian pests, including invasive species. The existence of this chemical was first noted in the Second World War.

Compound 1080 is the most toxic pesticide registered by the World Health Organization, WHO. It is rarely used in the U.S. because it is highly toxic and kills wildlife indiscriminately. The only manufacturer of 1080 left in the U.S. ships most of its production to New Zealand. More information on 1080 …

Related Links:

• Truth About ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ Advertising Campaign
• NZ indiscriminate aerial applications of the potent poison 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate)
• New Zealand: A Tourist Deathtrap .
• Toxic Hazard Warning: Bromomethane Exposure in New Zealand ! .
• New Zealand releases about two and a half tons of compound 1080 into its environment each year, about 90% of the global use.

Emergency Warning to Tourists Visiting New Zealand

[New Zealand Poisoning Syndrome (NZPS), Health Bulletin # 1. Exposure to Bromoethane Feb. 6, 2008]

Toxic Hazard Warning:
Bromomethane Exposure in New Zealand !

Tourist cruise ships with up to 1200 passengers in New Zealand’s crowded tourist ports are berthed just meters from open air spots where logs are fumigated with methyl bromide. Report

Methyl bromide (bromomethane) is an odorless, colorless nonflammable gas used to fumigate crops, logs and goods. Bromomethane is on the list of banned ozone-depleting substances of the Montreal Protocol.

Bromomethane: Health Effects Report

The following summary of health effects of exposure to Bromomethane (methyl bromide) is based on various reports including a toxicological report issued by CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Register, ATSDR:

What is Bromomethane?

Bromomethane is a manufactured chemical (nature also produce also bromomethane in minute quantities). Bromomethane is used to kill a variety of pests including rats, insects, and fungi. It is also used to make other chemicals or as a solvent to get oil out of nuts, seeds, and wool.

Bromomethane Affects Your Health

If you inhale bromomethane you may develop a headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and weakness; this may be followed by mental excitement, convulsions and even acute mania. More prolonged inhalation of lower concentrations may cause fluid build up in your lungs and it may be hard to breathe. It could cause bronchitis, pneumonia, muscle tremors, seizures, kidney damage, nerve damage, and even death.

Exposure levels leading to death vary from 1,600 to 60,000 parts of bromomethane in 1 million parts of air (1,600-60,000 ppm), depending on the length of the exposure.

The respiratory, kidney and neurologic effects are of the greatest concern to people.

[Note: Studies in animals suggest at high exposure levels bromomethane causes birth defects and interferes with reproduction.]

Is there a medical test to show whether I’ve been exposed to bromomethane?

Several tests are available to determine if you have been exposed to bromomethane by measuring the toxic residues in your blood or in the air you exhale. However the tests are useful only if they are carried out immediately after exposure is suspected because most bromomethane doesn’t stay in your body long.

For more information, contact:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 1-888-42-ATSDR (1-888-422-8737)
FAX: (770)-488-4178
Email: ATSDRIC@cdc.gov

Related Links:
Truth About ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ Advertising Campaign
NZ indiscriminate aerial applications of the potent poison 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate)
New Zealand: A Tourist Deathtrap