2 February 2010
Environment Minister Nick Smith has welcomed the announcement that $2.5 million will be invested under the Primary Growth Partnership in applied research into reducing the impact, and eventual replacement, of the fumigant methyl bromide.
“Methyl bromide is an ozone-depleting chemical, a powerful greenhouse gas and a toxic chemical that it is currently required at ports to meet phytosanitary requirements of importing countries for New Zealand timber exports worth $3 billion a year,” Dr Smith said.
“We need to find better ways of meeting these phytosanitary requirements with less environmental risk by either recapturing the methyl bromide or developing a replacement.
“This research initiative from the forest industry is to be welcomed and shows a genuine commitment to reducing environmental harm. This ... is a wise investment into improving the environmental sustainability of one of our critical export industries.
“The work by Parliament’s Environment Select Committee and by the Environmental Risk Management Authority in response to public concern at Port Nelson over methyl bromide called for such research to be advanced. It is good that this message from the community has been heeded and that steps are being taken to address these concerns.”
"My hope from this research programme is that we will be able to significantly reduce the environmental harm from the use of methyl bromide by 2015."
The research programme, which is being part-funded by the forest industry through STIMBR, is one of three new programmes which have received a total of $53.6 million in government funding in the latest round of Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) funding grants. Almost $218 million has been ploughed into the fund by government since the programme opened 16 months ago.
The majority of the funding in this latest round is going to the seafood industry, to domesticate and selectively breed high value green shell mussels and to develop precision seafood harvesting.
The STIMBR research programme will receive more than $1.2m in government funding, matched dollar for dollar by the forest industry.
Potential savings from being able to replace methyl bromide with an alternative fumigant have been estimated at more than $13.5 million a year, through reduced chemical costs and savings in the time ships spend in port. Further savings may be expected if non-fumigant treatment methods are accepted by international partners.
The global economic value of reduced methyl bromide emissions through the avoidance of its impact on ozone depletion in the atmosphere on human health and avoided damage to agriculture, fisheries and materials has been estimated at around $3700 for each tonne of methyl bromide not released.
Identifying solutions to this issue will enhance New Zealand’s reputation for global leadership in the management of and care for the environment, says STIMBR co-ordinator Gordon Hosking.
The Soil & Health Association has criticised the level of research funding as being inadequate and says there should be a greater focus on human health.
Sources: MAF, NZ Government and Soil & Health Association media releases