Spilled maize a ‘significant threat’
Two spillages of quarantined imported maize in New Plymouth has been described as a major biosecurity breach by New Zealand First but downplayed by authorities.
The maize was being unloaded at Port Taranaki and being transported to sheds on Ocean View Parade by a fleet of truck and trailer units where it would be turned into stock feed.
Maize kernels were spread along Ocean View Parade and Bayly Rd near the sheds and the clean-up was still under way yesterday.
The first spill happened on Tuesday night and the second yesterday morning, a spokeswoman for the Ministry for Primary Industries confirmed.
She said the grain, which had been permitted entry to New Zealand in line with the importing requirements of the approved Grain Import System, was maize from the United States and its unloading was monitored by an MPI inspector.
It was estimated a total of 40 litres of the maize was spilled and MPI investigations were continuing.
New Zealand First acting Primary Industries spokesman Ron Mark, however, said the maize could pose a significant threat to the country’s environment.
‘‘Of extreme concern is the potential for diseases and unwanted plant seeds to enter the country with this imported maize,’’ Mark said.
‘‘We demand assurances from ministers and MPI over how this quarantined maize was collected and disposed of.’’
Mark said the spill highlighted weaknesses in New Zealand’s biosecurity controls.
‘‘This shows what a major dis- connect there is between reality and practice by Biosecurity New Zealand.
The ministers do not understand the difference between denaturing at the port of entry and transporting cargo like this all over the country to transitional facilities’.’’
Mark said the spill yet again highlighted how amateur this government was at biosecurity as the loads were obviously not secure and he knew for a fact it was not the first spill.
‘‘Especially when people near the site say they were warned ‘not to drive through it, in case tyres picked up maize’,’’ he said.
‘‘In the words of one resident ‘it’s an absolute joke but a serious joke’ because maize could still be easily seen this morning.’’
Mark said the spill was not acceptable and the Ministers needed to front and front urgently. The MPI spokeswoman said at the time of the spills the trucks had discharged the cargo.
‘‘It is estimated approximately 20 litres spilled on each of the two occasions and a road sweeper was used to clean up the spills.’’
The MPI monitored the cleanup which took several hours on each occasion to ensure the area was cleaned.
‘‘MPI remains satisfied that both spills were appropriately cleaned up, in line with the procedures set down in advance for such an event and any biosecurity risk was mitigated,’’ she said.
The MPI was talking to the importer and the transporter concerned and investigations were continuing.
‘‘MPI has a requirement for grain transporters to move the product securely and in a quarantined state.’’
Port Taranaki ceo Guy Roper confirmed the maize was spilt while being taken to a transitional facility inside the port environment.
Roper said while the maize was being unloaded at the facility he didn’t know where it had come from or if it was a genetically modified organism.
‘‘We provide the berth facilities but we are not the cargo owner so where it actually came from I’m not 100 per cent sure.’’
Roper said he didn’t believe that there was a threat to biosecurity as a result of the small amount that was spilt.