1080, the brand name given to the synthetic form of sodium fluoroacetate, is used in New Zealand in efforts to control populations of possums, rats, stoat and rabbits, which are invasive species in the New Zealand environment. Although the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment deemed the use of 1080 in New Zealand "effective and safe" in a 2011 re-evaluationEvaluating the use of 1080: Predators, poisons and silent forests (Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, June 2011): http://www.pce.parliament.nz/assets/Uploads/PCE-1080.pdf and the substance is widely considered to be the most effective tool currently available for controlling possums over large areas,1080 an effective tool to protect native wildlife (Office of the Minister of Conservation, 2008): http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/media-releases/2008/1080-an-effective-tool-to-protect-native-wildlife/ Call for reason in 1080 debate (Federated Farmers, 14 August 2008): http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/n628,10.html it remains a contentious issue, with the majority of the debate occurring between conservationists and livestock farmers on one side and hunters and animal-rights activists on the other.Examples include:

New Zealand is the largest user of 1080 poison, using about 80% of the world's supply.1080 Reassessment Application (Environmental Risk Management Authority, 2006): http://www.epa.govt.nz/search-databases/HSNO%20Application%20Register%20Documents/HRE05002-030.pdf Biodegradable 1080 poison is the only poison currently registered for use on mainland New Zealand as suitable for aerial targeting of the common brushtail possum;Technical Review of Sodium Monofluoroacetate (1080) Toxicology (Animal Health Board and Landcare Research New Zealand Limited 2002): AHB 1080 review - "In New Zealand 1080 is the most widely used poison (in carrot, cereal, paste and gel baits) for situations where possum numbers need to be reduced rapidly over large areas. It has been used in New Zealand for pest control since the 1950s and is the only poison that is registered for aerial control of possums." a major conservation and agricultural pest. New Zealand has used 1080 for pest control since the late 1950s; it imports sodium fluoroacetate in raw form from the United States of America.Guidelines for the Safe Use of Sodium Fluoroacetate (Occupational Safety & Health Service, 2002 – ): http://www.pce.parliament.nz/assets/Uploads/PCE-1080.pdf

Background New Zealand is unusual in that it has no naturally occurring extant terrestrial mammal, except for two species of bat. Similarly, no confirmed fossils of terrestrial mammals have been found in New Zealand from the 85 million years since the landmass split away from Gondwana (except for the St Bathans mammal which is of unclear lineage). As such, New Zealand’s fauna and flora evolved in the absence of mammals and generally didn’t develop the evolutionary strategies needed to avoid predation by mammals. When human activity accidentally or deliberately introduced numerous species of invasive mammalian predators to New Zealand (most notably including rats, brush-tailed possums, cats and mustelids) many of New Zealand’s native species were unable to respond and were preyed upon. Because of this, the introduction of mammalian predators is strongly linked to the decline of New Zealand’s fauna and flora, having a disastrous effect on the populations of many iconic species including kiwi, tuatara and giant wētā. Because of the continuing impacts of mammalian predators in New Zealand, there is a strong need to utilise a range of specialised predator control tactics to protect New Zealand’s species, including the usage of 1080.

Usage

The largest users of 1080 in New Zealand are the Animal Health Board and the Department of Conservation (DOC). It is also used on a smaller scale for pest control by Regional Councils and private landowners. The first trials were carried out in New Zealand in 1954, and by 1957 its use had become widespread. 1080 baits are used through ground-based and aerial application. 1080 is considered to be suitable for use as a mammalian pest control in New Zealand because the country has only two native land mammals (bats). 1080 is commonly used in Western Australia to kill feral carnivores, as the compound is naturally occurring in Western Australian flora and the native herbivores and their native predators are immune.

Controlling conservation pests When correctly applied, 1080 is very effective at controlling conservation pests. One aerial application can kill 98% of possums and more than 90% of ratsForest & Bird website: http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/saving-our-environment/native-plants-and-animals-/protecting-native-forests-1080/1080-frequently-ask in the targeted area. These successful knock-down rates provide vulnerable native birds with a crucial breeding window to raise chicks through to fledging, increasing their survival rate. The DOC uses aerially applied 1080 poison across about 440,000 ha of conservation land each year. This equates to 5% of the total conservation estate.

DOC's pest control programme is governed by residual trap catch rates, the percentage of nights in which a trap catches a pest. Targets are usually set to less than 5%, though rates below 2% can be achieved by 1080.

Controlling agricultural pests In New Zealand, the common brushtail possum was the main vector for the spread of bovine tuberculosis—a highly contagious disease affecting farmed cattle and deer. The disease was endemic in possums across about 38% of New Zealand (known as 'vector risk areas') but industry sources acknowledge the incidence of bovine TB fell to less than 0.05% in the areas where it is monitored. The organisation responsible for managing bovine TB in New Zealand, the Animal Health Board, uses 1080 poison as one of a range of pesticides to kill possums and control the spread of disease to both livestock and unaffected areas of the country. Aerial application of 1080 poison is only used in places where ground control methods are impractical or unable to reduce possum numbers to a low enough level to break the disease cycle. In 2011, this was less than 10% of the total area receiving possum control.

Both aerial and ground-based application of 1080 poison are also used to control rabbits, an introduced grazing pest. By 1960, it had become the main poison used in rabbit control. The combination of aerial spreading and the use of carrots poisoned with 1080 enabled rabbit boards (which were responsible for rabbit destruction work) to reduce rabbit numbers in most areas by the early 1960s.

Debate

The use of 1080 poison in New Zealand has been the subject of a long and complex debate. In general, the majority of conservationists and livestock farmers support the continued use of 1080 for pest control, while the hunting community, animal rights groups and antifluoride campaigners support a ban, although there are exceptions on both sides.Example include:

Organised opposition is usually small-scale and localised to areas where aerial 1080 operations are carried out.Protest action promised (Greymouth Star, 2010): http://greystar.co.nz/node/198 Protesters stop Coromandel 1080 drop (Waikato Times, 19 September 2009): http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/2881440/Protesters-stop-Coromandel-1080-drop Protest is generally peaceful, but there have been occasions where opponents have resorted to violenceAnti-1080 protesters arrested on West Coast (Marlborough Express, 15 June 2010): http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/national-news/3814197/Anti-1080-protesters-arrested-on-West-CoastArrest over attack on conservation board chairman (New Zealand Herald, 27 July 2011)http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10741222 or sabotage.In 1995, 1080 protester Chris Short hijacked a helicopter and took two hostages (Radio New Zealand story): http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/55928/long-time-1080-protester-chris-short-diesIn 2010, anti-1080 activists placed a fake bomb at the headquarters of a Taupō 1080 poison contractor (The Dominion Post, 19 June 2010): http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3830385/1080-bomb-hoax-a-terrorist-act

In August 2007, the Environmental Risk Management Authority released a review that gave new guidelines for the use of 1080 in New Zealand, and concluded the beneficial effects of pest eradication outweighed the risks. 1080 decomposes in natural water and soil into harmless compounds.

In June 2011, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) released a report in favour of 1080 to control possums, rats, and stoats, especially in large and remote areas. It is seen as an effective poison for aerial spreading. The PCE came to a number of conclusions, including not having a moratorium on 1080 use, and setting up a Game Animal Council.

In 2004, anti-1080 activist Phillip Anderton posed for the New Zealand media with a kiwi he claimed had been poisoned. An investigation revealed that Anderton lied to journalists and the public. He had used a kiwi that had been caught in a possum trap.

In 2015, the New Zealand Police revealed that anonymous blackmail threats were sent to Fonterra and Federated Farmers saying that infant formula in supermarkets would be poisoned unless the use of 1080 was halted by the end of the month. Fonterra responded by working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to develop two high-throughput, validated test methods and then testing every tanker of milk and every batch of infant formula for 1080. The ensuing police response Operation Concord led to charges laid against 60-year-old businessman Jeremy Hamish Kerr, who pleaded guilty to two charges of blackmail and was sentenced to 8 years 6 months imprisonment. Kerr had developed a rival brand of poison called Feratox and made the threats for financial gain. The court heard that Kerr received around $100,000 a year in royalties from Feratox, but sales were dwindling.

Support The following agencies, organisations and political parties support the use of 1080 in New Zealand: The Animal Health Board, New Zealand's largest user of 1080 poison, strongly advocates for the continued use of 1080 to control the main TB vector — the common brushtail possum. The Department of Conservation, New Zealand's second-largest user of 1080 poison, strongly advocates for the continued use of 1080 poison to control ecological pests. Federated Farmers, New Zealand's biggest farmers' advocacy organisation, strongly supports the continued use of 1080 to control agricultural pests. Forest & Bird, New Zealand's biggest conservation charity, strongly advocates for the continued use of 1080 poison to control ecological pests. The Labour Party, one of New Zealand's two biggest parties, expressed strong support for the recommendations in the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's report into 1080 The National Party, one of New Zealand's two biggest parties, welcomed the report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment on the use of 1080 as the most effective tool available for pest management in New Zealand.(National Party media release, 8 June 2011): http://www.national.org.nz/Article.aspx?articleId=36209 ACT, New Zealand's classical liberal party, does not support a ban on the use of 1080. Local Government New Zealand, the organisation that represents the national interests of local councils, stated in a submission to the 2007 ERMA reassessment that "1080 is an important tool in New Zealand for pest animal control and TB control, as well as helping to maintain and protect our unique native flora and fauna." The Environmental Risk Management Authority concluded, in its 2007 reassessment of 1080, that the benefits of using it clearly outweighed the risks.