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1080

The pesticide 1080 is one of the major weapons in New Zealand's war against the possums that spread bovine tuberculosis (Tb) and eat native wildlife and forests. As a result of using 1080, numbers of Tb infected cattle and deer herds are reducing. Importantly, in some areas it appears the cycle of disease transmission has now been broken.

About 1080

The scientific name for 1080 is sodium monofluoroacetate. It is a water-soluble, naturally occurring plant toxin which probably evolved to deter browsing animals.

1080 is a highly effective tool in New Zealand against targeted species. One of 1080's main advantages is that it is biodegradable and therefore doesn't stay in the soil or waterways. Although technically it could be harmful to humans, the amount of bait that someone would have to eat before falling ill is very large.

The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) New Zealand has recently reassessed 1080 based on the most recent information available.

ERMA’s reassessment of 1080 [ERMA New Zealand]

Why 1080 is necessary

There are strong environmental and economic reasons for eradicating possums, and 1080 is one of the best weapons we have. Possums eat leaves, berries and wildlife for food, devastating our forests and bush.

New Zealand is unique, with miles of remote, largely inaccessible forests and bush infested with potentially diseased possums, and they have no natural predators. No other country has this combination.

Frequently asked questions about 1080 [Department of Conservation]

In some areas, possums are infected with bovine tuberculosis (i.e. Mycobacterium bovis). Tb infected possums eventually die, but just before death (and when they are highly infectious) they can exhibit unusual behaviour like wandering through paddocks during the day. Cattle and deer are drawn to these animals and can become infected. New Zealand has an extensive programme to manage bovine Tb run by the Animal Health Board.

Animal Health Board bovine Tb eradication programme [Animal Health Board]

The beef, dairy and deer industries are huge export earners. Potentially, bovine Tb threatens our economy if regulators in Tb-free export markets restrict our products entering those markets.

The risk to humans from 1080

1080 is heavily researched worldwide, and the data shows that controlled use presents no real risk to people.

There is no recorded human death from 1080 in New Zealand, although it is certainly highly toxic for humans if eaten in sufficient quantity. People would need to:

• eat at least 100g of the carrot baits. As all 1080 laced carrots are dyed bright green they cannot be mistaken for normal carrots

• drink over 5000 litres of water, in one sitting, from a waterway directly contaminated by a poison drop

• eat at least 37kg of meat, in one sitting, from a sheep that died of 1080 poisoning. This equates to the meat from about 2.5 average-sized sheep

1080 is a controlled substance. Consents are required before any operation using 1080 can be carried out.

Extensive safety precautions are required for people handling 1080 or poisoned bait. Retailers and users have to be approved operators. They must wear protective clothing, masks to avoid inhaling dust and gloves to avoid direct contact, especially through cuts and abrasions. The approval process involves training in safe storage and use of 1080 product.

Can 1080 get into the food or water supply?

Usage protocols require livestock to be excluded from areas undergoing treatment, and people are warned away until safety periods have passed

1080 is toxic for livestock, so farm animals must be kept out of treated areas until after the safety period. Feral deer and goats in forests can be killed by 1080.

Should a risk to the food supply be identified in an area where 1080 is used, we will assess the situation to ensure no risk is posed to human health.

Buying feral deer for human consumption is subject to strict protocols that require the animal to be sourced from 1080-free areas. Processors of feral venison must take special care when sourcing animals to ensure their product is safe.

Risk to waterways is monitored closely. Being completely biodegradable, 1080 leaches into the soil with rain but doesn't stay there. Bait must not be dropped within 50 metres of a waterway and streams and waterways are constantly tested. Hunters should take care and ensure they do not take animals showing signs of sickness and lethargy.

The Ministry of Health's 1080 limit for drinking water is two parts per billion. Few detectable traces of 1080 have been found in extensive testing programmes. The few detectable traces were only in areas immediately following an aerial drop, and never in any drinking water.

The trace levels of 1080 that very rarely may be found in stream water after a drop, pose no threat either to the shellfish harvested from areas fed by those streams, or to consumers of those shellfish.

Page last updated: October 2007