The Chelsea Sugar company has been fined almost $150k by the Ministry for Primary Industries for selling lead-contaminated sugar. Photo / NZME
The Chelsea Sugar company has been fined almost $150k by the Ministry for Primary Industries for selling lead-contaminated sugar. Photo / NZME
The New Zealand Sugar Company (NZSC), trading as Chelsea Sugar, has been fined almost $150,000 by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) for manufacturing, distributing and selling sugar products contaminated with lead.
A fine of $149,500 was handed down in the Auckland District Court in September last year, a just-released decision shows.
The fine follows MPI’s investigation into NZSC after multiple recalls in November and December 2021 “because of the potential for low-level lead contamination” in some of its products.
New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said offending of this scale was rare.
“New Zealand Sugar Company knew what its responsibilities were to consumers – ensuring the safety and suitability of its products and managing any potential risk to consumers,” Arbuckle said.
“It failed to properly detect the extent of lead contamination until after the imported sugar had been used in production.”
NZ Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said the offending by NZSC was at a rare scale.
According to the findings, NZSC imported sugar from Australia in September 2021 which became contaminated with lead during sea transport. The sugar was transported to New Zealand from Australia aboard the cargo ship Rin Treasure.
The vessel had been used to ship metal sulphide concentrates (lead and zinc) prior to transporting sugar.
“Before choosing this ship, NZSC was advised the vessel failed a survey report on 3 September, meaning it was not fit to load and transport bulk sugar.
“Prior to its departure, the vessel was cleaned, and a cleanliness report certified the vessel’s hold was in a fit state for the stowage and carriage of raw sugar.”
Despite the cleaning, the cargo became contaminated with lead during the journey from Queensland, potentially exacerbated by a broken pipe aboard the vessel which spilled water into the cargo during the unloading process.
NZSC took samples of the sugar for testing between September 15 and 24 but continued the normal process of producing sugar products from cargo.
It resulted in 971 tonnes of contaminated sugar products being manufactured and distributed to businesses across New Zealand.
Arbuckle explained that an initial test result on October 7 showed high readings of lead contamination, but instead of instantly stopping production and distribution, NZSC sought more testing which only confirmed the same result.
“Some of this product was sold between October and early November. We were not informed of the lead contamination until 3 November, which is unacceptable.
“New Zealand Sugar Company’s lack of definitive action resulted in a consumer level recall of sugar products on 4 November – around six weeks after the contaminated product arrived in New Zealand."
Arbuckle said the court’s sentence sent a strong signal that offending of this scale wouldn’t be tolerated.
The Herald has approached Chelsea Sugar for comment.
