Unwelcome holiday to avoid spray

By MARTIN JOHNSTON

Liam Stemson and his mother, Rebekah, are living in limbo, wondering when West Auckland's moth-spraying operation will force them to take an unwelcome holiday.

The Government is paying for 8-year-old Liam and Ms Stemson to stay in a motel far to the east in Newmarket for three nights each time there is spraying because of the risk to his health.

They are among 86 people the Government is putting up in motels because of the spraying - half for medical reasons, the rest as parents or caregivers.

The aerial spraying of nearly 40,000 properties to try to eradicate the painted apple moth was meant to start last Monday, but has been put off each day because of unsettled weather. It has been postponed again today.

The $90 million spraying of Foray 48B, or Btk, from a Fokker Friendship plane, a twin-engined helicopter and a light plane relies on fine weather and moderate winds.

The aircraft will spray at about three-weekly intervals, with up to 10 operations in the first year of the three-year project.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry says the only expected health effects of the spray are minor skin, eye, nose or throat irritations in those directly exposed to it, although some people with severe allergies to certain ingredients could also be affected.

Foray 48B's ingredients are a commercial secret, but MAF says it could contain wheat starch or soy, which are used to grow the insecticide, a soil bacterium called Btk.

Liam Stemson is allergic to a range of foods, including soy. If he inhales or touches them, he can go into anaphylactic shock, which causes him to stop breathing.

This has happened to him more than 20 times. He has to be given an adrenaline injection immediately and he is never far from his emergency medical kit.

"I have managed Liam's medical condition for eight years," said Ms Stemson. "This is the only time I have felt out of control and that I can't keep him safe, because they are not providing me with enough information to make that judgment."

The Stemsons live in Western Springs, about 1.6km from the red line on maps MAF sent to residents marking the spray zone's border.

They both also go to Gladstone Primary School - just inside the red line - Liam as a pupil and Ms Stemson as a new-entrants teacher.

She said staff of Aer'aqua Medicine, MAF's health services consultancy for the spray project, told her the zone would probably be safe for Liam two days after spraying, but could not give a guarantee.

"It's like living in limbo. We don't know usually until the afternoon before. We're packed and ready to leave and they ring up and say the spraying has been cancelled."

Ms Stemson said she had used all her sick leave until next March, mostly for Liam, so would be unpaid while fleeing from the spraying.

Spray operation manager Robert Isbister said the Stemsons' home should be spray-free.

* People with spray-related health queries can call Aer'aqua on (09) 358-3206.

Further reading
nzherald.co.nz/health