Orchardists and landowners were among 30 people who turned up to the first public meeting to discuss potential soil contamination in the Hastings district.
Wednesday, February 23rd 2005, 3:58AM
by The Landlord
A meeting was held last night to discuss a report prepared for Hastings District Council by Pattle Delamore Partners on potential dangers of historic pesticides on agricultural land.
The report found that there could be potentially dangerous pesticides in former horticultural land destined for housing in Hawke's Bay.
It found arsenic, ddt and copper used in the district could pose a risk to future residents from chronic exposure if found at excessive levels.
Early tests have found pesticide levels higher than recommended guidelines in areas earmarked for subdivision in Havelock North and on the outskirts of Hastings.
