Compliance with environmental legislation
 |
| Janine Duckworth Image - Ian Whitehouse |
Our work is subject to a broad range of environmental legislation, the most significant of which is covered here. Our environmental management system (EMS) requires all projects to identify and comply with relevant legislation. All non-compliances or incidents are recorded so we can improve our systems. Six-monthly reports on compliance with all legislation are provided to the Board.
During 2004/05, we had three procedural non-compliances that were identified during internal audits, four small accidents including a minor chemical spill, and three non-compliances with MAF requirements under the Biosecurity Act. Staff took appropriate steps to deal with these and none resulted in environmental or personal harm.
Resource Management Act 1991
The Resource Management Act has significant implications for our day-to-day activities. We must ensure that appropriate resource consents are in place for properties owned or used by us. We are not a heavy polluting industry, and we are fully committed to caring for the environment at all our sites and ensure any discharges or disposal of waste (e.g., chemicals and solvents) comply with the Act.
Conservation Act 1987
Manaaki Whenua operates a number of field bases on land administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC). These comply, if applicable, to conservation management strategies or plans. In addition, we must seek authority from DOC to carry out research activities, such as collecting plants, invertebrates and soil samples, on the conservation estate.
Wild Animal Control Act 1977
"Wild animals" are those deemed by the Minister of Conservation to be threats to the environment. These include feral cats, deer, pigs and goats. Under this legislation it is illegal to release wild animals. Where some of our projects involve capture and release of possums, we first seek permission from DOC.
Biosecurity Act 1993
This act covers importation of organic material and other things that
could cause environmental or human harm in New Zealand ("risk goods").
All our work involving risk goods complies with the specific conditions
and restrictions imposed by the import permit, including carrying out
research in MAF-approved transitional (quarantine) or containment facilities.
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996
We made three applications to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) in 2004/05-one was to manufacture a wasp bait containing a hazardous substance, and two pertained to genetic modification.
New and Genetically Modified Organisms
We use new organisms and techniques involving genetic modi?cation in our research to improve and develop new pest control methods, and to better understand native species. The techniques that we use are strictly controlled, approved by ERMA or its delegated authority, and are carried out in containment facilities to prevent accidental release into the environment. Our facilities are internally audited by facility managers, and externally audited on a six-monthly basis by MAF.
A major task this year has been preparing an application to ERMA to cover the importation of "new organisms" in the form of dried herbarium specimens. This application covers all herbaria in New Zealand. Once approval has been received and containment conditions defined by ERMA, we will submit an application to MAF to register the Allan Herbarium as a containment facility.
Hazardous Substances
Our focus this year has been on implementing the HSNO Exempt Laboratories Code of Practice, COP, under Section 33 of the HSNO Act. The COP is designed to ensure the appropriate and safe use of hazardous chemicals in research laboratories. We appointed HSNO coordinators for each of our main sites, identi?ed the few areas where individual laboratories did not meet all the requirements of the code, and developed a checklist for laboratories to monitor ongoing compliance. Implementing the COP has helped standardise practices across our varied laboratories. Our chemical use is low, and we are committed to further reducing our use of chemicals that are hazardous to human health and the environment.
Animal Welfare Act 1999
Some of our research requires the use of animals, particularly for developing better pest control methods and understanding the spread of tuberculosis. Our Sustainability Policy iterates our commitment to maintaining a high regard for animal welfare in all our research.
In the 2004 calendar year, our Animal Ethics Committee approved applications to use animals in six ecological studies of native and introduced species, 15 studies developing new methods of pest control, and five studies of the role of wild animals in disease transmission, including bovine Tb, avian malaria, and Johne's disease.
As part of our ongoing efforts to reduce the number of non-target species caught during fieldwork, we monitor the numbers of animals captured. This year, we updated our Standard Operating Procedures regarding capture of vertebrate species. Next, we will concentrate on more formal training of field staff to ensure that they have appropriate skills for dealing with a range of species in the field.
| Studies involving animals | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
| No. of studies 1 | 22 | 28 | 25 | 24 |
| No. of target animals captured | 10 307 | 8631 | 11 845 | 9838 |
| No. of non-target introduced animals caught 2 | 1622 | 494 | 573 | 319 |
| No. of non-target native animals caught 3 | 322 | 179 | 46 | 72 |
| No. of non-target native animals killed | 40 | 5 | 5 | 44 |
1 These data are for calendar years, as required by MAF.
2 Generally less than half (27-48%) of introduced animals captured to date were released (except in 2003 when 81% were released). The remainder were killed either during capture or by euthanasia. Non-target introduced species were mainly hedgehogs, feral cats, possums, rats, mice, stoats, and magpies.
3 Most (79-98%) of non-target native animals captured to date were released. Non-target native species caught were fantail, grey warbler, harrier hawk, kākā, kea, kingfisher pukeko, red-billed gull, rifleman, robin, silvereye, tomtit, weka, tree weta, cave weta and cryptic skink.
4 1 harrier hawk and 3 weka
Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines 1997 (in force 2001)
This year we implemented the Code of Practice (COP) developed by the Royal Society of New Zealand to cover the use of veterinary and human medicines in compliance with this Act and other relevant legislation. We will engage a registered veterinarian annually to review our formal operating plan, oversee the purchase and use of veterinary medicines for approved research, and approve speci?ed staff to use these medicines.
 |
On our website |
| Use of animals in research |