4 Sep 2008

Soil cadmium level not considered a risk

7:31 am on 4 September 2008

A working group which the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry set up to assess the risks of the heavy metal cadmium to New Zealand agriculture and food safety, has concluded there is no immediate risk.

Cadmium occurs naturally in phosphate rock and tends to accumulate in soils which have been repeatedly topdressed with phosphate fertiliser.

Evidence last year that the cadmium level in some soils was increasing prompted the ministry to commission an investigation into the issue.

The Working Group released preliminary findings last December and has now released a full report.

Working group chairman John Hellstrom says the main finding is that the amount of cadmium in the average New Zealander's diet is well below the level which would cause any concern. He says the New Zealand Food Safety Authority supports this finding.

But Mr Hellstron says with evidence that cadmium levels in the soil are increasing, options must be considered to prevent that becoming an issue, and the group recommends a national cadmium strategy be developed.