We are experiencing higher volumes of enquiries at the moment related to successive significant rainfall events in January and February. We are working hard to reply to these enquiries while at the same time planning and undertaking work to remove debris dams and blockages, and remediate impacted areas.

Close alert

Limitations of guidance and disclosure deterrents for historic sheep dip sites

TR 2023/12
  1. Services »
  2. Publications »
  3. TR2023/12
On this page

Abstract

There are an estimated 50,000 historic sheep dip sites in New Zealand.

Due to the past use of arsenic and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) sheep dip sites have the potential to be highly contaminated. Historic sheep dip sites are largely unidentified and pose a risk to both human health and the environment. Currently the Ministry for the Environment provides guidance for the identification, investigation and management of sheep dip sites in New Zealand. 

The main aims of this research were to evaluate the quality of sheep dip investigations to date and establish the effectiveness of the guidance provided by Ministry for the Environment’s Identifying, investigating and managing risks associated with former sheep-dip sites: A guide for local authorities and Contaminated land management guidelines No.1-5.

Another aim was to investigate the willingness of landowners to come forward with their sheep dip sites for investigation, establishing potential deterrents and barriers to disclosure and management of sheep dip locations.

Read or download the report

Report: TR 2023/12

Authors: Caitlin Holm (University of Waikato)