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Former Sheep Dip Sites
Historically, New Zealand farming practices required the dipping of sheep to control external parasites. It is estimated that are about 500 old and disused sheep dips in Tasman District. These sheep dips were last used 50 or so years ago. The common chemicals used in the dips included arsenic and dieldrin. These pesticide chemicals can persist in soils for long periods of time and can potentially leach into ground and surface waters.
In 2009, with funding from the Ministry for the Environment, Council ran a pilot project assessing 20 former sheep dip sites across the Nelson and Tasman region. Site soils were tested for arsenic and dieldrin residues. This study identified varying concentrations of these chemicals remaining in soils surrounding these former sheep dip sites.
Council is working towards identifying former sheep dips in the District so that they can be managed safely. There is some urgency to locate these old dips while the knowledge about where they are and the stories about their use are still accessible from land owners and farm workers. If you have a former sheep dip on your property or know the location of a former sheep dip please advise Council's Resource Scientist - Contaminants.
- Managing Former Sheep Dip Sites
- Council Assistance for the Safe Management of Former Sheep Dip Sites
- Further Information
Historic Sheep Dip (Adkin Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library)
Managing Former Sheep Dip Sites
The present day hazard that former sheep dip sites present ranges from little to no hazard up to a significant hazard (such as where stock health is affected or a drinking water supply is impacted). The more that is known and understood about a former sheep dip site the better it can be managed to limit the hazard it presents to people, stock and the environment.
To assist land owners and farmers to safely manage former sheep dip sites and any associated contaminated soils four Factsheets have been produced. The general premise is that land owners or farmers should identify former sheep dip sites and exclude stock from around the dip site and any surrounding contaminated land as a precaution. The Factsheets also detail other actions to protect the health of stock (sheep, cattle, pigs and poultry), water supplies, edible crops, wild food and, importantly, children and visitors to the farm.
Sheep Dip Factsheets
Council Assistance for the Safe Management of Former Sheep Dip Sites
During 2011 Council is able to provide assistance to land owners with former sheep dip sites with free on site soil testing for arsenic residues. This entails the hiring of specialist portable soil testing equipment and an accompanying technician. For efficiency this will require at least 10-12 sites to be surveyed at a time. The work will take a few hours per site, and be scheduled over three days.
Landowners wanting to take advantage of this service should contact Council's Resource Scientist - Contaminants who will liaise with participating land owners and organise the soil testing programme. The location and detail of the former sheep dip site will be recorded on Council’s files. Should any remediation be necessary, Council may be able to assist the landowner by jointly applying to Central Government's Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund.
Further Information
Contact Council's Resource Scientist - Contaminants.