UPDATE: Te Henga Wetland Spraying with Glyphosate

The following is an email sent by our Chairperson, Charles Hyland, to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and also the original attached documents for your perusal:

Kia ora Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment,

I am writing to request your office’s independent scrutiny and guidance on the use of glyphosate and surfactant spraying in sensitive wetlands in a way that, in my technical experience, appears inconsistent with how these products are intended and expected to be used. Te Henga is a timely case study with wider implications for wetland protection and good practice.

Attached are two documents from the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand regarding the resumption of herbicide spraying at Te Henga Wetland, including reports of drone application:

1. Cover letter on behalf of Soil & Health
2. Technical review summarising the reported products (Polaris 450 with Aquakynde), key exposure pathways and ecological risks in wetlands, and the relevant hazardous substances controls and local planning expectations

We appreciate your office is not an enforcement agency. Our intent is to support independent scrutiny and, where appropriate, clearer national guidance that lifts practice and reduces the likelihood of repeat harm.

I am available for a call to answer questions or provide any additional context.

Ngā mihi nui,

Charles Hyland

Chair