Latest biosecurity solution unveiled
Thursday 29 March 2012, 9:37AM
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What do a wheelchair, a bag of rice, a mattress, the latest fashions and a computer have in common?
They are all items that could harbour unwanted creepy crawlies trying to sneak into
The unlikely collection of goods is at the heart of the latest weapon in the fight to protect our shores from unwanted pests and pathogens – a new bio security facility opening in
NZ’s own ‘Bugman’ Ruud Kleinpaste will officiate at the launch and says it is crucial that everyone understands the importance of biosecurity and the threats that breaches pose to all of us.
“We have more goods and produce arriving from offshore everyday and we must take steps to keep up and ensure the buggers don’t take a foothold."
The MAF-approved transitional facility will be the only one of its kind in the country – sporting a large, purpose-built kiln capable of traditional dry heat treatments while also offering humidity cycles for handling a wider variety of goods topped off with the latest computer monitoring technology.
The Biosecurity Centre has been built as part of an ongoing programme of innovation in the area of non-toxic treatment feasibility in line with Rentokil Initial’s global sustainability efforts.
Kleinpaste says any way of shining a spotlight on the issue of biosecurity gets the thumbs up from him.
"When we can control exotic pests and do so with a minimum of harmful chemicals, then bio security takes significant steps towards, what I call, common sense protection.”
As well as key people from MAF and the Department of Conservation, the guest list for the opening includes Rentokil’s Group Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Peter Whittall.
Dr Whittall is visiting from his