Latest biosecurity solution unveiled

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">What do a wheelchair, a bag of rice, a mattress, the latest fashions and a computer have in common?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span></font></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; tab-stops: 47.5pt"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">                </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">They are all items that could harbour unwanted creepy crawlies trying to sneak into <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>!</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">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 <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Auckland</st1:place></st1:city> this week.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">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.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">“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."</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">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.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">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.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">Kleinpaste says any way of shining a spotlight on the issue of biosecurity gets the thumbs up from him.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">"When we can control exotic pests <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">and</i> do so with a minimum of harmful chemicals, then bio security takes significant steps towards, what I call, common<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> </i>sense protection.” </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3">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.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Calibri" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">Dr Whittall is visiting from his <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place> base and spearheads Rentokil’s innovation and research in product development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span></font></font></font></p> <p> </p>