1080 threat 'illegal and stupid', says 1080 opponent

Barry Harcourt

CONTENTIOUS: A helicopter drops 1080 poison in a forest to eradicate pests.

A threat to contaminate baby milk formula with pest-control poison 1080 has been labelled "completely illegal and stupid" by a 1080 opponent.

"Anybody protesting should do it through the proper legal methods ... never anything that should promote unrest," said Jonathan Scott, of Rolleston, Canterbury.

"It [poisoning milk powder] is something that would be completely abhorrent to me."

Police revealed on Tuesday that Fonterra and Federated Farmers received threatening letters last November, along with milk packages that tested positive with the poison.

The letters threatened to contaminate infant formula and other products if New Zealand did not cease to use the poison by the end of March.

Peter Salter, who ran as the West Coast-Tasman candidate for the Ban 1080 party in last year's election, said he was shocked to learn about the "extreme" nature of the protest.

"The fact someone has resorted to something like this is a shame," Salter said.

"But it doesn't surprise me because ... the dairy companies don't test for 1080 in the milk powder in the first place.

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1080 threat 'illegal and stupid', says 1080 opponent