University of Otago researchers have received a Health Research Council of New Zealand and Ministry of Health partnership research grant to conduct an epidemiological study of the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company site in Mapua

The project will be conducted over a two-year period and will be the first multidisciplinary exploration of health outcomes associated with soil remediation at a chemically contaminated site in New Zealand.

The Mapua site was classified as a highly contaminated site and soil remediation began in 2004 and was completed in 2008. There have been local health concerns raised about chemical exposure during the remediation work.