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Toxic land fears

An estimated 1000 North Shore properties could be sitting on land containing dangerous levels of toxins and heavy metals from horticultural sprays.

Thursday, November 04th 2004

Large tracts of the North Shore, like in Albany, Beach Haven and Birkdale, were formerly market gardens and orchards.

An Auckland Regional Council study puts horticultural land at higher risk of having unacceptable levels of DDT, arsenic, lead and copper.

The North Shore City Council has not decided on whether past horticultural activity will be flagged on a property's land information memorandum (LIM report).

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand predicts prices of any properties earmarked will take a temporary drop.

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