Chemical re-labelling timeframe too short

Chemical re-labelling timeframe too short

Agcarm is working positively with government to update health and safety regulations, but two years is not enough time to implement such complex changes.

“The crop protection and animal health industries are supportive of the government’s push to improve health and safety at work. Adopting a globally recognised system of safety information will align New Zealand’s approach for classifying chemicals to global best practice,” said Agcarm chief executive Graeme Peters.

“But the two-year transition period proposed by government is not enough time to get all this done. Five years is more realistic. These changes aren’t urgent and we must allow enough time to make the switch as seamless as possible for industry and for government,” says Mr Peters.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is seeking submissions on a proposal to adopt the latest version of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals(GHS).

The EPA wants the switch to the GHS to be made over a two-year period startingfrom October 2015.

“The GHS will clear confusion as it is a true global system. But it’s not just a simple case of taking a label from an overseas product and pasting it to the New Zealand version.

“The switch to the GHS will demand a lot of extra time and effort from industry and government, and the two-year timeframe is too short,” Mr Peters said.

The transition will create bottlenecks asgovernmentagencies attempt to keep up with demand from companies trying to get labels approved in time.

Agcarm’s submission will support the adoption of the GHS, but it will also be asking for a more realistic time period to allow industry to complete these important changes.

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