Draft Hazardous Property Controls Notice

Draft Hazardous Property Controls Notice

In October 2016, we called for submissions on proposals to protect the general public and the environment from hazardous substances. We received 57 submissions, many of which influenced changes to our original proposals. We now ask for your feedback on our updated proposals and draft Hazardous Property Controls Notice.

The consultation document is divided into four parts.

• Part 1 relates to proposals for the rules for substances that are ecotoxic (toxic to the environment). Many of these rules relate to the workplace use of pesticides.

• Part 2 relates to the availability, storage and use of hazardous substances outside of the workplace in places such as the home.

Parts 3 and 4 are new proposals arising out of the submissions received on the original proposals or regulatory gaps that have been identified since the previous consultation.

• Part 3 relates to tank wagons and transportable container requirements for ecotoxic substances, and the filling of SCUBA cylinders by members of the public.

• Part 4 discusses proposed changes to the Labelling Notice, resulting from the proposed new requirements on pesticide use.

To read the consultation document and download a submission form please visit our website.

The consultation period for these proposals opened 20th of March 2017 and closes on 19th of April 2017.

Update to timing for EPA notices coming into force

Other than the two EPA notices already in force, the rest of the notices are proposed to be in force in December this year. While new approvals will need to immediately comply with the notices, existing approvals will be given time to comply with most of the new requirements.

The EPA notices will work with the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations to ensure there are no regulatory gaps in hazardous substances management in New Zealand. The regulations are expected to be finalised in the first half of this year, also coming into effect in December 2017.

Further consultation opening soon - Transitional regulations

We’ll also be contacting you over the coming weeks for your feedback on transitional regulations for the Hazardous Substances legislation. The transitional regulations will make sure that any requirements set in the Hazardous Property Controls Notice that cover regulatory gaps created by workplace hazardous substance controls moving to the Health and Safety at Work Act will be in force for all existing and new approvals from December 2017.

Thank you for your feedback on this work programme. If you believe this is of interest to other people please feel free to forward this email to them.

If you have any questions you can email us at: hsreform@epa.govt.nz

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