Frequently asked questions

​To find an existing new organism or hazardous substance approval, use the HSNO Application Register. 

You can search using keywords eg, GM animal field test, or by the application number, approval code for the organism or  substance or by applicant name.

​Submissions are a way you can contribute to the decision making of a specific new organism or hazardous substance application. You can only make a submission on an application that is open for public submission. 

• See what applications are currently open for submission.
• Information about making a submission.

• ​View all recent or past incidents involving new organisms 

​You will need to work out if the microorganism is classed as a new organism.  Species of microorganisms that are new organisms need our approval to import or use in New Zealand.

• Advice to help you to work out whether your microorganism is a new organism.

​We only regulate living (viable) new organisms. We don’t regulate imported food that contains devitalised ingredients derived from GMOs. 

For information about who does regulate such foods, go to:

• http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/importing/documents/commodity-specific-information/gm-food-and-ingredients/

You will need approval from us if the food is or contains a living GM organism (eg, a GM potato to be grown in New Zealand and then processed for food).

A hazardous substance is any substance that has one or more of the following properties, above specified levels. 

• an explosive nature (including fireworks)
• flammability
• ability to oxidise (i.e. accelerate a fire)
• corrosiveness
• acute or chronic toxicity (toxic to humans)
• ecotoxicity, with or without bioaccumulation (i.e. can kill living things either directly or by building up in the environment)
• can generate a hazardous substance on contact with air or water.

Hazardous substances can have more than one hazardous property.  For example, methylated spirits and petrol are flammable and toxic. 

For more information, see:

What is a hazardous substance?

​The HSNO Act 1996 and supporting regulations tell you how to manage or control hazardous substances.  The hazardous substance controls are the rules that you must follow to safely manage chemicals.  These controls apply throughout the life-cycle of a substance including manufacture, packaging, storage, transport, use and disposal.

All substances have a hazard classification. It is the classification that will determine how the substance is controlled. The hazard classification should be found on the safety data sheet, which can be obtained from the manufacturer or the distributor of the product. They are required to provide you with a copy.

You can also look up the classification of your substances in the:

• Chemical Classification Database (CCID) or
• Controls for approved hazardous susbtances or
• New Zealand Inventory of Chemicals that lists the components of chemicals covered by group standards. 

Some substances are approved by means of a Group Standard.  In this case you must refer to the group standard to find out the conditions that have to be followed.  The safety data sheet will identify the group standard the substance belongs in. 

All new hazardous substances need an approval. 

Group standards are approvals for a group of hazardous substances of a similar nature, type or use. Most domestic and workplace chemicals (except for pesticides, veterinary medicines, timber treatment chemicals and vertebrate toxic agents) are approved under group standards.

• Group standards
  

If your substance is not covered under an existing approval, you need to make an application to the EPA.

• Approvals and certificates required for hazardous substances

If you do not know if your substance is approved:

• Check if your substance is approved

The Nationally Significant Proposals Division manages the decision making process for nationally significant proposals, such as major infrastructure or public works projects.

• About Resource Management
  

Senior staff include the General and Team Managers who supervise staff, and Project Leaders who manage the nationally significant proposals process. A list of senior staff and their contact details can be found here:

• Key resource management staff
  

The Environmental Protection Authority was established to centralise and streamline the decision-making process of nationally significant proposals. We have specific statutory functions under the Resource Management Act 1991 in relation to matters of national significance.

• Legislation
  

The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a way of meeting our international obligations around climate change. The ETS puts a price on greenhouse gases to provide an incentive to reduce emissions and to encourage tree planting. 

For more information go to www.climatechange.govt.nz

A New Zealand Unit, or an emissions unit is the currency of the ETS. It is commonly referred to a "carbon credit". 

It is the primary unit of trade in the ETS issued by the Crown. Participants are required to surrender NZUs to the Crown to meet their obligations under the scheme. During the transition phase (July 2010 to December 2012) one NZU will be required to cover every two metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in a calendar year. After this, one emission unit will be equal to one tonne of emissions. Participants can also surrender a range of ‘Kyoto units’ which they can buy overseas.

After the transition phase, the price of an NZU will be determined in the trading market and will tend to match the international price of emission units. Participants can sell NZUs internationally by exchanging them for Kyoto units, within the limits on international sales set by the Kyoto Protocol.

For more information on NZUs, go to: www.climatechange.govt.nz

The emissions trading scheme can be explained by using a simple example.

• Firm A is an oil company. It needs to buy emission units to cover the greenhouse gas emissions it is responsible for.
• Firm B is a large forestry company that receives emission units for land it is planting in forests. It is also cutting down some trees, leading to emissions for which it has to surrender emission units. Initially, Firm B has a shortfall of units but, as the new forest matures over time, it will have spare units it can sell.
• Firm C is a major industrial user of electricity for which it has to surrender emission units. To help Firm C adapt to these higher costs, the Government gives Firm C a free allocation of emission units, which Firm C can sell to offset its increased electricity costs.

Under the emissions trading scheme, Firm A and Firm B both buy Firm C’s units in the short term to cover their emissions. Because it now has to pay higher energy prices, Firm C finds it is cheaper to invest in energy efficiency.

Over time, as its forest matures, Firm B has spare units available and sells them to Firm A.

This example is also illustrated in the following diagram at www.climatechange.govt.nz

The Exclusive Economic Zone is the area of sea, seabed and subsoil from 12 to 200 nautical miles offshore. 

The Extended Continental Shelf is the seabed and subsoil of New Zealand’s submerged landmass where it extends beyond the EEZ. 

The Resource Management Act regulates natural resource management activities on land and in the territorial sea, out to 12 nautical miles. Beyond 12 nautical miles New Zealand has historically had no means to assess and regulate the environmental effects of many activities.

View a map of the EEZ on the LINZ website

On 2 June 2011, the Minister for the Environment announced that Cabinet had approved an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) environmental effects policy, and agreed to begin development of environmental effects legislation for the EEZ and ECS.

The Excusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environment Effects) Bill (the EEZ Bill) was introduced to the House on 24 August 2011 and became law on 3 September 2012.

The Ministry for the Environment is the policy agency responsible for the development of this legislation. More information on the policy behind the development of the legislation, as well as the process to develop the legislation and associated regulations can be found on the Ministry for the Environment website. 

• Policy information on the Ministry for the Environment website
  

The Act comes into force when the first set of regulations are promulgated, or no later than 1 July 2014.

More information about the process to develop the legislation and the associated regulations is available on the Ministry for the Environment website.  

• Process information on the Ministry for the Environment website