Prioritising chemicals for reassessment

We identify and prioritise the chemicals we believe are most in need of review here in New Zealand.

We prioritise the chemicals to be reassessed where we believe there is a risk to human health and the environment. There may be new or emerging information about a chemical.

We use a screening tool, called FRCaST, that evaluates chemicals' potential risks to human health and the environment. We have screened hundreds of chemicals using the tool, and we continue to assess and screen chemicals. The tool is in line with internationally accepted practice.

From the chemicals we screen, we decide which ones to add to the Priority Chemicals List. It is constantly changing and being updated as new information becomes available.

Priority chemicals list

Type

Chemical name	Type	What it is used for	Status
2,4-DB (sodium salt)	Herbicide	Professional weed control products used in pasture renewal.
4,4'-(1-Methylethylidene)bis[2,6-dibromophenol] (TBBPA)	Flame retardant	Polybrominated flame retardant (PBFR) is used to treat textiles and related products, and in resin and plastic production.
Alachlor	Herbicide	Professional weed control products used in vegetable and cereal crops.
alpha-Cypermethrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Amitrole	Herbicide	Professional weed control products used in fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, in forestry, and in a variety of non-crop areas and waterways. Weedkiller for home gardening.
Ammonium pentadecafluorooctanoate (APFO)	Fluorochemical substance	Chemical intermediate for fluoropolymer production, fire-fighting foams, textile and carpet protective products, and other specialised surfactant uses.	Added to the Stockholm Convention as a persistent organic pollutant in 2019. Read about our consultation on a proposed ban under Schedule 2A of the HSNO Act.
Azocyclotin	Acaricide	Products to control spider mites.
Benzo[a]pyrene	Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon	Petrochemical impurity that may be present in oils, lubricants, additives, rubber and plastic products.
Bifenthrin	Insecticide	Home garden insect sprays. Professional insecticide products used in fruit and vegetable crops, and ornamentals. Insect sprays, gels and baits for use around homes, commercial premises, and for biosecurity.	In progress Read the call for information request
Bioresmethrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Brodifacoum	Vertebrate toxic agent (VTA)	Poison bait for home and professional use to control rats and mice.
Bromadiolone	Vertebrate toxic agent (VTA)	Poison bait for home and professional use to control rats and mice.
Carbaryl	Insecticide	Professional insecticide products used over a range of fruit and vegetable crops. Mite treatment for pets.	Plant protection uses reassessed June 2013 and additional controls applied. Read the decision document (PDF, 1.3MB)
Carbendazim	Fungicide	Professional fungicide products used to prevent or control moulds and fungal diseases in fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, and on turf. Timber treatment chemical products.
Chloropicrin	Soil fumigant	Professional products used to fumigate soil and eliminate fungi, microbes and insects prior to planting.
Chlorpyrifos	Insecticide	Professional insecticide products used over a range of fruit and vegetable crops, pasture and turf. Timber treatment chemical products.	In progress Read the grounds for reassessment decision
Chromates; common soluble salts	Industrial chemical	Timber treatment chemical products. Component of a variety of products including surface treatments, cleaning agents, lubricants, additives and photographic chemicals.
Cyfluthrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Cyhalothrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Cypermethrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Cyproconazole	Fungicide	Professional fungicide products used to prevent or control moulds and fungal diseases in fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, and on turf. Home garden fungicide sprays and paints.
Deltamethrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Diazinon	Insecticide	Professional insecticide products used over a range of fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, and pasture.	Time-limited approval July 2028. Read the decision
Dichlobenil	Herbicide	Professional weed control products used mainly as spot or band treatments in fruit crops, forestry, pasture and non-crop areas.
Dichlorvos	Insecticide	Professional insecticide products used in fruit and vegetable crops, and ornamentals. Biosecurity insect control products.	Dichlorvos reassessed in 2015 with some approvals revoked and controls updated on retained approvals. Read the decision (PDF, 1.1MB)
Diuron	Herbicide and algicide	Water treatment chemicals, for ponds, aquariums and swimming pools to control algae and weeds. Professional weed control products used in fruit and vegetable crops, and ornamentals.	Included in the antifouling paints reassessment. Diuron-containing AFPs phased out in 2017. Read the decision (PDF, 967KB)
Fenitrothion	Insecticide	Household insect pest products.	Plant protection uses reassessed June 2013. Read the decision (PDF, 1.5MB)
Fenthion	Insecticide	Flea treatment for pets.
Flocoumafen	Vertebrate toxic agent (VTA)	Poison bait for home and professional use to control rats and mice.
Folpet	Fungicide	Fungicide products for commercial use. To prevent or control fungal diseases in fruit and cereal crops, and ornamentals.
Hydramethylnon	Insecticide	Ant baits for professional and home use.
Lambda-cyhalothrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Maldison	Insecticide	Insecticide products for commercial use. Used in fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, and pasture.	Plant protection uses reassessed June 2013 Read the decision
Nonylphenol and its ethoxylates	Surfactants	Surfactant component of multiple products, including professional and home use pesticides, timber treatment chemicals, veterinary medicines, cleaning products, and pest control products.
Oxadiazon	Herbicide	Professional weed control products used in fruit and vegetable crops and turf. Home garden weedkiller.
Permethrin	Insecticide	Synthetic pyrethroid found in professional and home garden insecticides, biosecurity insect control, pest insect control products, timber treatment chemicals, and textile treatments.	In progress Read the call for information request
Pirimiphos methyl	Insecticide	Professional insecticide products in fruit and vegetable crops, and for ornamentals. Professional grain storage insect control products.	Plant protection uses reassessed in 2013 and controls updated Read the decision (PDF, 1.5MB)
Propargite	Insecticide and miticide	Professional insecticide products in fruit and vegetable crops, and for ornamentals. Professional grain storage insect control products.
Propiconazole	Fungicide	Fungicide used on some crops and turf.
Propoxur	Insecticide	Household insect pest and flea control products.
Tributyltin oxide	Industrial chemical	Chemical products for timber treatment.
Tricresyl phosphate	Flame retardant and plasticiser	Component of a variety of products, including antifouling paint, oil and lubricants, adhesives and surface treatment products.
Trifluralin	Herbicide	Professional pre-emergent weed control products used for vegetable and cereal crops.

Screened chemicals list and FRCaST tool

View the screened chemicals list (XLSX, 88KB)

Find out what the current approval and controls are for any of the chemicals on our screened chemicals list by searching our databases.

FRCaST screening tool

We gathered information about chemicals from New Zealand, and from our counterpart agencies in Europe, Norway, Canada, Australia and the United States.

We developed a screening tool to evaluate the chemicals' potential risk to human health and to the environment. This tool was peer reviewed by two international regulatory bodies – the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) in Australia and Environment Canada.

Read the FRCaST peer review summary (PDF, 235KB)

Below is an example of the FRCaST tool, notes, and a guide to its use.

FRCaST tool example (XLXS, 62KB)

FRCaST tool notes (PDF, 938KB)

FRCaST tool guide (PDF, 710KB)

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