Prioritising chemicals for reassessment
We identify and prioritise the chemicals we believe are most in need of review here in New Zealand.
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.
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 |
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. |
|
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 |
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. |
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. |
|
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Diazinon |
Insecticide |
Professional insecticide products used over a range of fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, and pasture. |
Time-limited approval July 2028. |
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. |
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. |
Fenitrothion |
Insecticide |
Household insect pest products. |
|
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. |
|
Maldison |
Insecticide |
Insecticide products for commercial use. Used in fruit, vegetable and cereal crops, and pasture. |
|
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. |
|
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 |
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. |
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.
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)