NewsBrief
No.46 - April 2004		TM

The Hazardous Substances Edition!

Well, how do you like it so far?

Implementation of the long awaited Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996 finally got underway in earnest last week with scarcely a ripple, but behind the scene there is a massive undertaking to quickly fill the gaps!

As you know, your Association has spent several years working with all interested parties to help ensure the HSNO regime is progressively introduced with minimal fuss, minimal cost and maximum efficiency. The next couple of years will see not only the key elements of the Hazardous Substances Regulations in place, but also the presently incomplete national infrastructure necessary to implement national performance standards, an effective enforcement regime, the upgrading of personnel qualifications, and the provision of credible, cost-effective training by Accredited Training Providers.

The Transfer Process commenced with Explosives in August 2003, however the first major milestone was undoubtedly the Transfer of Dangerous Goods and Toxic Substances on 01 April 2004. The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand) briefed about 1200 people throughout the country and established a free “Hotline” (0800 ERMA DG 376 234) to record questions for a subsequent response by ERMA staff. People left the briefings knowing substantially more about HSNO and the Transfer Process in particular, but were less certain about what they should actually be doing to equip themselves to implement these extremely complex chemical control regulations. Hence the “Staged Implementation” strategy.

Despite having more time to fully comply with the Regulations covering DG and Toxic Substances in June 2006 (please don’t forget “Pesticides” are in the “Starting Blocks” for a July 2004 launch), resources remain a precious and scarce commodity and the cost of falling short remains an extremely expensive option!