All hazardous substances are subject to the provisions of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.

The HSNO Act replaces the now repealed Dangerous Goods Act, Explosives Act, Toxic Substances Act and Pesticides Act.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is tasked by the Government with regulating the introduction, management, use and disposal of hazardous substances within New Zealand. The EPA works closely with other Agencies such as the Ministry for the Environment (MFE), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and Ministry of Health (MOH).

The HSNO Regulations are performance based rules or controls which if followed will ensure that the adverse effects of defined hazardous substances do not harm people or the environment.

What is a Hazardous Substance?

A hazardous substance is a substance which can harm people or the environment.

A hazardous substance will have one or more of the following intrinsic properties:

• Explosiveness
• Flammability
• A capacity to oxidize
• Corrosiveness
• Toxicity (including chronic toxicity)
• Ecotoxicity, with or without bioaccumulation

A substance can also be defined as hazardous where on contact with air or water (other than air or water where the temperature or pressure has been artificially increased or decreased) it generates a substance which has one or more of the above mentioned intrinsic properties.