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Approval to import or manufacture a substance in a contained location

If you are importing or manufacturing a hazardous substance in a contained location in New Zealand, you need a containment approval.

Containment approvals cover the manufacture or import of a hazardous substance for:

  • research and development of a hazardous substance
  • use as an analytical standard where approval to import or manufacture the substance has been declined, or the substance is a persistent organic pollutant (POP)
  • formulating, relabelling, repackaging or storing a hazardous substance for export to a destination outside New Zealand.

A containment approval is for a specific purpose, such as the use of a chemical as a test standard or a field trial of a pesticide. The key condition is that the substance will be contained adequately.

If you intend to import or manufacture a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) to be used as an analytical standard or for research in any laboratory, then you'll need a different application form.

Important: If you intend to use or release the substance outside of the contained area, you must make an application for a release approval.

More information about release approval applications

Applications should be sent to us by:

  • email to HSapplications@epa.govt.nz
  • post to Environmental Protection Authority, Private Bag 63002, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.

Apply for a containment approval

We need to understand how you intend to manage the substance or substances you are seeking approval for. Complete the containment approval application form, and include full details about the containment system you intend to use and the substances you intend to test.

Containment approval application form (DOCX, 370KB)

Confidential appendix for hazardous substances applications (DOCX, 360KB)

The approval process

Applications for a containment approval are processed via the 'non-notified application pathway'. This means we do not notify the general public about the application.

The application will be processed within 30 working days between the formal receipt of your application and the paperwork going to the decision maker.

Apply for containment approval for persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

A containment approval must be obtained from us by any laboratory that currently holds, or wishes to import or manufacture, certain POPs for use as an analytical standard or for research. The POPs include:

  • Aldrin
  • Alpha hexachlorocyclohexane
  • Beta hexachlorocyclohexane
  • Chlordane
  • Chlordecone
  • DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)ethane)
  • Decabromodiphenyl ether (commercial mixture, c-decaBDE)
  • Dicofol
  • Dieldrin
  • Endrin
  • Heptachlor
  • Hexabromobiphenyl
  • Hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether
  • Hexachlorobenzene
  • Hexachlorobutadiene
  • Hexabromocyclododecane
  • Lindane
  • Mirex
  • Pentachlorobenzene
  • Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters
  • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds
  • Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS); its salts
  • Perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF)
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)
  • Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF)
  • Polychlorinated naphthalenes
  • Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (Alkanes, C10-13, chloro)
  • Technical endosulfan and its related isomers
  • Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether
  • Toxaphene

All relevant sections of the application form must be completed, and a management plan must be provided which outlines how the laboratory intends to comply with the recommended controls. The recommended controls for containing these substances is provided in Appendix 1 of the form.

The timeframe for processing applications is 30 working days, after which time you will be notified of our decision.

POP containment approval application form (DOC, 506KB)

Supplying confidential or commercially sensitive information Plus

We collect confidential or commercially sensitive information as part of our work to ensure hazardous substances are used safely and appropriately in New Zealand.

While we have a responsibility to you to store the confidential or commercially sensitive information you provide safely, we also have a responsibility to the general public.

If we receive a request under the Official Information Act 1982, generally, we must make it available unless there is a good reason to withhold that information which is not outweighed by the public interest.

Read protection available for your confidential and commercially sensitive information
Requests for further information Plus

Requests for further information before public consultation. Sometimes we will request further information from an applicant or other sources before the application is publicly notified or, for application that are not consulted on, before the consideration date is set.

For publicly notified applications, the requested information is published online when public consultation starts.

If the applicant doesn't provide the information within a year, the application lapses.

Requests for further information from other sources

Sometimes after an application has been publicly notified or the consideration date set, we will seek further information from sources other than the applicant.

This information is published online at least 10 working days before a hearing or when the application is considered.

We have the power to postpone a hearing or consideration until further information of this type has been received. This is why time waivers are sometimes sought at the same time as further information requests.
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