The dates given here are a guide only. When the consultations are opened for public submission, you will find them in the 'Open for submission' section. Each consultation will provide details about when and how you can have your say.

All public consultations currently underway can be found under the Public Consultations area of our website.

You can keep up-to-date with information about current applications and consultations in the news section of our website and by signing up to our newsletters. 

Improvements to the HSNO Act assessment and reassessment processes

The Government is proposing to amend the HSNO Act to allow the EPA to make more timely decisions, including the ability to better use international information about substances.

The proposals will also provide us with more flexibility and discretion when making decisions, and help us to be more effective and efficient.

The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) will run this consultation - we have been working closely with them on these proposals.

We will provide information on our website about this consultation, including relevant links to MfE's website.  

This consultation is expected to start late August 2019.

Amending the Fire-Fighting Chemicals Group Standard

This group standard regulates the import, manufacture, use, storage and disposal of fire-fighting chemicals. It currently prohibits fire-fighting foams containing PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid).

The proposed amendments add further restrictions on fire-fighting foams containing fluorinated organic compounds (PFAS chemicals).

These amendments follow our recent national investigation into the storage and use of legacy fire-fighting foams containing PFOS and PFOA at various locations throughout New Zealand.

Read the report into our investigation into fire-fighting foams containing PFOS

This consultation is expected to start early September 2019.

Updating New Zealand’s hazardous substance classification system

We are proposing to update the current HSNO Act classification system to a recent version of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling (GHS).

The current HSNO classification system is based on a pre-published version of GHS. This version is 18 years old, so is out-of-step with the way hazardous substances are classified overseas.

To update to a more recent version of the GHS we will issue a new EPA Classification Notice, and make consequential amendments to several EPA Notices.

This consultation is expected to start in October 2019.

Adding two substances to the list of persistent organic pollutants in the HSNO Act

We are proposing to amend the HSNO Act (Schedule 2A) to add two substances to the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

This amendment is required to enable New Zealand to continue to fulfil its obligations under the Stockholm Convention, to eliminate and restrict the production and use of POPs. 

This consultation is expected to start in February 2020.

Amending the EPA Hazardous Substances (Storage and Disposal of Persistent Organic Pollutants) Notice 2004

We are proposing to amend the Hazardous Substances (Storage and Disposal of Persistent Organic Pollutants) Notice 2004.

This Gazette Notice prohibits the storage or disposal of any persistent organic pollutant (POP) in New Zealand, unless it is stored or disposed of in accordance with the requirements included in the notice.

The proposed amendments include:

• updating the requirements relating to the disposal of POPs
• updating the notice to take account of the legislative reform which occurred in December 2017
• adding new provisions for manufactured articles that contain POPs.

This consultation is expected to start in February or March 2020.