Welcome to the first issue of the hazardous substances newsletter for this year.

There are some important regulatory changes coming into effect. They are a continuation of the December 2017 hazardous substances law changes. We'll be keeping you updated on what you need to do to be prepared for these changes.

From 1 June if you are over the thresholds for class 6 (toxic) and class 8 (corrosive) substances, you’ll need to have established a hazardous substance location (HSL). 

HSLs must meet specified construction and capacity requirements depending on what is being stored in them. They also need to be separated from public and protected places by minimum distances which will depend on the classification of the substances and amounts being stored.

If you use and store class 6 and class 8 substances you must notify us 30 days before setting up your HSL. To notify us, fill out the form on our website. 

In addition to establishing a HSL, you will also need a location compliance certificate for it by 1 December when the certification requirement becomes mandatory. Certification is carried out by compliance certifiers, a list of which is on our website. Certifiers can start issuing compliance certificates from 1 June.

You can find more information on storing toxic and corrosive substances in our Quick guide to storing class 6 & 8 substances.

Hazardous waste is waste generated from manufacturing and industrial operations that is likely to be or contain at least one hazardous substance that is, explosive, flammable, oxidising, toxic or corrosive. In other words waste that comes from work involving a hazardous substance is likely to be hazardous. 

From 1 June this year, most of the rules for the safe use, handling and storage of a hazardous substance will also apply to hazardous waste with the same hazardous properties. For instance, you will need to include any hazardous waste you use or store at your site in your inventory and label any containers that hold hazardous waste. 

From 1 June, if you are temporarily storing vertebrate toxic agents (VTAs) for an imminent pest control or pesticide application task, you must tell us where you will hold these substances at least 24 hours before you set up temporary storage place.

Temporary storage means where you store your substance to get ready for a job. This could be in your vehicle or in an area for holding bait.

We’ve published new performance standards for our compliance certifiers when issuing or renewing a certified handler certificate. 

The performance standard for information and process requirements includes requirements for inspecting, assessing and examining matters for the purposes of issuing a compliance certificate and the expected standard of record keeping and documentation of processes.

A second performance standard covers work involving toxic (class 6) substances, which can only be carried out by certified handlers.

Anyone who wants to become a certified handler needs to meet certain competency requirements. This performance standard helps us ensure our compliance certifiers are consistent in their decisions to issue or not to issue a certified handler compliance certificate, and help anyone wanting to become a certified handler understand the details of the assessment and criteria that need to be met in the verification process. 

Workers clearing tracks after a 1080 aerial operation don’t need to be certified or hold a controlled substance licence (CSL) if they are throwing bait found on the tracks into the surrounding bush. However, workers who are taking the collected 1080 bait away for disposal must have a certified handler compliance certificate and a CSL.

Our technical bulletin clarifies the certified handler and controlled substance licence requirements for workers clearing tracks of 1080 bait.

We’ve updated our signage guide to include a new template for VTA signage, and the requirements for VTA operations.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming survey about our hazardous substances guidance and education tools. We're looking at evaluating guidance material and asking you to tell us what you think of our guidance.

Most household have hazardous chemicals lying around at home – weed killers, cleaning products, paint, polishes, but do you know how to get rid of them properly? 

Putting toxic, corrosive or flammable substances in with your household rubbish can be dangerous to people’s health and the environment. Always dispose of hazardous chemicals according to the rules of your local council which is responsible for domestic hazardous substances waste disposal. 

If you’re unsure if your product is hazardous, check the symbols or warning labels on the packaging. And contact your council or the local landfill for options in your area.

For information about disposal options around the country, see Consumer NZ’s guide below.

Dairy company DeLaval has introduced a colour coding initiative to make sure their chemicals are labelled correctly. Their substances now come in coloured drums to indicate the different type of substance.

They’ve also started putting QR codes on their labels so anyone using or handling the substance can access the safety data sheet on their mobile phone. 

Check out what we're doing on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram channels to stay in the loop with health and safety between updates.