On June 27, 2019, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of New Zealand published the HSNO Enforcement Report 2018. The report looks at the enforcement of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (the HSNO Act) for the 2017/18 financial year (July 1 2017 – June 30 2018).
According to the official release, it is the first since significant changes to the enforcement regime for hazardous substances took effect a year and a half ago. On December 1, 2017, the EPA completed the transition of workplace controls for hazardous substances from the HSNO Act to the regulations of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA).
In accordance with section 99(1) of the HSNO Act, the EPA should ensure the enforcement of its provisions in all premises which are likely to contain any hazardous substance or new organism. Based on the survey and investigation results, the EPA is also responsible for advising relevant authorities (such as the Minister for the Environment and enforcement agencies under the HSNO Act) when it deems that there is insufficient or unnecessary enforcement.
“Priority is given to areas where harm is evident and the risk of further harm is seen to be highest. All parts of the jigsaw need to be in place to achieve the purpose of the HSNO Act,” wrote its chief executive, Dr Allan Freeth, in the report.
