Restricted Chemicals under HSNO: The New POPs You Should Know About in Auckland
Restricted Chemicals under HSNO: The New POPs You Should Know About in Auckland
If your Auckland business imports, handles, or sells chemicals, there’s a shift you can’t ignore. The HSNO Act (Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996) has tightened the screws again — with new Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) added to the restricted list.
Ignore this, and you risk landing on the wrong side of the EPA and WorkSafe. Fines, seizures, shutdowns — it’s not worth it.
Let’s cut through the jargon and look at what’s new, why it matters, and how you can keep your operation clean.
What Are POPs and Why Are They a Problem?
POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) are chemicals that stick around in the environment. They don’t break down easily, they move through air and water, and they build up in animals (and people). Long story short: they’re toxic, they travel, and they last.
That’s why New Zealand signed up to the Stockholm Convention, an international treaty banning or restricting POPs. HSNO enforces those rules locally.
The New POPs on the HSNO Radar
Recently, the EPA added three more names to the blacklist:
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Methoxychlor – Once used as a pesticide, now banned due to links to reproductive and hormonal damage.
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Dechlorane Plus – A flame retardant found in plastics and electronics. It’s highly persistent and shows up in ecosystems worldwide.
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UV-328 – A UV stabiliser used in plastics, coatings, and rubber. Scientists found it’s showing up in Arctic wildlife — that’s how far it travels.
👉 If you’re importing or handling chemicals in Auckland and they contain any of these, you need to stop.
What HSNO Restrictions Mean in Auckland
Under HSNO approvals:
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These chemicals can no longer be imported or manufactured in New Zealand.
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If you already hold stock, it must be managed under EPA disposal guidelines.
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Products containing these POPs are banned from entry unless specifically exempted.
So, whether you’re in construction, automotive, agriculture, or manufacturing, you’ve got to check your supply chain.
Where Businesses Trip Up
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Assuming overseas compliance is enough – Just because it’s sold in Australia doesn’t mean it’s HSNO-compliant in New Zealand.
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Not checking formulations – POPs can hide in paints, coatings, plastics, or flame-retardant additives.
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Poor documentation – Without proof (like Safety Data Sheets updated to NZ standards), you’re exposed.
How Auditsure Ltd Helps Auckland Businesses Stay Compliant
This is where Auditsure Ltd, Auckland’s Māori-owned audit consultancy, steps in. We specialise in HSNO compliance and ISO standards. Here’s what we do:
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Review your chemical inventory against the HSNO restricted substances list.
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Audit your supply chain for hidden POPs.
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Build compliance systems that satisfy both EPA (HSNO) and WorkSafe (HSWA) requirements.
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Train your staff so they know what they’re handling and how to stay safe.
Auditsure isn’t about jargon. We cut through the red tape so you know exactly where you stand.
Final Word
The rules around HSNO restricted chemicals keep evolving, and Auckland businesses can’t afford to lag behind. The new POPs — Methoxychlor, Dechlorane Plus, and UV-328 — are officially on the banned list.
Check your inventory, fix your paperwork, and if you’re not sure, call in the pros.
Because with hazardous substances, ignorance isn’t just risky — it’s expensive.
When in doubt, talk to Auditsure Ltd. We’ll keep your compliance tight and your business out of trouble.
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