EPA seeks submissions on HSNO Act
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is seeking submissions on a consultation paper for transitional regulations made under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act, which regulates pesticides, dangerous goods, household chemicals and other dangerous substances.
Changes were made to the HSNO Act as part of the Government’s Health and Safety Reform. Part of these changes include moving the workplace hazardous substance rules from HSNO to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA).
Moving these requirements has created some gaps in the rules. To fill these gaps, specific rules are being set in the Hazardous Property Controls (HPC) Notice. To make sure these gap filling rules are in place for all existing HSNO approvals when the HPC Notice becomes law (expected December 2017), transitional regulations are needed under HSNO.
EPA General Manager Siobhan Quayle says “The new regulations are needed to make sure the gap filling rules we’re including in the HPC Notice are in effect for all currently approved substances when the new regime becomes law in December. They’ll make sure we maintain the same level of safety we have now, protecting people and our environment.”
The EPA is seeking public feedback and comment on the proposals set out in a consultation document to inform the development of the transitional regulations.
The transitional regulations will be developed by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE).
For more information, click here.
To read the consultation and make a submission, click here.
Deadline for submissions is 12 May, 2017.
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