Test Certifier Regime
The test certifier regime was established under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996 (HSNO Act). The regime is a system whereby independent inspectors (approved test certifiers) may issue a test certificate. The HSNO Act is administered by the Ministry for the Environment.
A number of Acts, including the Dangerous Goods Act, were subsumed by the new HSNO Act. As part of this, Dangerous Goods Inspectors, who had operated from local council offices, were replaced, in part, by “test certifiers” operating in a free enterprise system. (Note that enforcement was transferred largely to the Department of Labour.)
Test certifiers are approved by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) after having demonstrated they have suitable skills and experience to be a test certifier. The EPA monitors the regime by keeping registers of test certifiers across the country and of the test certificates which they issue. The EPA is also responsible for the overall coordination and supervision of inspection and enforcement. More information is available on the EPA website.
Last updated: 28 September 2011
