Environz

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• Emissions reduction and the art of negotiation
• Managing environmental challenges (New year, new challenges)
• Had any rubbish ideas lately?
• Test certifier regime review
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Test certifier regime review

Hazardous substances are part of our lives – from the detergents we use to wash our dishes, the chlorine in our local pool, the petrol we use in our cars and the pesticides used on our food. It is important we manage the risks they pose to people, communities and the environment.

Since June 2008, the Ministry for the Environment has been looking into the effectiveness of the test certifier regime established under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.

Test certifiers are people who perform site, equipment and personnel assessments to ensure that hazardous substances are adequately managed. Once they are satisfied with compliance, they will issue a test certificate.

Test certifiers operate in a difficult environment. Not only do they need to have knowledge of hazardous substances (of which there are many) and their appropriate HSNO controls, but they also need to keep abreast of regulation changes and sell their services to businesses that may not necessarily see the need for them.

A number of concerns have arisen with the way the test certifier regime is operating.  In particular:

• the long-term viability of the regime (balance of new test certifiers versus those who are retiring or moving to other roles)
• the consistency of decision-making in awarding test certificates
• registration requirements
• the quality of service provided by test certifiers
• barriers to becoming a test certifier
• initial and on-going training of test certifiers
• auditing of test certifier decisions
• perceived conflicts of interest.

Industry has voiced concerns over matters such as the regional availability of test certifiers, the cost of their service, and the ability of a test certifier to cover all aspects of hazardous substances advice and certification. Test certifiers themselves have expressed concerns over low levels of business compliance, and businesses’ unwillingness to pay the costs associated with becoming compliant.

The recent NZ Fire Service report on the April 2008 Tamahere coolstore fire raised concerns related to aspects of test certification including the way in which hazardous substance requirements were integrated with building and Resource Management Act matters.

The Ministry, in conjunction with an advisory group (comprising test certifiers, the Environmental Risk Management Authority, Department of Labour and industry), is currently working to clarify these issues. Where appropriate, the Ministry will then make recommendations to the Government as to how the regime can be improved. The review will be completed by 30 June 2009.

For more information about the review or to provide feedback, please contact the project leader, Kathryn Holdsworth at kathryn.holdsworth@mfe.govt.nz

Test certifiers perform site, equipment and personnel assessments to ensure that hazardous substances are being managed properly.

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