Regulatory Impact Statement – Cost-benefit Analysis of the Proposed NES for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health

Ministry for the Environment, May 2011

The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) has been prepared for the Proposed National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. The RIS is prepared before the Cabinet paper (PDF, 279 KB), in which the agency provides its best advice on the problem definition, objectives, and identification and analysis of the full range of practical options.

All policy proposals submitted to Cabinet which result in Government bills or statutory regulations must be accompanied by a Regulatory Impact Statement, unless an exemption applies.

The National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health:

• sets a standard at which land is considered safe for human health
• ensures land affected by contaminants in soil is appropriately identified and assessed at the time it is developed and if necessary remediated, or the contaminants contained, to make the land safe for human use.