Publication Search
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December 2014The Ministry for the Environment commissioned Graham Environmental Consulting Limited to investigate New Zealand imports and exports of asbestos-containing products, and how important these products are to New Zealand businesses. This report presents the findings of that investigation. Read more -
February 2021The New Zealand wastewater sector report documents the challenges facing the wastewater sector in New Zealand. It describes the wastewater’s regulatory and service delivery elements, and examines issues affecting the sector. Read more -
August 2020The New Zealand Threat Classification System provides a tool for assigning a threat status to candidate taxa. Read more -
October 2003This pamphlet outlines New Zealand's approach to genetic modification. Read more -
June 2004This booklet answers some of the basic questions you might have about what genetic modification is, how applications to use it can be made, and how they are controlled and managed in New Zealand. It will also point you to sources of further information. Read more -
June 2002Information for lake managers on on native and exotic fish populations in substantial lakes and reservoirs. Read more -
July 2008This leaflet provides an overview of the proposed National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. The NES came into effect on 1 July 2011. Read more -
July 2011This environment snapshot has been superseded by the October 2012 Recreational water quality in New Zealand indicator update and the 2013 Suitability for swimming indicator update. Read more -
August 2020This guidance document sets out recommended practice for the design of instream infrastructure to provide for fish passage and to set the foundation for the improvement of fish passage management in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2018These guidelines provide water managers with tools and guidance to assess, manage and monitor the water quality. They complement the existing National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (Freshwater NPS) which is the main direction to local government about how to manage fresh water in New Zealand. Read more -
December 2009These guidelines provide advice on how public health risk associated with cyanobacteria in recreational waters can be managed. Read more -
August 1997The Users’ Guide includes information on assessment, acceptance criteria and site management. It is supported by modules of technical information. Read more -
May 2010Preparing for Future Flooding is a summary of the Ministry’s technical report 'Tools for estimating the effects of climate change on flood flow'. It provides good practice information and guidance to help local authorities incorporate climate change impacts into flood risk management. Read more -
June 2000A background review of the structure and value of periphyton communities in streams, factors controlling growth and composition of periphyton, and the effects of human activities on the community. Read more -
February 2017This report reviews the original report, 'Strategic assessment of New Zealand’s freshwaters for recreational use: a human health perspective'. Read more -
October 2001This information sheet, published in 2001, provides information on controls in New Zealand for genetic modification and looks at recommendations of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. Read more -
April 2018The Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation, and the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge co-funded research to look at contemporary losses of wetland extent in New Zealand. This report provides recommendations and a suggested path forward to improve our ability to monitor and report on national wetland extent. Read more -
December 1998Guidance for the owners and managers of petroleum industry sites on how to ensure water discharges will not cause significant adverse effects on the environment. Read more -
April 2020In 2018, the Ministry asked Deloitte to consider the extent of water bottling in Aotearoa New Zealand NZ and the economic value of water bottling for water bottlers and communities. This report presents their findings. Read more -
April 2003This research report examines the economic risks and opportunities associated with the release of three different types of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in New Zealand, as well as of New Zealand forgoing GMO releases. Read more -
December 2019This guide provides information for people who import, manufacture, or sell products covered by New Zealand’s Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS). Read more -
June 1999Information on the assessment and management of sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. Read more -
April 2004This document provides interim guidance on ‘functional’ indicators of ecosystem processes, such as ecosystem metabolism Read more -
April 2011This guideline has been developed through a partnership between the Ministry for the Environment, regional councils and unitary authorities to ensure consistency in the reporting on contaminated sites. Read more -
February 2012The literature review examines published analysis on six emerging technologies: biotechnology, nanotechnology, chemistry, information and communications technology, waste management, and clean energy. Read more -
July 2001This publication provides background information about the sources, causes and processes involved with the deterioration of streams in farmed catchments and the consequences of that deterioration. Read more -
September 2016This draft revised guideline has been released to assist understanding of the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. The final revised guideline will be gazetted in early 2017. Read more -
February 2012The report examines how a number of relatively new technologies might impact on New Zealand’s economy. It applies scenario and quantitative modelling to four technologies, assessing their possible impacts on New Zealand’s economy, public health, and environment. Read more -
September 2020An evaluation report and compilation spreadsheet of available tools, databases and resources relating to the distribution of threatened freshwater species and their habitats in New Zealand. Read more -
November 2003The Ministry and local government developed these guidelines to ensure the consistent selection and application of the environmental guideline values most commonly used in contaminated site assessments in New Zealand. Read more -
December 2018Ministry for the Environment, in partnership with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, commissioned a literature review to get an accessible summary of relevant research carried out in New Zealand on methods to manage sediment and their economic assessment. Read more -
May 2018This report outlines the establishment of reference conditions and trigger values. Reference conditions are defined as the chemical, physical or biological conditions that can be expected in streams and rivers with minimal or no anthropogenic influence. Read more -
July 2001This leaflet provides a general introduction to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. Read more -
September 2020This document provides detailed technical guidance about the new freshwater planning process (FPP) introduced by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020. Read more -
July 2001An essential reference for people affected by the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. Read more -
June 2000A guide on where to find information on the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. Read more -
June 2002Information for lake managers on pest fish and weeds in New Zealand lakes. Read more -
July 2013The latest indicator update providing information on the biophysical condition of New Zealand's rivers. Read more
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April 2006In early 2005, the Government held meetings throughout New Zealand to discuss problems facing water management , and to identify possible solutions. This document summarises what we found out, and what we believe needs to be done to improve freshwater management in New Zealand. Read more -
October 2018This document describes a framework for assessing the biophysical ecosystem health of fresh water in Aotearoa New Zealand. Read more -
July 2014This leaflet explains what New Zealanders need to know about improving the way we manage our fresh water. Read more -
April 2018This report provides an analysis of New Zealand’s wetland loss for the period summer 2001/2 through to summer 2015/2016. Read more -
May 2001This paper is a summary of the report, "Concentrations of selected organochlorines in serum from the non-occupationally exposed New Zealand Population". Read more -
November 2009This information sheet presents the key findings from data collected from over 900 groundwater sites throughout New Zealand between 1995 and 2008. Read more -
July 2013The latest indicator update providing information on some of the values associated with New Zealand’s fresh and marine waters, measuring recreational water quality. Read more
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April 2019This guide outlines the process of gathering information to make decisions about investigating, managing and remediating sites in New Zealand contaminated with PFAS. Read more -
November 2013This report compiles a list of mitigation strategies for managing water quality that are currently available in New Zealand. It provides a commentary on their relative cost-effectiveness. Read more -
November 2013This report compiles a list of mitigation strategies for managing water quality that are currently available in New Zealand. It provides a commentary on their relative cost-effectiveness. Read more -
November 2001This 2001 ‘benchmark’ survey of a nationally representative sample of New Zealanders, 15 years plus, was undertaken to help the Ministry develop a public information campaign on genetic modification. Read more -
October 2011This checklist should be included as a cover sheet for all contaminated site investigations. The checklist is taken from the Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No.1 – Reporting on Contaminated Sites in New Zealand (Revised 2011). Read more