Key Changes
This summary outlines the key changes to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act and to Gazette Notices issued under the Act concerning agrichemicals and persons holding an approved handler test certificate for agrichemicals.
It is designed for approved handlers of agrichemicals who are seeking to renew their approved handler test certificate. To renew a test certificate, you must know about the relevant changes that have occurred to the legislation since your previous test certificate was issued.
-
Changes to the HSNO Act
Revocation of approved handler certificates
An approved handler test certificate can be revoked if the test certificate was obtained by fraud, misrepresentation or concealment of facts, or the holder has been negligent or incompetent as a certificate holder. The Act provides a process that must be followed if a test certificate is to be revoked.
The power to revoke an approved handler test certificate is given in clause 82C of the Act.
-
Changes to the Pesticides Gazette Notice
The Hazardous Substances (Pesticides) Transfer Notice was issued in 2004. Since then two amendments to this Transfer Notice have been issued (2004 and 2006).
The key change, made in 2006, prohibits the application of any pesticide onto or into water, unless the pesticide contains as its active ingredient glyphosphate, diquat, s-methoprene or Bacillus thuringiensis (sub-species israelensis) and the pesticide is under the control of an approved handler.
-
Guidance on wide dispersive use
The Hazardous Substances (Pesticides) Transfer Notice (2004) set a control for certain pesticides to be under the control of an approved handler when used in a wide dispersive manner.
In 2006, ERMA New Zealand issued an information sheet explaining what is meant by wide dispersive use and when an approved handler test certificate would be required. A copy of this information sheet is available at http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/resources/publications/pdfs/ER-IS-33-2 0209.pdf