Providing advice and information on hazardous substances
The effective management of hazardous substances throughout their lifecycle is necessary to avoid adverse health effects from either direct exposure or environmental contamination. Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health has a role in situations where there a potential risk to public health.
Contact your local Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health office for information and advice on hazardous substances including:
- Asbestos;
- Lead and lead poisoning; and
- Vertebrate toxic agents (VTAs).
Under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, other agencies also have substantial hazardous substances roles and responsibilities including:
- WorkSafe NZ is responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Act are enforced in any workplace. They are a division of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
- Councils are responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Act are enforced in or on any premises situated in their district, other than those premises specified in section 97 HSNO Act as being the responsibility of another agency.
Get additional information about hazardous substances and the HSNO legislation (NZ Environmental Protection Authority or EPA)
Find out more about issuing permissions for Vertebrate toxic agents, including the application form (Ministry of Health).
Download or order hazardous substances resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
How to stay safe with home and gardening products
How to stay safe with home and gardening productsMany of the everyday products you use at home contain chemicals that fall into the category of ‘hazardous substances’ – including toothpaste, dishwashing powder, and paint.
Weed-killers, pest sprays, fertilizers and many other gardening products are also considered ‘hazardous substances’.
Labels on these products explain the physical, health and environmental risks that you need to be aware of so that you can use, store and dispose of them safely.
- Find out more about hazard labelling on household chemicals.
- Get some simple tips for how to stay safe when using gardening products.
Call the Poisons Centre for more advice on 0800 764 766 (0800 POISON).
Call 111 immediately if a person is not breathing or is unconscious.
Looking at the hazardous effects of radiation
The National Centre for Radiation Science is the lead public health agency for radiation issues. Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health also carries out some activities, including:
- responding to inquiries and complaints;
- reviewing resource consent applications relating to ionising and non-ionising radiation; and
- responding to radiation emergencies if necessary.
Ionising radiation is radiation which has sufficient energy to knock electrons out of (ionise) atoms. X-rays and gamma rays are types of ionising radiation, as are the particulate radiations of alpha and beta particles that are found in some types of nuclear decay. Ionising radiation is what the general public regards as ‘radioactive’.
Non-ionising radiation includes electromagnetic fields in the form of extremely low frequency fields, visible light (including lasers), microwave (including microwave ovens and cell-phone transmissions), radiofrequency fields, ultra violet and infrared.
Get further advice and information on radiation from one of the following links:
- National Centre for Radiation Science.
- Ionising radiation (Ministry of Health).
- Non-iodising radiation (Health NZ).
Documents
- The Investigation and Surveillance of Agrichemical Drift Exposures: Guidelines for Public Health Officers (Health New Zealand 2024).
- The Investigation and Surveillance of Poisoning and Hazardous-substance Injuries: Guidelines for Public Health Officers (Health New Zealand 2024).
- The Environmental Case Management of Lead-exposed Persons: Guidelines for Public Health Officers (Health New Zealand 2024).
- Removing Asbestos from the Home (Te Whatu Ora 2023).
- All About Asbestos: Protecting your health at home (Te Whatu Ora 2023).
- Interagency Committee on the Health Effects of Non-Ionising Fields: Report to Ministers 2022 (Ministry of Health).
- Radiation: Harnessing it safely to benefit our daily lives (Royal Society Te Apārangi 2022).
- Guidelines for Issuing Permissions for Vertebrate Toxic Agents (Ministry of Health 2022).
- Review of health response into Waikouaiti water supply lead contamination (Ministry of Health 2021).
- Exposures to radiofrequency fields near 5G cellsites (Ministry of Health 2020).
- The Code of Practice for the Security of Radioactive Material (Ministry of Health 2020).
- Hazardous Substances Compliance System Findings Report (Environmental Protection Authority NZ 2019).
- National environmental standards for telecommunication facilities (Ministry for the Environment 2016).
- Guidelines for the management of lead-based paint (Ministry of Health 2013).
- Electric and Magnetic Fields and Your Health (Ministry of Health 2013).
Links
- Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
- National Centre for Radiation Science (formerly National Radiation Laboratory).
Contact your local office for further information:
CANTERBURY, MID CANTERBURY AND CHATHAM ISLANDS
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600
WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160
For additional information, contact:
Environmental Protection Authority
Ph: 0800 376 234
WorkSafe NZ
0800 030 040
Water blasting contaminates homes with asbestos and lead
Environment Canterbury media release: 6th March 2024
If you are planning work on your home this autumn, consider a professional assessment for the presence of asbestos or lead.
There have been two recent cases where people have water blasted their roofs and cladding which released asbestos fibres or lead flakes into the air, contaminating soil and waterways.
Regional Leader Compliance Delivery, James Tricker, notes the owners had to spend tens of thousands of dollars in clean-up to make their homes safe again,” he says.
“The high pressure can cause the asbestos-containing material (ACM) to break up into airborne fibres, or lead-based paint to flake. This disturbance can have significant environmental impacts for your property, neighbourhood, and for your family’s health.”
Both asbestos and lead are known to be serious health hazards for humans, and harmful to our environment.
“Water blasting is one of the worst ways to create exposure risks by releasing the fibres from the products and damaging lead-based paint,” says Tricker.
When asbestos is disturbed, fibres are released into the air which can get deep into our lungs and cause respiratory illness.
Accidentally swallowing or inhaling large quantities of lead-based paint flakes or chips can result in lead poisoning.
Lead and asbestos are also harmful when they pollute our environment. Airborne fibres and flakes can make their way into waterways and contaminate soil. This may not only impact the health of your property, but your neighbour’s as well.
Any health or environmental risks are considered to be low if products containing asbestos or lead remain undisturbed and in good condition.
- WorkSafe New Zealand provides resources for safely identifying, working with, and disposing of asbestos. It also covers licensing and information for homeowners and landlords.
- Find a WorkSafe licensed assessor or removalist in your area to check your home for asbestos.
- Houses built in built in the 1980s or earlier were often painted with lead-based paint.
Contact your local Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health office if you think the paint in your home may contain lead. - Anyone concerned about potential asbestos or lead exposure should phone their GP for health advice.
- Business owners or contractors are responsible for investigating building materials before they begin a job.
Find out more about how asbestos is dealt with including the responsibilities for businesses. - Download “All About Asbestos: Protecting your health at home” (Te Whatu Ora 2023).
- Download “Removing Asbestos from the Home” (Te Whatu Ora 2023).