G/TBT/N/NZL/92  
7 November 2019  
(19-7548) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)  
Level 10, Grant Thornton House  
215 Lambton Quay  
Private Bag 63002, Waterloo Quay  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
Ph +64 4 916 2426  
Email info@epa.govt.nz  
www.epa.govt.nz   
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
3. Notified und er Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  This 
notification covers all chemical substances that meet the definition of "hazardous 
substance" in Section 2 of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 
1996, and that exceed the thresholds set in the Hazardous Substances (Minimum Degrees 
of Threshold) Notice 2017. This is equivalent to the coverage of the United Nations 
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Consultation 
Document: Implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and 
Labelling of Chemicals, Revision 7 (2017). (60 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This consultation document is seeking input on a range of 
proposa ls related to moving New Zealand from its current hazard classification system for 
hazardous substances, which dates from 2001, to Revision  7 (2017) of the United Nations 
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). This 
consultation document also  includes an exposure draft of the new Hazardous Substances 
(Classification) Notice, the legislation that implements the classification system for 
hazardous substances under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 
1996. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Adopting the GHS 7 system will ensure an internationally aligned 
classification system for hazardous substances that facilitates trade, increases efficiency 
in chemic als management, and enhances the effectiveness of the HSNO Act.  G/TBT/N/NZL/92  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
Consultation Document (incl exposure draft of Hazardous Substances (Classification) 
Notice): https://www.epa.govt.nz/public -consultations/open -consultations/proposal -to-
change -the-classification -system -for-hazardous -substances -in-new-zealand/  
GHS 7th revised edition, 2017 to be incorporated by reference into the Classification 
Notice:  https://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_rev07/07files_e.html )  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  April 2021  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The new Classification Notice is p roposed to come 
into force in April 2021. A two year transition period to implement the changes will be 
provided for.  
10. Final date for comments:  9 January 2020  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)  
Level 10, Grant Thornton House  
215 Lambton Quay  
Private Bag 63002, Waterloo Quay  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
Ph +6 4 4 916 2426  
Email info@epa.govt.nz  
www.epa.govt.nz