G/TBT/N/NZL/98  
5 March 2020  
(20-1753) Page: 1/3 
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:   
Phone: +64 4 916 2426  
Fax: +64 4 914 0433  
Email: info@epa.govt.nz  or POPsConsultation@epa.govt.nz  
Website: https://www.epa .govt.nz   
Level 10  
Grant Thornton House  
215 Lambton Quay  
Wellington 6011  
New Zealand  
Private Bag 63002  
Wellington  
6140 
New Zealand  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority desi gnated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Standards New Zealand  
Phone: +64 4 498 5990  
Email: wto@standards.co.nz   
Website: www.standards.govt.nz  
3. Notified under 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):  Dicofol - 
This was a pesticide. Note there are no dicofol products registered for use as an 
agricultural pesticide in New Zealand. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and 
PFOA -related compounds has been phased out of production in many countries already. 
PFOA -related compounds, including side -chain fluorinated polymers, are used as 
surfactants and surface treatment agents (for example in textiles, paper and paints and 
inks). They have also been used in firefight ing foams.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  New chemicals 
under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants: Consultation document 
(22 page(s), in English)  G/TBT/N/NZL/98  
 
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  6. Description of content:  See discussion document (page 12 relating to Dicofol and 
pages  13-16 of PFOA) at   
https://www.epa.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/Hazardous -
Substances/Consultation -on-Rotterdam -and-Stockholm -Conventions/Consultation -on-
updating -new-POPs-Feb-2020.pdf  
Proposed changes to the current regulatory requirements to:  
1. Provide for the prohibition of use and production of two persistent organic polluta nts 
(POPs) newly listed in Annex of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic 
Pollutants to meet obligations under the Stockholm Convention. The listing 
decisions are SC -9/11 and SC -9/12. The two POPs are:  
SC-9/11: Dicofol  
CAS No: 115 -32-2 and CAS No: 10606 -46-9 
SC-9/12: Perfluorooctanoic acid  (PFOA), its salts and PFOA -related compounds  
"Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA -related compounds" means the 
following:  
(i) Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; CAS No: 335 -67-1), including any of it s 
branched isomers;  
(ii) Its salts;  
(iii) PFOA -related compounds which, for the purposes of the Convention, are any 
substances that degrade to PFOA, including any substances (including salts 
and polymers) having a linear or branched perfluoroheptyl group with the 
moiety (C 7F15)C as one of the structural elements;  
The following compounds are not included as PFOA -related compounds:  
(i) C8F17-X, where X= F, Cl, Br;  
(ii) Fluoropolymers that are covered by CF 3[CF2]n-R' where  R'=any group, n>16;  
(iii) Perfluoroa lkyl carboxylic and phosphonic acids (including their salts, esters, 
halides and anhydrides) with ≥8 perfluorinated carbons;  
(iv) Perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (including their salts, esters, halides and 
anhydrides) with ≥9 perfluorinated carbons;  
(v) Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl 
fluoride (PFOSF), as listed in Annex B to the Convention.  
The proposal is that New Zealand would make use of one of the short -term exemptions 
available under the Decision -9/12 whic h would enable short term continued us of PFOA, 
its salts and PFOA -related compounds in Fire -fighting foam for liquid fuel vapour 
suppression and liquid fuel fires (Class B fires) in installed systems, including both mobile 
and fixed systems, in accordance  with paragraph 2 of part X of this Annex.  
2. Provide for the continued use of manufactured articles containing PFOA, its salts 
and PFOA related compounds that are already in use in New Zealand.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:   
1. To comply with New Zealand's obligations under the Stockholm Convention on 
Persistent Organic Pollutants. The obligation to prohibit production and use of the 
POPs becomes binding in December 2020. 2. To protect the environment and 
human health by reducing exposure to PO Ps. 
8. Relevant documents:   
1. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Annex A)  G/TBT/N/NZL/98  
 
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  2. When adopted, the proposed amendments will be published in 
http://legislation.govt.nz/   
3. The following decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm 
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants:  
o Decision -911 Listing of Dicofol  
o Decision SC -9/12 to list PFOA and PFOA -related compounds as POPs  
o See: http://chm.pops.int/TheConvention/ConferenceoftheParties/  
ReportsandDecisions/tabid/208/Default.a spx 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Following consideration of the feedback received on the 
consultation document we propose to adopt the resulting amendment to Schedule 2A of 
the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 in May 2020 (indicative date). 
An addendum with the final text will be circulated at the time of adoption.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Entry into force in November 2020 (indicative date)  
10. Final date for comments:  6 May 2020  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://www.epa.govt.nz/public -consultations/open -consultations/feedback -sought -on-
new-stockholm -convention -pops/