G/TBT/N/NZL/76  
 
3 October 2016  
(16-5242) 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:  
Trading Standards  
Ministry of Bus iness, Innovation and Employment  
P.O. Box 1473  
Wellington, New Zealand  
Phone : +64 3 962 2580  
Fax: +64-4-473 9400  
Email : tradingstandards@mbie.govt.nz   
Website : http://www.mbie.govt.nz/tradingstandards   
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 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) : Hot wate r bottles made 
from rubber  and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) ( HS: 4014-90-01; ICS 83.140.99; 97.180 ) 
5. Title, number of pages  and language(s)  of the notified document : Unsafe Goods (Hot 
Water Bottles) Indefinite Prohibition Notice 2016 (5 pages, in English). Made under 
Section  31 of the Fair Trading Act 1986  – Notice given by the Minister of Commerce and 
Consumer Affairs.   
6. Description of content : The effect of the Unsafe Goods Notice is to declare certain goods, 
namely small hot water bottles that do not c omply with specified parts of BS1970:2006  or 
BS1970:2012 Hot water bottles manufactured from rubber and PVC specificatio n, as being 
unsafe goods and indefinitely prohibited from import into, or supply in, New Zealand.   
7. Objective and rationale , includin g the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Hot water bottles were first subject to regulation in New Zealand in 2004 via 
an unsafe goods notice. The measures were introduced after an investigation identified 
numerous injuries related to hot water bo ttles, including hospitalisations and the death of 
an elderly person.  
The controls on hot water bottles were updated in 2015, via a temporary unsafe goods 
notice, to include a more current version of the underlying standard – BS1970:2012 Hot 
water bottles manufactured from rubber and PVC specification.  New Zealand intends to 
make the unsafe goods notice permanent. The permanent notice will likely include 
clarifications to assist compliance, in particular the import clearance documentation 
requirements.  
Continuing the requirements will maintain a minimum benchmark for the safety of hot 
water bottle s in the New Zealand market.  G/TBT/N/NZL/76  
 
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  8. Relevant documents : Unsafe Goods (Hot Water Bottles) Indefinite Prohibition 
Notice  2016 (Exposure Draft)  
9. Proposed date of adopt ion: The notice will come into effect on the date of publication in 
the New Zealand Gazette  
Proposed date of entry into force : On or before 18 December 2016   
10. Final date for comments : Close of business on 14 October 2016  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point  [X] or address, telephone and fax 
number s and e mail and website address es, if available , of other body:  
Trading Standards  
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment  
P.O. Box 1473  
Wellington, New Zealand  
Phone : +64 3 962 2580  
Email : tradingstandards@mbie.govt.nz   
Website : http://www.mbie.govt.nz/tradingstandards