From January 2026, all New Zealand importers and manufacturers of hazardous substances are required to submit expanded business and substance details through the new Hazardous Substances Reporting and Notifications (HSRN) portal.
The New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has brought the Consolidated Hazardous Substances (Importers and Manufacturers) Notice 2015 into effect from 1 January 2026. Under this notice, importers and manufacturers must provide enhanced information relating to their operations and the hazardous substances they place on the market.
General Reporting Obligations
From 1 January 2026, all importers and manufacturers must use the HSRN portal to report their business information to the EPA.
Key compliance requirements include:
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Reporting deadline: Business information must be submitted within 30 days of the first import or manufacture of a hazardous substance.
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Updates: Any changes to business details or the addition of a new hazardous substance must be recorded in the portal within 30 days.
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Information required: Submissions must include the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) and the relevant HSNO approval number, or the applicable individual approval or group standard name, for each hazardous substance imported or manufactured.
Annual Reporting for Selected Substances
Importers and manufacturers of certain hazardous substances must also submit an annual report covering the previous calendar year, with a deadline of 31 May each year. This requirement applies to substances with a higher likelihood of entering the environment. Reports for the 2025 calendar year are due by 31 May 2026.
Annual reporting is required for substances in the following categories:
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Agrichemicals, including pesticides for commercial and domestic use (such as vertebrate toxic agents, fumigants, and plant growth regulators), as well as certain veterinary medicines
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Timber treatment chemicals
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Antisapstain chemicals
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Antifouling paints
Each annual report must include the product name, substance approval, active ingredient name, CAS number (where applicable), and the total quantity of active ingredients supplied, expressed in kilograms.
Businesses that only repackage or relabel hazardous substances are exempt from these reporting obligations to prevent double counting, provided the original importer or manufacturer has already reported the information.
