The Minister for the Environment’s responsibilities under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act) aims to prevent or manage the adverse effects of hazardous substances and new organisms, including genetically modified organisms, within New Zealand.
A Crown entity, the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA), is a specialist decision-making body under the HSNO Act.
Under this Act, the Minister for the Environment has responsibility to:
- appoint members to ERMA
- direct ERMA to have regard to government policy that relates to ERMA’s functions and objectives
- decide whether an application fits the limited circumstances in relation to specified significant effects that would justify calling in the application to be decided by the Minister rather than ERMA, using ERMA as advisers.
Last updated: 29 May 2009
