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Fumigants are controlled by the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.

Fumigants are used to control a variety of pests including:

• fungus in soil
• spiders in grape imports
• mites in grain
• rabbits in burrows

Different fumigants are:

• injected into the soil
• used to treat timber
• used to treat export and import goods
• used to debug buildings and ships
• used extensively by the agriculture and horticulture industries and other pest management services

If your pest control business uses fumigants, you have to have the right Test Certificates and licenses. These include:

• Licensing
• Location Test Certificates
• Tracking
• Approved Handler Test Certificates
• Packaging
• Identification, documentation and signage
• Fire Extinguishers and Emergency Management
• Tolerable Exposure Limits

Licensing Requirements

Under the HSNO Act, anyone who manufactures, sells, uses or stores a licensed fumigant will need a Controlled Substances Licence. Only a licence holder can take possession of a licenced fumigant. To buy them your supplier will need to confirm there is a licence holder who will take responsibility for them, and that you have a Location Test Certificate if needed.

• Fumigants requiring a Licence
• Details on the licensing system

Location Test Certificates

You will need a Location Test Certificate if you are using and/or storing flammable fumigants above certain minimum quantities. A list of these is included in the table below.

Tracking

The most hazardous chemicals need tracking, and you will need an Approved Hander in order to use them. A supplier will need to confirm there is an Approved Hander who will take responsibility for them, and that they have a Location Test Certificate if needed.

All the fumigants in the table below are tracked. Tracking means recording what happens to the fumigant which you possess. See our tracking page for more details.

Approved Handlers

Fumigants are highly toxic poisons that, in some instances, can be extremely harmful to people.

An Approved Handler must make sure that certain chemicals are handled safely, that they do not harm people, nor damage the environment.

All fumigants listed in the table below are required to be under the control of an Approved Handler at all times, except when the fumigant is safely locked away.

Not all employees in a fumigation business need to be Approved Handlers. Fumigants may be handled by a person who is not an Approved Handler if:

• an Approved Handler is present at the place where the fumigant is being handled
• the Approved Handler has provided guidance to the person for the handling
• the Approved Handler is available at all times to provide assistance if necessary

Table of fumigants

Fumigants below are listed by their trade name. The table shows what certificate or licence you need to have, or whether the fumigant is required to be tracked for each specific product (check with your supplier as new products may become available after this list was created).

Fumigant, with Trade Name Products	Location Certificate	Licence/ Approved Handler	Tracking
1,3-Dichloropropene Telone Soil Fumigant	Yes > 100 L	Yes	Yes
1,3-Dichloropropene and chloropicrin Telone C-35 Soil Fumigant	Yes > 100 L	Yes	Yes
Chloropicrin Brimark Chloropicrin Pic-Fume Chloropicrin Soil Fume CP	No	Yes	Yes
Hydrogen cyanide Cyanosil	No	Yes	Yes
Magnesium or aluminium phosphide Magtoxin Gentoxin Genfume AP Quickphos	Yes > 3 kg	Yes > 3 kg	Yes > 3 kg
Methyl bromide AG Fume MB Brima-Fume Methyl Bromide K & B Adams Methyl Bromide	Yes >100 m3	Yes	Yes
Methyl bromide and chloropicrin Brima-Fume Methyl Bromide Fumigant Bromafume Soil Fumigant Israel Bromine K & B Adams Methyl Bromide Fumigant Soil Fume MBC 33	Yes > 100 m3	Yes	Yes
Phosphine ECO2FUME	No	Yes	Yes

Tolerable Exposure Limits

The following table specifies tolerable exposure limits set for the fumigants specified in column 1.

Substances	Component and tolerable exposure limit
Liquid containing 990 g/kg chloropicrin Liquid containing 615 g/kg 1,3-dichloropropene and 345 g/kg chloropicrin Liquid containing 1153 g/litre 1,3-dichloropropene	Chloropicrin TELair = 0.0004 mg/m3 1,3-Dichloropropene TELair = 0.02 mg/m3
Discoid containing hydrocyanic acid	Hydrogen cyanide TELair = 0.009 mg/m3
Gas containing 1000 g/kg methyl bromide Gas containing 980 g/kg methyl bromide and 20 g/kg chloropicrin Gas containing 300 - 670 g/kg methyl bromide and 330 - 700 g/kg chloropicrin	Methyl bromide TELair = 0.005 mg/m3 Chloropicrin TELair = 0.0004 mg/m3
Gas containing 20 g/kg phosphine Pellets containing 570 g/kg aluminium phosphide Pellets containing 660 g/kg magnesium phosphide	Phosphine TELair = 0.0003 mg/m3

Further information

The Department of Labour is responsible for HSNO enforcement in workplaces. You can contact the Department of Labour on 0800 20 90 20

Contact ERMA New Zealand
If you have any questions about hazardous substance compliance contact the Hazardous Substances Compliance Line:

Phone: 0800 376 234, or
Email: hsinfo@ermanz.govt.nz

Or contact us at:
ERMA New Zealand
PO Box 131
Wellington.

Complying with the HSNO Act

• Overview
• Test Certificates and Licences
  • Approved Handler Test Certificates
  • Location Test Certificates
  • Dangerous Good Licences
  • Controlled Substances Licences
  • Approved Fillers for Compressed Gases
  • Periodic Test certificates
  • Stationary Container test certificates
• Enforcement
• Tracking
• Person In Charge
• Emergency management
• Hazard zones & control zones
• Safety Alerts
• Labelling
• Packaging
• ERMA New Zealand Contacts
• Getting Advice
• How do I become a Test Certifier?
• Compliance Guides
• Codes of Practice
• Search ERMA New Zealand Registers