Transfer of Notified Toxic Substances (NOTS)

Notified toxic substances (NOTS) have been transferred to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996.

What is a notified toxic substance (NOTS)?

A notified toxic substance (NOTS) is a substance that was notified under section 32 of the Toxic Substances Act 1979. Until 2 July 2001, people who manufactured, imported or packed toxic substances were required to 'notify' the Ministry of Health by providing basic information about these substances, including the trade name and composition of the product. ERMA New Zealand has been processing these notifications since July 1998.

When the notification process was closed off on 2 July 2001, ERMA New Zealand had around 218000 notified products recorded on the NOTS database. On 1 July 2006 these substances were transferred to the HSNO regime.

NOTS in group standards

Most notified toxic substances were transferred to HSNO by way of group standards. A Group Standard represents a new HSNO approval pathway, by which a large number of substances, including NOTS, that have similar properties or characteristics can be given HSNO approval.

NOTS transferred individually

The group standards did not cover individual substances (with a specified CAS number), these substances were transferred as single components.

Also excluded from the group standard framework were substances with a high hazard classification or an uncommon combination of hazards. Substances with hazards that will not be included in group standards were transferred individually.

Information on the classification and controls of these individually transferred substances will be available from the Hazardous Substances Register in the second half of 2006.

What 'transfer' means for notifiers

Once NOTS are transferred, anyone who manufactures, imports or uses these substances will need to comply with the controls set for the substance by the relevant group standard or HSNO regulations for individually transferred substances.

ERMA New Zealand will be contacting notifiers in the second half on 2006 to confirm to which group standard their NOTS have been allocated and provide further information on how to comply with the group standard. Further information on compliance will also be provided through the ERMA New Zealand website.

Links to useful websites and documents 

ERMA website

Industry Trade Associations: