SG 061/25
New Zealand has prohibited the manufacture and use of three persistent organic pollutant (POP) chemicals. These became effective on March 14, 2025.
In 2024, New Zealand consulted on its proposal to regulate methoxychlor, Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 under the nation’s Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO, SafeGuardS 124/24)
These three POP chemicals have the following applications:
- Methoxychlor is an obsolete pesticide that was used as an insecticide in both agricultural and veterinary sectors
- Dechlorane Plus is a flame retardant used in plastics, adhesives and sealants, as well as in cable and wire coatings in motor vehicles
- UV-328 is an ultra-violet (UV) inhibitor used to protect materials against discoloration and degradation under sunlight. Its primary uses are in paints and coatings and as an additive in plastic materials.
In March 2025, New Zealand issued the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Schedules 1AA and 2A) Order 2025 (the Order) to add these three POP chemicals to Schedule 1AA ‘Stockholm Convention on POP’ and Schedule 2A ‘POP’ of the HSNO (version as at April 5, 2025)
Highlights of the Order are summarized in Table 1.
| Substance | Scope | Requirement | Effective date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dechlorane Plus, including its syn- and anti-isomer¹ |
| Prohibited (as substances, in mixtures or articles) | March 14, 2025 |
| Methoxychlor |
| Prohibited (as substances, in mixtures or articles) | March 14, 2025 |
| UV-328² |
| Prohibited (as substances, in mixtures or articles) | March 14, 2025 |
| ¹Contains several time-limited derogations for specific uses, including, but not limited to, aerospace applications, space applications and defense applications ²Contains several time-limited derogations for specific uses, including, but not limited to, parts of land-based motor vehicles, triacetyl cellulose (TAC) film in polarizers and photographic paper | |||
Table 1
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