Genetically Engineered
Organisms
1. Establish a five-year
moratorium on the field testing and commercial release of genetically engineered
organisms while a comprehensive public review and assessment of the long-term
effects and risks is undertaken. Key action: amendment to Hazardous
Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) to provide a 5 year moratorium.
2. Require compulsory labelling of
food containing any genetically engineered material, whether for human
or animal consumption.
Hazardous substances
3. Phase out persistent
organic pollutants (POPs) by December 2000.
4. Phase out chlorinated
PVC plastic, chlorinated solvents and the small number of chlorinated anti-sapstain
and timber treatment chemicals still in registered use by December 2002.
5. Recognising the unique biosecurity
needs of NZ and the need to protect indigenous biodiversity, adopt the
goal of phasing out the use of dangerous or bioaccumulative organochlorine
biocides by 2005 with processes for exempting certain uses to
protect New Zealand’s borders from alien pest incursions, and for alien
pest control needed to protect indigenous biodiversity or when there are
no safer alternatives to protect New Zealand’s primary industries.
6. A specifically funded phased review
to be completed by 2005 of other currently registered chemicals with priority
given to those known to be bioaccumulative, mutagenic, carcinogenic, ozone-depleting
or otherwise known to or suspected to cause significant human health impacts
or adverse environmental impacts.
This review is to be implemented
via a public process based on HSNO criteria and should examine the biosecurity
need, efficacy, alternatives, advantages and disadvantages, to classify
those that should be:
-
banned immediately;
-
phased out;
-
further restricted;
-
allowed to remain in use with current
restrictions.
Legislation
and ERMA
7. Amend the Hazardous Substances
and New Organisms Act (HSNO) within the next parliamentary term to:
a) Reform the Environmental
Risk Management Authority to change it into a government department with
a CEO responsible to a Minister;
b) Implement the genetic engineering
policy (above);
c) Include the management of radioactive
substances;
d) Include provisions to implement
the Basel Convention and ratify the 1994 amendment to this Convention which
bans the export of hazardous waste for disposal or recycling from OECD
to non-OECD countries by 2001.
e) Increase penalties, and enable
performance and compliance bonds to be set at levels similar to those in
the Commerce Act or the Trade in Endangered Species Act.
8. Introduce the use of
environmental user charges, as provided for in the HSNO Act, to act as
a "hazard tax" to accelerate the phase-out, in the first instance, of industrial-scale
chlorine use.
Waste
reduction and pollution
10. Adopt a waste minimisation
strategy and require waste reduction at source: by 2002 reduce annual solid
waste production to 50% of 1990 levels.
11. By 2001 set national environmental
standards (NES) under the Resource Management Act for all pollution discharges.
These standards should be at least as good as international best standards
and include a phased timetable to achieve standards by 2005.
12. Commit to introducing a national
Toxics Use and Release Inventory (TURI) by 2001 with the goal of a 50%
reduction in use and emissions by 2005.
13. Amend the Rating Powers Act to
allow local authorities to rate litter generators selectively.
14. Legislate for refining and recovery
of used oil.
Contaminated
Sites
15. Commit to the introduction
of a national policy statement on hazardous waste by the end of 2001.
16. Commit to a national strategy
for the safe disposal of hazardous wastes and clean up of contaminated
sites to at least best international standards. The strategy should
include:
-
Decontaminating sites by 2005, including
the 20 worst contaminated sites or 30% of the sites, whichever is higher,
by 2002.
-
Amend the Resource Management Act to
identify, control and clean up ''orphan'' or contaminated sites. Changes
to the Act should include:
-
Ensuring liability for clean up and
restoration is clearly identified and not left solely to current landowners;
-
Introducing a clean up fund derived
from mandatory industry levies such as a hazard tax;
-
Requiring regional council permits for
all hazardous sites, including manufacture, processing and waste treatment
sites, and mandatory public consultation regarding siting;
-
Requiring bonds to cover long-term environmental
damage liability.
Marine
pollution
17. Promote the protection
of the marine environment by the introduction of measures to reduce land
and sea-based sources of marine pollution from human activities. To this
end, amend the Maritime Transport Act to:
a) Transfer to the Ministry
for the Environment the administration of controls on marine pollution,
marine dumping, oil pollution, incineration and storing of waste out to
200 nautical miles;
b) Introduce public participation
procedures into the Act that are at least as rigorous as those in the Resource
Management Act;
c) Include environmental costs and
benefits in the objectives of the Maritime Safety Authority and in the
establishment of maritime safety rules;
d) Provide nominees of the Minister
for the Environment on the Maritime Safety Authority.
18. Promote the ratification of MARPOL
annexes IV (sewage disposal) and VI (air pollution) and promote the development
of a annex to control ballast water and hull fouling to prevent the spread
of alien species.
Toxic Waste Trade
19. Ratify the Waigani Treaty
on waste trade in the South Pacific.
Ozone depleting substances
20. Phase-out the use of
ozone depleting substances, including methyl bromide and HCFCs by 2001.
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