Simpson Grierson - New Zealand is moving to GHS 7

17/04/2025·2 min read

New Zealand is moving to GHS 7 - are you ready for 30 April?

The four-year transition period for complying with the changes to New Zealand’s hazardous substances and new organisms (HSNO) classification system is coming to an end. This means that by 30 April 2025, all safety data sheets, product labelling, and packaging must comply with the amended HSNO notices that have adopted the Globally Harmonised System (GHS).

What does this mean for you?

If you manufacture, import or supply products that are covered by the HSNO regime in New Zealand, your products are likely to be impacted by the changes. Key things to note:

all substances (even those approved under a group standard) must comply with the requirements under the following HSNO Notices:
- Hazardous Substances (Labelling Notice) 2017 - EPA Consolidation 30 April 2021 (Labelling Notice);
- Hazardous Substances (Safety Data Sheets Notice) 2017 - EPA Consolidation 30 April 2021 (Safety Data Sheets Notice); and
- Hazardous Substances (Packaging Notice) 2017 - EPA Consolidation 30 April 2021 (Packaging Notice);
while most of the changes reflect the requirements under GHS, there are NZ-specific requirements that must still be addressed; and
the Notices allow for alternative compliance with specified jurisdictions.

The Consolidated HSNO Notices

The Notices were updated in April 2021, giving manufacturers, importers and suppliers a four-year transitional period to meet the new requirements. The updates in the Notices are based on the classification and labelling system of the 7th edition of the Globally Harmonised System (GHS 7). The updates ensure that New Zealand is aligned with international standards, improving safety of hazardous substances through clear and consistent communication.

NZ-specific requirements

Although the move to GHS 7 is intended to harmonise New Zealand’s system with international standards, inevitably there are additional requirements under the Notices that are specific to New Zealand. For example, the Labelling Notice requires a 24-hour emergency contact phone number from which information about the substance can be obtained to be included on product labels.

Alternative compliance

The Notices also allow for alternative compliance with specified jurisdictions for some specific requirements. For example, under the Labelling Notice, if your products comply with the labelling requirements of the European Union, Australia, Canadia, or America, you could be exempted from complying with certain, corresponding requirements under the Labelling Notice. That said, it is important to note that alternative compliance is only available for specific requirements only, and not all aspects of the Notices. In addition, importers or manufacturers who rely on the alternative compliance provisions need to establish records stating their intention to rely on the alternative compliance clause, as well as the particular jurisdiction they are relying on.