The Resource Management (National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health) Regulations 2011 (NES) came into effect on 1 January 2012. The purpose of the NES is to ensure national consistency in the management of contaminated land to make land safe for human use. It includes national planning rules that set out requirements for activities and standardised methods for setting numerical standards for contaminants in soils. The methods include a national set of soil contaminant standards for 12 priority contaminants, and five specified land uses.
The NES applies to any piece of land on which an activity or industry described in the Hazardous Activities and Industries List (HAIL) has been or is more likely than not to have been undertaken on the land. Land known to have been affected by soil contaminants is also recorded on the Land Use Information Register held by the Waikato Regional Council or on records held by the Council.
A complete copy of the NES as at 1 January 2012, being the date at which they first came into effect, is included. The Ministry for the Environment website (www.mfe.govt.nz) has an update-to date copy of the NES, a User's Guide to the NES, and documents incorporated by reference in the NES, including the current version of the HAIL.
To minimise the potential for adverse effects in connection with the use and development of contaminated and potentially contaminated land, so as to avoid or mitigate the risk of adverse effects on human health and the environment.
To ensure that contaminated land is managed or remediated to ensure that contaminants are at a level acceptable for the proposed land-use.
Ensure that the use and development of contaminated land management approaches include site investigations, remediation action plans, or management plans for identifying, monitoring and managing contaminated land.
Where the National Environmental Standards for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health Regulations 2011 are relevant, manage the activity to ensure that any contamination is appropriate to any proposed future use of the piece of land and avoids, remedies or mitigates potential adverse effects on human health.
These regulations are the Resource Management (National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health) Regulations 2011.
These regulations come into force on 1 January 2012.
In these regulations,—
Act means the Resource Management Act 1991
current edition means the edition that has legal effect when the edition is being used
detailed site investigation means an investigation that—
(a) is done by a suitably qualified and experienced practitioner; and
(b) is done in accordance with the current edition of Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No. 5–Site Investigation and Analysis of Soils, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment; and
(c) is reported on in accordance with the current edition of Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No. 1–Reporting on Contaminated Sites in New Zealand, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment; and
(d) results in a report that is certified by the practitioner
fuel storage system means a system in which at least 1 of the following is underground:
(a) a storage tank for aviation kerosene, diesel, kerosene, lubricating oil, or petroleum:
(b) the whole of the tank's ancillary equipment:
(c) part of the tank's ancillary equipment
HAIL means the current edition of the Hazardous Activities and Industries List, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment
person means the person referred to in regulation 5(1)(a)
preliminary site investigation means an investigation that—
(a) is done by a suitably qualified and experienced practitioner; and
(b) is reported on in accordance with the current edition of Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No. 1–Reporting on Contaminated Sites in New Zealand, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment; and
(c) results in a report that is certified by the practitioner.
These regulations—
(a) deal with territorial authority functions under section 31 of the Act:
(b) do not deal with regional council functions under section 30 of the Act.
(1) These regulations—
(a) apply when a person wants to do an activity described in any of subclauses (2) to (6) on a piece of land described in subclause (7) or (8):
(b) do not apply when a person wants to do an activity described in any of subclauses (2) to (6) on a piece of land described in subclause (9)
(2) An activity is removing a fuel storage system from the piece of land or replacing a fuel storage system in or on the piece of land, which means—
(a) doing any of the following:
(i) removing or replacing the whole system:
(ii) removing or replacing an underground part of the system:
(iii) taking away or putting back soil associated with the removal or replacement of the system or the part:
(b) doing any of the following for purposes associated with removing or replacing the whole system or part of the system:
(i) sampling the soil of the piece of land:
(ii) investigating the piece of land:
(iii) remediating the piece of land:
(iv) validating the piece of land:
(v) managing the piece of land.
(3) An activity is sampling the soil of the piece of land, which means sampling it to determine whether or not it is contaminated and, if it is, the amount and kind of contamination.
(4) An activity is disturbing the soil of the piece of land, which—
(a) means disturbing the soil of the piece of land for a particular purpose:
(b) does not include disturbing the soil of the piece of land, whatever the purpose, if the land is land to which regulation 33(9) or 36 of the Resource Management (National Environmental Standard for Electricity Transmission Activities) Regulations 2009 applies.
(5) An activity is subdividing land, which means subdividing land—
(a) that has boundaries that are identical with the boundaries of the piece of land; or
(b) that has all the piece of land within its boundaries; or
(c) that has part of the piece of land within its boundaries.
(6) An activity is changing the use of the piece of land, which means changing it to a use that, because the land is as described in subclause (7), is reasonably likely to harm human health.
(7) The piece of land is a piece of land that is described by 1 of the following:
(a) An activity or industry described in the HAIL is being on it:
(b) An activity or industry described in the HAIL has been undertaken on it:
(c) It is more likely than not that an activity or industry described in the HAIL is being or has been undertaken on it.
(8) If a piece of land described in subclause (7) is production land, these regulations apply if the person wants to—
(a) remove a fuel storage system from the piece of land or replace a fuel storage system in or on the piece of land:
(b) sample or disturb—
(i) soil under existing residential buildings on the piece of land:
(ii) soil used for the farmhouse garden or other residential purposes in the immediate vicinity of existing residential buildings:
(iii) soil that would be under proposed residential buildings on the piece of land:
(iv) soil that would be used for the farmhouse garden or other residential purposes in the immediate vicinity of proposed residential buildings:
(c) subdivide land in a way that causes the piece of land to stop being production land:
(d) change the use of the piece of land in a way that causes the piece of land to stop being production land.
(9) These regulations do not apply to a piece of land described in subclause (7) or (8) about which a detailed site investigation exists that demonstrates that any contaminants in or on the piece of land are at, or below, background concentrations.
(1) Subclauses (2) and (3) prescribe the only 2 methods that the person may use for establishing whether or not a piece of land is as described in regulation 5(7).
(2) One method is by using information that is the most up-to-date information about the area where the piece of land is located that the territorial authority—
(a) holds on its dangerous goods files, property files, or resource consent database or relevant registers; or
(b) has available to it from the regional council.
(3) The other method is by relying on the report of a preliminary site investigation—
(a) stating that an activity or industry described in the HAIL is, or is not, being undertaken on the piece of land; or
(b) stating that an activity or industry described in the HAIL has, or has not, been undertaken on the piece of land; or
(c) stating the likelihood of an activity or industry described in the HAIL being undertaken, or having been undertaken, on the piece of land.
(4) The person must—
(a) choose which of the 2 methods to use; and
(b) meet all the costs involved in using the method that the person has chosen.
(1) In this regulation,—
land use means—
(a) the current use, if the activity the person wants to do is—
(i) to remove a fuel storage system from the piece of land or replace a fuel storage system in or on the piece of land:
(ii) to sample the soil of the piece of land:
(iii) to disturb the soil of the piece of land:
(b) the intended use, if the activity the person wants to do is—
(i) to subdivide land:
(ii) to change the use of the piece of land
Methodology means the current edition of the Methodology for Deriving Standards for Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment
priority contaminant means a contaminant for which the Methodology derives a soil contaminant standard.
(2) If the contaminant of concern is a priority contaminant and the land use fits within an exposure scenario adopted in the Methodology, the applicable standard is the soil contaminant standard for the priority contaminant.
(3) If the contaminant of concern is a priority contaminant and the land use does not fit within an exposure scenario adopted in the Methodology, the applicable standard is whichever of the following is more appropriate in the circumstances:
(a) the guideline value derived in accordance with the methods and guidance on site-specific risk assessment provided in the Methodology:
(b) the soil contaminant standard for the priority contaminant of the exposure scenario adopted in the Methodology with greater assumed exposure than the actual exposure.
(4) If the contaminant of concern is not a priority contaminant, the applicable standard is whichever of the following is more appropriate in the circumstances:
(a) the guideline value derived in accordance with the methods and guidance on site-specific risk assessment provided in the Methodology:
(b) a guideline value for the protection of human health that is chosen in accordance with the current edition of Contaminated Land Management Guidelines No. 2–Hierarchy and Application in New Zealand of Environmental Guideline Values, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment.
The above shall not apply where detailed investigation exists that demonstrates that any contaminants in or on the piece of land are at, or below, background concentrations
(a) the activity must be done in accordance with the current edition of Guidelines for Assessing and Managing Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminated Sites in New Zealand, Wellington, Ministry for the Environment:
(b) the territorial authority of the district where the system is located must be notified of—
(i) the place where the activity is to be done:
(ii) the dates on which it is intended that the activity begin and end:
(iii) the facility at which it is intended that soil taken away in the course of the activity be disposed of:
(c) notification under paragraph (b) must be done no sooner than 1 month and no later than 1 week before the activity begins:
(d) the volume of soil disturbed must be no more than 30 m3 for each tank in the system:
(e) the volume of soil taken away in the course of the activity must be no more than 30 m3 for each tank in the system:
(f) soil taken away in the course of the activity must be disposed of at a facility authorised to receive soil of that kind:
(g) the duration of the activity must be no longer than 2 months:
(h) the results of the investigation of the piece of land required by the guidelines described in paragraph (a) must be reported to the territorial authority within 3 months after the activity ends.
(a) controls to minimise the exposure of humans to mobilised contaminants must—
(i) be in place when the activity begins:
(ii) be effective while the activity is done:
(iii) be effective until the soil is reinstated to an erosion-resistant state:
(b) the soil must be reinstated to an erosion-resistant state within 1 month after the end of the course of sampling for which the activity was done:
(c) soil must not be taken away in the course of the activity except as samples taken for the purpose of laboratory analysis:
(d) the integrity of a structure designed to contain contaminated soil or other contaminated materials must not be compromised.
(a) controls to minimise the exposure of humans to mobilised contaminants must—
(i) be in place when the activity begins:
(ii) be effective while the activity is done:
(ii) be effective until the soil is reinstated to an erosion-resistant state:
(b) the soil must be reinstated to an erosion-resistant state within 1 month after the serving of the purpose for which the activity was done:
(c) the volume of the disturbance of the soil of the piece of land must be no more than 25 m3 per 500 m2:
(d) soil must not be taken away in the course of the activity, except that,—
(i) for the purpose of laboratory analysis, any amount of soil may be taken away as samples:
(ii) for all other purposes combined, a maximum of 5 m3 per 500 m2 of soil may be taken away per year:
(e) soil taken away in the course of the activity must be disposed of at a facility authorised to receive soil of that kind:
(f) the duration of the activity must be no longer than 2 months:
(g) the integrity of a structure designed to contain contaminated soil or other contaminated materials must not be compromised.
(a) a preliminary site investigation of the land or piece of land must exist:
(b) the report on the preliminary site investigation must state that it is highly unlikely that there will be a risk to human health if the activity is done to the piece of land:
(c) the report must be accompanied by a relevant site plan to which the report is referenced:
(d) the consent authority must have the report and the plan.
(a) the adequacy of the detailed site investigation, including—
(i) site sampling:
(ii) laboratory analysis:
(iii) risk assessment:
(b) how the activity must be—
(i) managed, which may include the requirement of a site management plan:
(ii) monitored:
(iii) reported on:
(c) the transport, disposal, and tracking of soil and other materials taken away in the course of the activity:
(d) the timing and nature of the review of the conditions in the resource consent:
(e) the duration of the resource consent.
If a requirement described in regulation 8(4) is not met, the activity is a controlled activity while the following requirements are met:
(a) a detailed site investigation of the piece of land must exist:
(b) the report on the detailed site investigation must state that the soil contamination does not exceed the applicable standard in regulation 7:
(c) the consent authority must have the report:
(d) conditions arising from the application of subclause (4), if there are any, must be complied with.
The matter over which control is reserved is the adequacy of the detailed site investigation, including—
(a) site sampling:
(b) laboratory analysis:
(c) risk assessment.
The consent authority must not give public notification of an application for a resource consent to do any of the activities.
If a requirement described in this regulation is not met, the activity is a restricted discretionary activity under regulation 10 while it meets the requirements in regulation 10(2).
(1) This regulation applies to an activity described in any of regulation 5(2) to (6) on a piece of land described in regulation 5(7) or (8) that is not a permitted activity or a controlled activity.
(2) The activity is a restricted discretionary activity while the following requirements are met:
(a) a detailed site investigation of the piece of land must exist:
(b) the report on the detailed site investigation must state that the soil contamination exceeds the applicable standard in regulation 7:
(c) the consent authority must have the report:
(d) conditions arising from the application of subclause (3), if there are any, must be complied with.
(3) The matters over which discretion is restricted are as follows:
(a) the adequacy of the detailed site investigation, including—
(i) site sampling:
(ii) laboratory analysis:
(iii) risk assessment:
(b) the suitability of the piece of land for the proposed activity, given the amount and kind of soil contamination:
(c) the approach to the remediation or ongoing management of the piece of land, including—
(i) the remediation or management methods to address the risk posed by the contaminants to human health:
(ii) the timing of the remediation:
(iii) the standard of the remediation on completion:
(iv) the mitigation methods to address the risk posed by the contaminants to human health:
(v) the mitigation measures for the piece of land, including the frequency and location of monitoring of specified contaminants:
(d) the adequacy of the site management plan or the site validation report or both, as applicable:
(e) the transport, disposal, and tracking of soil and other materials taken away in the course of the activity:
(f) the requirement for and conditions of a financial bond:
(g) the timing and nature of the review of the conditions in the resource consent:
(h) the duration of the resource consent.
(4) If a requirement described in this regulation is not met, the activity is a DIS activity under regulation 11.
(1) This regulation applies to an activity described in any of regulation 5(2) to (6) on a piece of land described in regulation 5(7) or (8) that is not a PER activity, CON activity, or RDIS activity.
(2) The activity is a DIS activity".
The following also may be relevant:
(1) Section 7.1 Energy, 7.2 Infrastructure, 7.3 Transportation
(2) Section 8.2 Hazardous Substances, 8.3 Natural Hazards
(3) Section 9.1 Historic Heritage, 9.2 Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori
(4) 10.1 Ecosystems and Indigenous Biodiversity, 10.2 Natural Character, 10.3 Natural Features and Landscapes, 10.4 Public Access
(5) Chapter 11 Subdivision
(6) Section 12.1 All Activities
(7) Section 12.2 Activities on the Surface of Water, 12.3 Air Emissions, 12.4 Earthworks, 12.5 Financial Contributions, 12.6 Light,12.7 Noise, 12.8 Signs, 12.9 Temporary Activities
(8) Part 3- Any relevant zone or overlay
The above repeats the NES which includes best practice guidelines for investigating and reporting on contaminated or potentially contaminated land. An inability to meet the requirements of the NES, or the undertaking of particular activities in certain locations will result in the need for a resource consent.
The national environmental standard applies to activities on pieces of land where soil may be contaminated in such a way as to be a risk to human health. The activities are removing or replacing a fuel storage system, sampling the soil, disturbing the soil, subdividing land, and changing the use of the piece of land. The activities are classed as PER, CON, RDIS or DIS activities in the NES.
Activities implement best management practices to avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse environmental effects.