Importing Soil, rock, gravel, sand, clay, peat and water from any country

30 May 2007

bmg-std-sowtr

CONTENTS

• REVIEW
• ENDORSEMENT
• DEFINITIONS
• 1.0 GENERAL CONDITIONS
• 2.0 SOIL
• 3.0 SAND OR CLAY
• 4.0 ROCK OR GRAVEL
• 5.0 PEAT
• 6.0 WATER

REVIEW

This Import Health Standard is subject to periodic review.

ENDORSEMENT

Pursuant to the Biosecurity Act, 1993 and acting under the authority delegated to me by the Director General of Agriculture and Forestry, I hereby issue this Standard.

Stephen Butcher
Biosecurity Standards Group

DEFINITIONS

Clay

a layer of earth usually sticky in nature and in relation to this standard without organic material.

Gravel

a mixture of coarse sand and small rock without organic material.

Inspected

physical inspection by an inspector appointed under the Biosecurity Act 1993.

Peat

also referred to as peat moss. Partially carbonized plant tissue formed by partial decomposition of various plants in water. Peat moss can be exported both as a distinct commodity or used as a packing material.

Sand

loose granular substance formed from worn down rocks without organic material.

Soil

the upper layer of earth containing a mixture of organic material, sand, gravel, clay and silt.

Water

H₂O (includes ice and snow).

1.0 GENERAL CONDITIONS

1.1 It is the responsibility of the importer to ensure compliance with this standard. Products not complying will be decontaminated or treated prior to biosecurity clearance or may be reshipped or destroyed.

1.2 Treatment or holding of uncleared risk goods will be undertaken at a transitional facility.

2.0 SOIL

2.1 Importation is prohibited unless it meets one of the following conditions:

• Small quantities (up to 10kg) must be treated, on arrival, by raising the internal temperature of the soil to 100^oC for at least 25 minutes (soil must be moist) before release.
• Individual samples in excess of 10kg or where heat treatment is not desired- the importer must (prior to shipment) apply to the Plant Import Team with details of the consignment's origin, composition, destination and intended use. The importer will be advised of the conditions.
• The Plant Imports Team may be contacted at the following address:

Plant Imports Team - Permit Applications
PO Box 2526
Wellington
Fax: 04 894 0662

Email: plantimports@maf.govt.nz

Permit application forms are also available at:

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/forms/imports-plants-ai-spmls

• Soil samples imported for chemical/physical analysis (but not for culture or isolation of organisms) must be directed to a transitional facility specifically approved for analysis/destruction. The soil must be destroyed/treated after analysis according to the method approved in the transitional facility's operating procedure.
• Soil that is a contaminant on a consignment must be treated or destroyed. Treatment or destruction is to be undertaken at an approved transitional facility.

Soil imported for the intention of isolating micro-organisms requires a Permit to Import from the Plant Imports Team prior to shipment. An approval under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, 1996, implemented by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand, www.ermanz.govt.nz ), is required if the soil is likely to contain any new organisms.

3.0 SAND OR CLAY

3.1 Sand or clay that is visually free of organic material, commercially packed and intended for manufacturing or as absorbents is permitted without restriction (eg. kitty litter, silica sand (glass), pottery, paint manufacture or drilling fluid).

3.2 Clean sand/clay for chemical or physical analysis/testing, personal use or display is permitted entry provided it is inspected and found to be free from organic material.

3.3 Sand or clay containing organic material must be treated as soil (see section 2.0 above).

4.0 ROCK OR GRAVEL

4.1 Rock or gravel that is inspected and found to be free of organic material, is permitted without restriction.

4.2 Rock or gravel containing organic material must be treated as soil (see section 2.0 above).

5.0 PEAT

5.1 Processed peat

The following peat products are exempt from inspection:

• "BioGreen (Nylex) Superior boost peat pellets", manufactured by Biogreen Ltd, Australia
• "Float absorb", refined peat, manufactured in Sweden
• "Cansorb", "Peatsorb" and "Spillsorb" manufactured by Cansorb, Canada.
• "Peat pots" manufactured by Papteries Henri Boucher.
• "Jiffy" brand peat pots
• "Fertil pots" manufactured by Fertil, France
• "Fertiss plugs" manufactured by Fertil, France

5.2 Raw Peat from any country

Raw peat, if accompanied by a Phytosanitary certificate indicating that the commodity has been autoclaved at 120°C for 30 minutes at 100 kPa, may be given biosecurity clearance without inspection on arrival in New Zealand.

5.3 Raw Peat from Specified Countries

Peat from Australia, Canada and the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, and United Kingdom) must be free of soil, regulated seeds, regulated pests ^φ, and contaminants (eg. leaves and plant debris) and accompanied by a Phytosanitary certificate with the following additional declaration(s):

"The peat in this consignment is:

• free of soil, regulated seeds, and contaminants.

AND

• packed in clean packaging [where appropriate]."

Inspection on arrival in New Zealand is required to confirm these phytosanitary requirements. From each sea container one bale of peat will be selected and a 10 litre sample inspected. If free of live regulated pests, soil, regulated seeds and contaminants biosecurity clearance may be given.

5.4 Raw Peat from Canada

Alternatively, peat from Canada must be free of soil, regulated pests ^φ, regulated seeds, and contaminants (e.g. leaves and plant debris) and accompanied by a Phytosanitary certificate with the following additional declaration(s):

"The peat in this consignment:

• conforms to the Canadian Peat Certification Program".

AND

• is packed in clean packaging [where appropriate]."

Inspection on arrival in New Zealand is required to confirm these phytosanitary requirements. From each sea container one bale of peat will be selected and a 10 litre sample inspected. If free of live regulated pests, soil, regulated seeds and contaminants biosecurity clearance may be given.

5.5 Peat as a packing material:

Peat as a packing material has the same import requirements as consignments of raw peat - a phytosanitary certificate is required with the declarations described in the preceding sections.

Inspection is required to confirm the peat is free of live regulated pests, soil, regulated seeds and contaminants. The peat associated with the commodity sample will be inspected (eg. for 600 units of flower bulbs the peat associated with these bulbs will be inspected). If free of live regulated pests, soil, regulated seeds and contaminants biosecurity clearance may be given.

Peat is not permitted when associated with plants as a growing media.

5.6 Peat non-compliance

Where consignments of peat do not have the required phytosanitary certification the importer may be given the options of:

• Obtaining the correct phytosanitary certificate declarations from the overseas National Plant Protection Organisation; or
• Re-shipment; or
• Destruction. (Where peat is used as a packing material the peat may be destroyed after unpacking the commodity); or
• Autoclaving the peat at 120°C for 30 minutes at 100 kPa to enable biosecurity clearance.

6.0 WATER

6.1 The following water is permitted without restriction:

• Commercially bottled water for human consumption.
• Containers of water for religious or health purposes may be imported provided that the water is inspected and found to be clear and free from visible contamination.
• Water in flasks filled from town water supplies, accompanying passengers into the country, provided that the water is inspected and found to be clear and free from visible contamination.
• Drinking water remaining on ships and aircraft.
• Distilled water.

6.2 Other imports of water are prohibited unless one of the following conditions is met:

• Up to 100 litres of water may be imported for chemical/physical analysis but must be directed to an approved transitional facility specifically approved for analysis and destruction/treatment.
• Water that is not clear or contains visual contamination, requires treatment as per section 6.3. Where the consignment is larger than 100 litres or where treatment is unwanted, the importer may (prior to shipment) apply to the Plant Imports Team (see section 2.1) with details of the consignment's origin, composition, destination and intended use.
• Water imported for the intention of isolating micro-organisms requires a Permit to Import (see section 2.1) prior to shipment. An approval under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, 1996, implemented by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand, www.ermanz.govt.nz ) is required if the water is likely to contain any new organisms.
• For ballast water carried by vessels, refer to MAF Standard BMG-STD-TYRES Import Health Standard for Ship's Ballast Water from all countries (http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/non-organic/standards/ballastwater.htm)

6.3 Water treatment

Treatment is required when the water is not clear and the importer requests treatment or the water is found as a contaminant on an object and is likely to have been exposed to mosquitoes or is visibly contaminated with algae or soil;

Approved treatments include:

• boiling for a minimum of one minute; or
• adding calcium hypochlorite (HTH) at 20 mg/litre of contaminated water. Agitate for one minute and hold for 30 minutes.

For water as a contaminant within second hand tyre shipments refer to MAF Standard BMG-STD-TYRES Import Health Standard for Used Tyres from any country (http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/imports/non-organic/standards/bmg-std-tyres.htm )

• If visually detectable pests are found the certifying NPPO must establish their regulatory status prior to issuing the certificate. This information is available in MAF's "Biosecurity Organisms Register for Imported Commodities":
  http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests/registers/boric