Import Health Standard for Importation of Inorganic Risk Materials

17 August 2011

maf-std-irm

Issuing Authority
This IHS is issued in accordance with Section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act). It revokes, replaces and extends the scope of "BNZ-STD-SCRAPMETAL: Import Health Standard for Scrap Metal from All Countries (2007). It also incorporates and revokes MAF IHS - Containerised Used Asbestos Imported for Disposal or Destruction (2010).

Dated this seventeenth day of August 2011

 

 

Mary Western
Director, New Zealand Standards
Standards Branch
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
(Issued under delegated authority)
Version number: 1.0

The Import Health Standard (IHS)

1. Scope

This IHS states the minimum legal requirements that must be met at the port of first arrival (POFA) and at transitional facilities (TFs) when importing full container loads of Inorganic Risk Materials (IRMs) from any country into New Zealand (NZ).

2. Introduction

A biosecurity clearance, pursuant to Section 26 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act), may only be issued when IRMs meet the requirements of this IHS. Full container loads of IRMs covered by this IHS include the following categories (but may not be limited to):- (a). cullet (broken or whole glass items for recycling); (b). industrial residues, sweepings and waste (IRSW) for precious metal recovery; (c). material specifically permitted to enter NZ for destruction/disposal (see Appendix 1); (d). scrap metal (for recycling); (e). used (risk items) parts (for recycling or re-use)‡; and (f). used vehicle batteries (for reconditioning or recycling).

Note: Agricultural/forestry machinery parts, break bulk items (unable to be containerised) and used vehicle parts are excluded and not covered by this standard. ‡Risk item parts may have been associated with, or contaminated by biosecurity risk material (animal or plant material).

3. Prohibited Imports of IRMs

Consignments of IRMs (less than a container load) inside mixed consignment containers (for example, intended to be imported as "freight of all kinds" or as personal effects) and in/on flat-rack containers, open sided or open top containers and pallets are prohibited from entering NZ. If these consignments arrive at the NZ border they will be held, re-shipped to origin or treated (all at importer's expense) unless prior written agreement from MAF was provided permitting importation (on a consignment by consignment basis).

4. Non-Compliance

IRMs that do not meet the requirements of this IHS will not be provided with biosecurity clearance under the Act and will be directed by a MAF Inspector as per Section 122 of the Act for further action (as may be appropriate).

5. Biosecurity Requirements

All containers of IRMs must be clean and free of regulated biosecurity contaminants and pests (or meet the threshold specified under Section 8.1).

5.1 Mandatory Treatment and MAF Inspection Requirements

Category	Treatment	Inspection Requirements at POFA or TF
Cullet (broken/whole glass items for recycling)**	Fumigation or heat treatment at POFA within 12 hours of arrival	Must begin within 4 hours of TF unloading unless another risk management system is approved.
IRSW (for precious metal recovery)	Must be stored in quarantine area at TF until incinerated or treated as per approved MAF treatment.	Must arrive at POFA in sealed packaging, inspection on arrival by MAF unless another risk management system is approved.
Material permitted to enter NZ for destruction or disposal (such as Asbestos)	Fumigation. See Appendix 1: Section 3.	6–sided inspection at the POFA.
Scrap metal**	Fumigation or heat treatment at POFA within 12 hours of arrival.	6–sided inspection at the POFA, then scrap metal inspection within 4 hours of TF unloading.
Used batteries (from vehicles)**	Fumigation/heat treatment at POFA within 12 hours of arrival or at the TF within 12 hours of arrival.	Must begin within 4 hours of TF unloading unless another risk management system is approved.
Used parts (risk items)‡	Not mandatory unless contaminants or pests are found.	Must begin within 4 hours of TF unloading unless another risk management system is approved.

** Unless prior written agreement has been received from MAF permitting pre-export treatment or covered by another inspection regime.

5.1.1 Water as a Contaminant

After fumigation, any unidentified water (liquid) contaminants (in bottles, drums, jars or tanks etc) that could contain related pests (for example, mosquitoes) must be chemically treated (unless another destruction method is approved by MAF such as immediate heat treatment or destruction in a furnace or smelter).

Note: Full specifications for chemical treatment, fumigation and heat treatment are found in MAF Standard: Approved Biosecurity Treatments for Risk Goods Directed for Treatment (BNZ-STD-ABTRT) (229 KB).

5.1.2 Consignments consisting of "As-New" Off-Cuts or Uncontaminated Scrap Metal

After treatment, no further inspection is required for "as-new"/uncontaminated scrap metal off-cuts where the MAF Inspector is satisfied on the basis of door inspection, importation history, certification or objective evidence that the material is uncontaminated. Importers should advise MAF in advance of the nature of these consignments. However, MAF may still fully inspect (or audit) consignments at any time.

6. Biosecurity Information Requirements

Information relating to IRM consignments must be received by MAF prior to arrival. This includes: (1). Commodity type. (2). Port of origin. (3). Shipment details (for example vessel, consignee, consignor, container number, treatment certification [if conducted offshore and prior permission was obtained from MAF]).

7. TF Requirements

No person is permitted to open/unload IRM consignments until notification of MAF directions has been received by the TF/TF Operator has specific authority from MAF to do so.

8. Detection and Management of Biosecurity Pests and Contaminants

Detection of biosecurity contaminants or pests on containers will result in mandatory cleaning or treatment at the POFA or further MAF action. Other biosecurity contaminants and pests (see Definitions) found during inspection or checking of unloading by an Accredited Person (AP) must be placed in a quarantine bin immediately and MAF notified as soon as possible. When live organisms (for example, egg masses or live insects) are found they must be secured and MAF notified immediately (call 0800 80 99 66).

8.1 Threshold Levels for Biosecurity Contaminants and Other Contaminants

The permitted threshold levels for regulated biosecurity contaminants found with IRM consignments are as follows. Finds at or below threshold levels are considered to be compliant with this IHS.

Regulated Biosecurity/Other Contaminant Type	Per IRM Consignment
Animal material or by-products (biosecurity risk material)1	Prohibited
Arthropods & Molluscs - dead (biosecurity risk material)1	Unlimited permitted
Plant material – dead/desiccated (biosecurity risk material)2	5 pieces (<20 cm) are permitted only
Plant material - fresh/green including seeds (biosecurity risk material)2	Prohibited
Dust /Gravel/film/Sand (including no biosecurity risk material)	Unlimited permitted
Soil (risk material)	20 grams only permitted
Water	Prohibited unless treated on arrival
Wood	Prohibited unless ISPM 15 compliant

¹ See Biosecurity Contaminants and Pests (Definitions). ² Includes fruit, leaves, twigs, bark, etc

9. Audit Inspection Regimes for Compliant Importers

Where there is a demonstrated history of good compliance in importing IRMs consignments (any type), an importer may apply to MAF (Biosecurity Operational Standards and Systems [BOSS] Team) for inclusion in an audit inspection system where there is a reduced MAF inspection regime. The following table specifies the reduced audit inspection regime for approved importers.

High Regulatory Interest IRM Consignment Audit Inspection Regime
Number of containers inspected by MAF	Total Container Numbers Imported per Level
1 random container in 5 imported	For the first 50 containers imported after acceptance
1 random container in 10 imported	For the next 40 (after the initial 50)
1 random container in 20 imported	On an ongoing basis.

Where a mandatory treatment of IRMs is required and further industrial processing occurs that reduces biosecurity risk to an extremely low level (for example, chemical processing or smelting) MAF may not require further inspection after determination that the process used is effective. Further information is available from the local MAF office or by contacting the MAF BOSS Team.

10. Equivalence

Any stakeholder or organisation may request that a MAF Chief Technical Officer considers a system, process or set of procedures that is different to those specified in this document but still achieves the biosecurity outcome(s) set by the IHS for IRMs. Please contact MAF via the contact details provided to pursue this option.

11. Costs

Where a check for containerised IRMs is carried out by an AP on behalf of a stakeholder, MAF charges are not incurred. Inspections and other functions undertaken by MAF will be charged as per the current Biosecurity (Costs) Regulations.

12. Definitions

Terms that are defined in the Act have their meanings set out in that document. For the purposes of this IHS and attachments the following definitions apply:

Accredited Person (AP)
A person who has attended and passed a course in basic biosecurity awareness associated with imported sea containers and container checking, and has been accredited to conduct certain checks under this standard. An accredited person may be the TF Operator or staff member of a transitional facility, a stevedore, port company staff or a private contractor. Note: Accreditation must be current.

Biosecurity Contaminants and Pests
Animals (including insects or other invertebrates that are alive or dead, in any life cycle stage, including egg casings), material of animal origin (including blood, bones, excretions, hair, feathers, flesh, secretions), other organic material (including fungi), plants or plant products (being viable or non-viable including bark, fruit, leaves, roots, seeds, twigs, wood), soil or water where these are not the manifested cargo being imported.

Check
A visual examination by an Accredited Person (AP) to detect the presence of biosecurity pests and contamination when handling containers or other cargo. Such a check must be carried out during the routine handling and movement of containers. Checks may also be conducted by APs when operating audit inspection regimes for scrap metal (as authorised by MAF and as per regular AP training).

Container
A shipping (sea freight) container built to specifications promulgated by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), or a similar structure. For the purposes of this standard, a container is a standard; fully enclosed shipping container of all metal construction (may have a wooden floor).

Inorganic Risk Materials (IRMs)
Containerised consignments of inorganic (not of animal or plant origin), used (not new) articles. For example, glass for recycling, scrap metal (excluding car parts or industrial or vehicular/ or machinery parts), used non-risk or risk parts or used vehicle batteries.

Inspection
A visual examination by a MAF Inspector to detect the presence of biosecurity pests and contaminants associated with consignments or shipping containers. An inspection may not require magnification but may require additional lighting if required.

13. Reference Standards

1. MAF standard - Importing Wood Packaging Material from All Countries
2. Standard for General Transitional Facilities for Uncleared Goods (TF Gen)
3. The Import Health Standard for Sea Containers from All Countries
4. Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery and Tyres (63 KB).

14. Contact Details

For all matters relating to the interpretation, review and amendment of this Import Health Standard (IHS), please contact:
Biosecurity Operational Standards and Systems (BOSS) Team – Inorganic Risk Materials
P.O Box 2526, Wellington 6011
New Zealand
Phone 64 4 894 0233
Email: standards@maf.govt.nz

For all matters relating to the amendment, interpretation, operation or review of this IHS, including audits, inspections and treatments, please contact the local MAF office or the BOSS Team (as above).

Appendix 1 to the IHS for Inorganic Risk Materials from any Country: Containerised Used Asbestos Imported for Disposal or Destruction

Appendix 1 to the IHS for Inorganic Risk Materials from any Country: Containerised Used Asbestos Imported for Disposal or Destruction This Appendix outlines the minimum requirements that must be met when importing used asbestos in containers for destruction. This Appendix does not negate or override any other rules, regulations or law covering the importation and destruction of used asbestos1. It is the responsibility of the importer to comply with all relevant requirements.

Notes:

1. This Appendix covers importation of used asbestos (and packaging) and the container carrying it.
2. Used asbestos is not a biosecurity risk item. However it has been identified that the conditions of use and storage prior to export and the mechanism of transport warranted its inclusion in an IHS to manage regulated biosecurity risks associated with this material.
3. The used asbestos will not receive biosecurity clearance until it has been managed in such a way to negate any biosecurity risks.
4. If the used asbestos is being imported for processing and re-export, the importer must show MAF how the potential biosecurity risks will be managed.

1. Introduction and Management under the Act

One of the preconditions for issue of a biosecurity clearance, (pursuant to the Act - Section 26), is that a MAF Inspector must be satisfied that the relevant requirements of the IHS for IRMs and this Appendix have been met. For full clearance criteria refer to Act Sections - 27 and 28.

2. Non-Compliances

See Section 3 of this IHS (page 2).

3. Treatment Requirements (on arrival or prior to shipment)

VCE2 or VCE4b treatment is mandatory (refer to MAF Standard: BNZ-STD-ABTRT).

1. Treatment must be completed within 12 hours of discharge (for treatment on arrival;
2. Containers must be enclosed in an impervious cover during the duration of fumigation (if fumigation occurs on arrival in NZ); and
3. If fumigation occurs prior to shipment (with prior MAF approval), a fumigation certificate must be presented to MAF as part of the required importation documentation.

4. Inspection at port of arrival

Containers must be externally inspected by MAF inspectors (6-sided inspection) before being permitted to leave the POFA. Non-compliant containers will be held and treated at the POFA.

5. Disposal

Any disposal method must isolate the used asbestos to avoid the spread of any biosecurity contaminants (for example, deep burial is considered acceptable). The importer must notify MAF of the desired method of disposal before importation when documentation is submitted. MAF will decide if submitted methods are acceptable to manage any biosecurity risks2. If the container is intended to be reused it must be cleaned as per the Asbestos Management Guidelines and any waste product from inside the container disposed of accordingly.

---

¹ Imports of waste asbestos are controlled internationally under the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes. The Ministry of Economic Development is the Competent Authority for New Zealand and determines whether consent will be issued or not under the Imports and Exports (Restrictions) Prohibition Order No 2 2004. Importing hazardous waste without consent from MED is an offence under the Imports and Exports (Restrictions) Act 1988.
² MAF considers that the disposal method listed on the permit issued by the NZ Ministry of Economic Development [as the Competent Authority for New Zealand] would usually be sufficient to meet MAF requirements for disposal.