Chlorpyrifos withdrawal

The Environmental Protection Authority (“EPA”) published a Notice of Direction Prohibiting the Use and Requiring Disposal of Chlorpyrifos Containing Substances in the New Zealand Gazette on 1 September 2025.

Notice of Direction Prohibiting the Use and Requiring Disposal of Chlorpyrifos Containing Substances 

The Environmental Protection Authority (“EPA”) has declined to allow any further importation or manufacture of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-containing substances, phasing out the revocation of approvals based on their use. Pursuant to section 66 of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (“HSNO Act”), the EPA directs: 

1. The approvals to import and manufacture the following substances were revoked on 8 July 2025. From 8 January 2026 use of the following substances is prohibited, and the substances are required to be disposed of, at the owner’s expense, in accordance with the controls imposed by the EPA:
   • Liquid containing 250 – 350 g/litre chlorpyrifos (HSR100298)
   • Solid containing 50 – 55 g/kg chlorpyrifos (HSR007698)
   • Granular material containing 50 g/kg chlorpyrifos. Also contains xylene (HSR000170)
   • Emulsifiable concentrate containing 480 g/litre chlorpyrifos (HSR000171)
   • Wettable powder containing 56.25 g/kg carbendazim, 93.75 g/kg chlorpyrifos and 400 g/kg mancozeb (HSR000173)
   • Wettable powder containing 500 g/kg chlorpyrifos (HSR000165)
   • Water dispersible granule containing 750 g/litre chlorpyrifos (HSR000167)
   • Rampage (HSR100018)
   • Rampage 20G (HSR100881) GF-2595 (HSR100908)
   • Surefire fortune 500 multipurpose insecticide and termiticide (HSR101462)
2. The approvals to import and manufacture the following substances are revoked from 8 January 2026. From 8 July 2026 use of the following substances is prohibited, and the substances are required to be disposed of, at the owner’s expense, and in accordance with the controls imposed by the EPA:
   • Emulsifiable concentrate containing 450 – 500 g/litre chlorpyrifos (HSR000224)
   • Emulsifiable concentrate containing 480 g/litre chlorpyrifos. Also contains xylene (HSR000225)
3. The approvals to import and manufacture the following substances are revoked from 8 January 2027. From 8 July 2027 use of these substances is prohibited, and the substances must be disposed of, at the owner’s expense, and in accordance with the controls imposed by the EPA:
   • Chlorpyrifos (HSR002942) Granular material containing 100 g/kg chlorpyrifos (HSR000163) 

Dated at Wellington this 21st day of August 2025. DR CHRISTOPHER HILL, for and on behalf of the Environmental Protection Authority.

Disposal timeline

The ban applies across all sectors, with three key disposal deadlines.