How to notify us over the holiday period.
Notifications  
If someone has been seriously injured, become seriously ill, or died as a result of work – phone us on 0800 030 040 straight away. We have staff available to respond to these 24/7.
If you’re not sure what a notifiable event is, including your obligation to hold a scene, visit What events need to be notified?
Notifications made through our online form won't be monitored between 12pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and 8.30am on Monday 6 January 2025.
If you’re not sure if you need to notify us, use our online notification system and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Health and safety concerns
If you have a health and safety concern that isn’t urgent, use our online form and we’ll respond to you after 6 January 2025.
Raise a health or safety concern
General enquiries
General enquiries made by phone or email after 12pm on Tuesday 24 December will be responded to from Monday 6 January 2025. This does not apply to notifications made by phone on 0800 030 040.
We wish you a safe and relaxing holiday.
Vertebrate Toxic Agents (VTAs) can harm humans and the environment if not used correctly. You need to follow the rules for handling, using and storing them to protect yourself, other people, and the environment.
This page contains information to assist pest controllers on managing these hazardous chemicals.
Rules for using VTAs
All approved hazardous substances have rules for safe use and storage. Find out what rules (controls) apply to your VTA by searching the Approved hazardous substances with controls register.
Controlled substance licence
Anyone who manufactures, sells, uses, stores or disposes of DRC-1339, cyanide, 1080, yellow phosphorus, PAPP and MZP will need a controlled substance licence.
Permissions
If you are using a VTA during a pest control operation, you may need permission from the Department of Conservation (DoC) and/or the Public Health Unit (PHU) of the local District Health Board. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) maintains oversight of the issuing of permissions.
EPA Guidance - Permissions(external link)
Tracking
Many VTAs are required to be tracked. These include:
- Potassium cyanide
- Sodium cyanide
- Yellow phosphorus
- Sodium fluoroacetate (1080)
- PAPP
- Pindone
- Microencapsulated zinc phosphide (MZP)
Tracking is the recording of what happens to the substance throughout its lifecycle. To buy a tracked substance your supplier will need to confirm there is a competent person available, and that the site has a location compliance certificate if needed.
Our page on Tracking Hazardous Substances outlines the requirements relating to tracking.
Compliance certification requirements
Depending on the type and amount of VTAs held at your site, you may require one or more of the following compliance certificates:
Location compliance certificates
Stationary container certificates
If you are unsure about your compliance certification requirements, contact a compliance certifier(external link) for advice.
As a general rule, you should keep the quantities of hazardous substances stored on your site to a minimum. In this way the risks may be reduced and the need for compliance certification reduced.
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