Environmental Risk Management Authority
Encyclopedia
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) is a New Zealand
government agency which controls the introduction of hazardous substances and new organism
s.
ERMA is principally responsible for implementing the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act
1996 (HSNO).
The aim of ERMA is stated as:
The Authority of ERMA New Zealand makes decisions on applications under Part V of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, by evaluating risks, costs and benefits, placing conditions on approvals; and making decisions on transitional licences and other approvals.
ERMA New Zealand's Authority uses risk management principles contained in the Methodology to guide its work.
Under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, the Authority is required to consider and weigh up the adverse and beneficial effects of a new organism or substance. The detailed decisions of the Authority also give an insight into how it has dealt with different aspects of risks, costs and benefits.
To mitigate any risks they apply controls (where relevant and possible) to the application, just as in everyday life we wear seatbelts to reduce the risks associated with driving. The controls might include housing the organism or substance in a specially designed laboratory or they may be to wear protective equipment when handling a certain hazardous chemical.
The Authority's role is to manage risks to the environment and to public health, and they do this through their decision-making processes on applications. When ERMA New Zealand receive an application to import a new organism or a new substance they weigh up the adverse and beneficial effects on society, the environment, public health etc. and in many cases ask the general public to make submissions as to whether the new organism or substance should be allowed into New Zealand.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
government agency which controls the introduction of hazardous substances and new organism
Organism
In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise...
s.
ERMA is principally responsible for implementing the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act
The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act was an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand in 1996.The Act is administered by the Environmental Risk Management Authority.-External links:* - text of the HSNO Act.* - gateway website.*...
1996 (HSNO).
The aim of ERMA is stated as:
- "Achieve effective prevention or management of risks to the environment, public health and safety associated with importing or manufacturing hazardous substances and introducing new organisms, and their use."
The Authority of ERMA New Zealand makes decisions on applications under Part V of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, by evaluating risks, costs and benefits, placing conditions on approvals; and making decisions on transitional licences and other approvals.
ERMA New Zealand's Authority uses risk management principles contained in the Methodology to guide its work.
Under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, the Authority is required to consider and weigh up the adverse and beneficial effects of a new organism or substance. The detailed decisions of the Authority also give an insight into how it has dealt with different aspects of risks, costs and benefits.
To mitigate any risks they apply controls (where relevant and possible) to the application, just as in everyday life we wear seatbelts to reduce the risks associated with driving. The controls might include housing the organism or substance in a specially designed laboratory or they may be to wear protective equipment when handling a certain hazardous chemical.
The Authority's role is to manage risks to the environment and to public health, and they do this through their decision-making processes on applications. When ERMA New Zealand receive an application to import a new organism or a new substance they weigh up the adverse and beneficial effects on society, the environment, public health etc. and in many cases ask the general public to make submissions as to whether the new organism or substance should be allowed into New Zealand.
See also
- Authority (management)Authority (management)Authority in management is the formal or legitimate authority specified in a charter that gives a project manager the authority to act in the name of the sponsoring executive or on behalf on the organization.There are different types of authority:...
- Environmental managementEnvironmental managementEnvironmental resource management is “a purposeful activity with the goal to maintain and improve the state of an environmental resource affected by human activities” . It is not, as the phrase suggests, the management of the environment as such, but rather the management of the interaction and...
- Risk managementRisk managementRisk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
- Edward Richard Woods - Chairman of ERMA