ENQ-39466-Q2S3X9
Date: ………..
19 Aug 2020
Private Bag 632
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Level 10, Grant Thornton House
M Hitchman
215 Lambton Quay
Wellington 6011, New Zealand
epa.govt.nz
Via
: [FYI request #13470 email]
+64 4 916 2426
Official Information Act Request
Dear M Hitchman
I refer to your request received on 6 August 2020, for the following information:
“…
any documentation (particularly reports and submissions) from the last 12 months relating to the
use of PFAS or "forever chemicals" in New Zealand. I am particularly interested in any testing results
in water supplies showing PFAS/forever chemicals in public water supplies.”
Your request has been treated as a request for information under the Official Information Act 1982
(OIA).
You subsequently clarified that you sought information only on public drinking water samples.
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) does not undertake testing or produce reports of the
type you have requested. However, the EPA is part of an All of Government Programme to ensure
appropriate management of PFAS in New Zealand. The Ministry for the Environment is coordinating
this programme, and you can find out more about this and PFAS on the Ministry’s website:
For information on the All of Government programme, go to
: https://www.mfe.govt.nz/land/pfas-
and-poly-fluoroalkyl-substances.
The Ministry also has a ‘frequently asked questions’ page about PFAS on their website at:
https://www.mfe.govt.nz/land/pfas-and-poly-fluoroalkyl-substances/pfas-frequently-asked-
questions.
For the latest updates on PFAS, go t
o: https://www.mfe.govt.nz/node/23892.
The EPA is consulting on proposals to amend the Fire Fighting Chemicals Group Standard.
This group standard currently prohibits firefighting foams containing PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic
acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). The proposed amendments add further restrictions on
firefighting foams containing fluorinated organic compounds (PFAS chemicals). You can find out more
about these proposals and access the public submissions on the EPA’s website at
https://www.epa.govt.nz/public-consultations/in-progress/proposal-to-amend-the-fire-fighting-
chemicals-group-standard-2017/.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of this decision by the Ombudsman. You can
contact the Ombudsman on 0800 802 602, or by email at
[email address].
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us vi
a [email address].
We will publish your request and our response on our websit
e, www.epa.govt.nz within 10 working
days from today. We make OIA responses available so others can read more about the work we do
and the questions we are asked. Any information that might identify you will be removed to protect
your privacy.
Yours sincerely
Gayle Holmes
General Manager
Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement