Official Information Act Request
Requester’s details
Date: 13 June 2025
Name: Nora Shayeb
Organisation: Northland Toxin Awareness Group
Email: [FYI request #31014 email]
Reference number: ENQ-49368-G7K4J6
Tēnā koe Nora
I refer to your request received on 19 May 2025:
This is to inquire if there are any non-toxic rodent contraceptives approved for use in
New Zealand, or if any party has applied for approval of such?
Firstly, I would like to clarify that the term “non-toxic” is not a term the Environmental
Protection Authority (
EPA) uses in the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
(
HSNO Act) and cannot be used interchangeably with the term “non-hazardous”. Toxicity is
one type of hazardous property, but there are others. If a product was truly "non-hazardous"
however, then it would not need to have an approval under the HSNO Act.
There is one substance approved for use in New Zealand that is used to reduce the fertility of
rats.
Evolve Soft Bait
Evolve Soft Bait is a ready-to-use bait which contains 0.1% cottonseed oil as the active
ingredient. Cottonseed oil is classified as non-hazardous but contains a naturally occurring
compound called gossypol which can reduce fertility in rats at low concentrations. Evolve
Soft Bait is classified as designed for biocidal action and doesn't carry any human health
hazard classifications.
Designed for biocidal action is a hazard classification given to substances which are
designed to cause mortality, inhibited growth, or inhibited reproduction in an organism, but
which don’t classify for any other environmental hazards.
Evolve Soft Bait was approved for import or manufacture by the EPA on 28 January 2025
following an application under section 28 of the HSNO Act. You can find the application
documents for Evolve Soft Bait here:
https:/ www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/hsno-
application-register/view/APP204923
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The controls for Evolve Soft Bait can be found here:
https://www.epa.govt.nz/database-
search/approved-hazardous-substances-with-controls/view/bf77630f-cfb1-46ee-9a33-
8b807e7be404
Erase-OC
This substance does not impact fertility of rats or mice but is another low-hazard substance
approved as a rodenticide, which is also referred to in the documents for Evolve Soft Bait, so
we have provided information about it below.
Erase-OC is a ready-to-use bait which contains corn oil as the active ingredient. This
substance doesn't act as a contraceptive but instead prevents rats or mice from being able to
digest the product or take up new food. Erase-OC is also classified as designed for biocidal
action and doesn't carry any human health hazard classifications.
Erase-OC was approved for import or manufacture on 2 April 2012 following an application
under section 28 of the HSNO Act. You can find the application documents for Erase-OC
here:
https:/ www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/hsno-application-register/view/APP201281
The controls for Erase-OC can be found here:
https:/ www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/approved-hazardous-substances-with-
controls/view/723EB9F7-2A3C-4B50-9166-ACF9CC9D6CFD I hope this information is helpful. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by
the Ombudsman of this decision under section 28(3) of the OIA. 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 via
[email address]
We may publish your request and our response on our website,
www.epa.govt.nz. 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 wil be removed to protect your privacy.
Nāku noa nā
Dr Christopher Hill
General Manager, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms
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Document Outline
