Aerial Spraying Of Agrichemicals

Aerial spraying of agrichemicals is a permitted activity under the Nelson Air Quality Plan and Nelson Resource Management Plan. Permitted activities can be undertaken without a resource consent, provided they comply with the standards at all times.

The permitted activity standards relating to aerial spraying of agrichemicals include:

• restrictions on the method and timing of spraying to avoid spray drift onto other properties, and
• restrictions on the method and timing of spraying to avoid the chemicals entering into streams and rivers, and
• standards for managing the use of hazardous substances, and
• compliance with the mandatory requirements of the New Zealand Standard for Management of Agrichemicals.

If the agrichemicals were to enter into water or breach any other permitted activity standard this would need resource consent.

Council’s role is to monitor and enforce the permitted activity standards. If the person or company undertaking the spraying cannot comply with the permitted activity standards for aerial spraying (at any point during the process) they are required to apply for a resource consent. Council processes these resource consents according to the requirements of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

The person or company undertaking the spraying can apply for a Certificate of Compliance under s.139 of the RMA. A Certificate of Compliance is optional, and they do not need to apply for one. However, regardless they are obliged to comply with the permitted activity standards

Council may take enforcement action should they not comply with the permitted activity standards.