What You Need to Know
Biosecurity waste might not be the most exciting part of running a Transitional Facility, but it is an important one.
Anything collected during container checks, when devanning, plus those sweepings needs to be kept secure and disposed of correctly. After all, there isn’t much point keeping pests and contamination contained throughout the import process only to let something escape from the rubbish at the end!
What counts as biosecurity waste?
At a Transitional Facility, biosecurity waste can include things like:
- Sweepings and debris from sea containers
- Soil, seeds, plant material or other contamination
- Insects or other biological material
- Contaminated packaging or dunnage
- Other material that MPI has directed to be treated or destroyed
Biosecurity waste should be kept securely contained and separate from normal rubbish until it is collected by an approved provider.
How often does it need to be collected?
Under TFGEN requirements, biosecurity waste must be emptied by an approved provider:
- At least annually, or when the waste container is full – whichever comes first.
- For many facilities, particularly those regularly devanning containers, collection will obviously need to happen much more frequently.
- Once the waste has been collected and destroyed, make sure you keep the waste destruction receipt or record in your Transitional Facility Manual for at least two years.
- That receipt is your evidence that the waste has been handled and disposed of correctly, so it is worth making sure it gets filed rather than disappearing into someone's inbox.
Where can you get biosecurity waste destroyed?
- MPI maintains a list of approved providers who can handle biosecurity waste.
- You can find the approved provider list Finding treatment options and providers | NZ Government
- When looking through the list, simply find a supplier in your area that is approved for “Destruction”.
- Depending on the waste and the provider, destruction may involve methods such as incineration, treatment or approved burial. The important part for the TF is making sure you are using an appropriately approved provider and keeping evidence of the collection and destruction.
Keep it simple
For most Transitional Facilities, managing biosecurity waste comes down to four things:
- Keep it securely contained.
- Don't mix it with normal rubbish.
- Have it collected by an approved provider annually or when full, whichever comes first.
- Keep the destruction receipt in your TF Manual for two years.
It is a small part of operating a Transitional Facility, but an important final step in making sure any biosecurity risk found during the import process stays contained.