Skip to content
Home, Health New Zealand.
Te Whatu Ora
. Logo.
News and updates
Scholarships and grants
Jobs
Search this website
Corporate information
Health services and programmes
For health professionals
For health providers
For New Zealanders
Phishing alerts
Cyber security training
Home, Health New Zealand.
Te Whatu Ora
. Logo.
Corporate information
Health services and programmes
For health professionals
For health providers
For New Zealanders
Phishing alerts
Cyber security training
Pātiki
and
Waharua Kōpito
patterns
Home
/
Health services and programmes
/
Environmental health
/
Hazardous substances
Hazardous substances
Hazardous substances are common in homes, workplaces, and public areas. Find out more about the various substances and how they affect health.
Whatu Tāniko
pattern
Agricultural compounds and pesticides
(goes to another website)
Agricultural compounds are used for many purposes, including protecting native plants and wildlife and minimising health risks from pests.
Arsenic
(goes to another website)
Arsenic is a substance that is found naturally in rock. It has been used as an insecticide, and some situations arsenic harms people’s health.
Asbestos
(goes to another website)
Learn about identifying asbestos-containing material in your home, the health risks of asbestos and what you can do about asbestos.
Consumer products
Some common manufactured products may be or may contain hazardous substances.
Contaminated soil
(goes to another website)
Soil contamination results where hazardous substances are either spilled on or buried in the soil, or migrate from a spill that occurred elsewhere.
Fire and smoke
(goes to another website)
Fires can expose people to a range of hazardous substances.
Hazardous substances and products
Hazardous substances are common in homes, workplaces, and public areas. Find out more about how we protect public health from such substances.
Lead
Lead is a metal that can be found in the environment, around the home or at workplaces. If untreated, lead poisoning can be serious.
Mercury
(goes to another website)
Mercury vaporises at room temperature and breathing in this vapour can be harmful to your health.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Persistent Organic Pollutants are compounds that do not break down easily, and stay in the environment.
Publications
(goes to another website)
We publish a range of information on hazardous substances, from reports and evaluations to guidance for public health officers.
Also in this section
Built environment
Climate change and environmental health
Drinking water
Environmental health in emergencies
Food
Hazardous substances
Heat
Household items and electronics
Noise
Non-ionising fields
Pests, insects, bites and stings
Recreational water
Sewerage
Sunbeds
Publications