Environmental Protection Authority

What Environmental Protection Authority does

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is Aotearoa New Zealand's national environmental regulator, operating as a Crown entity under the Environmental Protection Authority Act 2011 and headquartered at 366 Lambton Quay, Wellington. It was established in 2011 by consolidating functions from the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA), and today exercises statutory authority over hazardous substances (HSNO Act 1996), new and genetically modified organisms, the Emissions Trading Scheme (Climate Change Response Act 2002), Exclusive Economic Zone marine consents, and fast-track consenting pathways including the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.

The agency's core technical platform comprises an interconnected set of regulatory databases and portals: the Chemical Classification and Information Database (CCID), New Zealand Inventory of Chemicals (NZIoC), HSNO Application Register, Approved Hazardous Substances with Controls database, EEZ and RMA Applications databases, the authenticated NZ Emissions Trading Register, and the Hazardous Substances Reporting and Notifications Portal. It also operates the Wai Tuwhera o te Taiao community eDNA program. These systems collectively form the regulatory recordkeeping backbone for importers, manufacturers, developers, and ETS participants operating in New Zealand.

EPA revenue is dominated by Crown appropriations (NZ$36.28M of NZ$49.52M total revenue in FY2024/25) supplemented by transaction-based application fees, cost-recovery fees, and fast-track levies (NZ$11.895M). Primary fee-paying customers are hazardous-substance importers/manufacturers (e.g., BASF New Zealand), development and infrastructure applicants, and Emissions Trading Scheme participants across industrial processes, fossil fuels, stationary energy, waste, horticulture, and primary industries. The general public is a secondary audience for chemical safety information. The EPA returned to surplus in FY2024/25 after seven deficit years while executing a ~16% workforce restructure.

Name

Environmental Protection Authority

Legal name

Environmental Protection Authority

Website

https://epa.govt.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Environmental Protection Authority is Aotearoa New Zealand's national environmental regulator, a Crown entity that administers statutory regimes covering hazardous substances, emissions trading, new organisms, and consents for development and EEZ activities, serving regulated industries and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Regulatory Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Protection Agencies & Environmental Health Departments (HLAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pollution Control & Environmental Compliance Enforcement (BPAIAMAB), Hazardous Chemicals & Toxic Substances Regulators (REACH/TSCA-style) (HLAJAFAF), Energy, Utilities & Natural Resources Regulators (BPAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Environmental regulation services
• Hazardous substances management
• Emissions trading scheme
• Resource consenting
• Chemical safety databases

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Crown Revenue: Primary government funding from the Crown, restricted for use in meeting EPA objectives specified in founding legislation. Revenue from Crown was NZ$36.28 million in FY2024/25.
2. Application and Cost Recovery Fees: Fees from processing applications under RMA, EEZ Act, Fast-track regimes, and hazardous substances approvals. Includes FTCA cost-recovery fees (NZ$4.967M), EEZ cost-recovery fees (NZ$198K), NBEA cost-recovery fees (NZ$926K), FTAA cost-recovery fees (NZ$1.949M), hazardous substances application fees (NZ$492K), and new organisms application fees (NZ$67K).
3. Fast-track Approvals Levies: Levies raised under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, totaling NZ$2.328 million in FY2024/25. Constrained under the Act and Cost Recovery Regulations.
4. Ministry Revenue: Funding from other ministries for collaborative initiatives spanning multiple agencies, such as MBIE funding for setting up the New Zealand Gene Technology Regulator. Was NZ$779K in FY2024/25.
5. Interest and Other Revenue: Interest income on cash reserves (NZ$554K) and other miscellaneous income (NZ$31K) in FY2024/25.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is New Zealand's national environmental regulator. It administers approvals and permissions for hazardous substances and new organisms, operates the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme Register, processes marine consents in the Exclusive Economic Zone, and runs fast-track consenting regimes for priority development projects. The EPA also maintains public regulatory databases (CCID, NZIoC, HSNO Application Register) and community science programs such as Wai Tuwhera o te Taiao.

Product overview

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is New Zealand's national environmental regulator operating as a platform of interconnected regulatory services and databases. The core portfolio includes hazardous substances management databases (CCID, NZIoC, HSNO Application Register, Approved Hazardous Substances database), the Emissions Trading Register, marine/consent databases (EEZ and RMA applications), and fast-track consenting services. Key digital products include the Hazardous Substances Reporting and Notifications Portal for business compliance, the NZ Emissions Trading Register for carbon market participants, and the Wai Tuwhera o te Taiao community science program using eDNA technology. The organization also provides group standard approvals, individual substance approvals, and enforcement services under the HSNO Act, Climate Change Response Act, and related environmental legislation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chemical Classification and Information Database (CCID) Public database of hazard information for single chemicals, including classifications, study summaries and physical properties, searchable by chemical importers, manufacturers, and the public.
• New Zealand Inventory of Chemicals (NZIoC) Inventory of all hazardous single chemicals permitted for use in products assigned to a group standard, providing regulatory inventory access for compliance purposes.
• HSNO Application Register Public register of Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) applications, including related documents, tracking application status and decisions.
• Approved Hazardous Substances with Controls Database Database containing information about approved hazardous substances, including classifications and the regulatory controls applicable to each substance.
• Hazardous Substances Reporting and Notifications Portal Online portal that enables businesses to submit and manage reporting and notifications about hazardous substances imported or manufactured in New Zealand.
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Applications Database Public database of documents related to marine consent applications and permitted activities in Aotearoa New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone.
• Resource Management Act (RMA) Applications Database Database containing documents and records related to nationally significant proposals and water conservation order applications made under the Resource Management Act.
• NZ Emissions Trading Register Authenticated online registry system for managing emissions units under New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme for ETS participants.
• Wai Tuwhera o te Taiao - Open Waters Aotearoa Community science program connecting communities with environmental DNA (eDNA) testing to explore and discover species in local waterways across New Zealand, including an eDNA map of detections.
• Group Standard Approvals Approval service that assigns products to group standards under the HSNO Act, enabling substances to be lawfully supplied in New Zealand under specified conditions.
• Fast-track Consenting Services Expedited consenting processes for significant infrastructure and development projects under the Fast-track Consenting Act 2020, Natural and Built Environment Act 2023, and Fast-track Approvals Act 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Seclira WSG approved for pest control in June 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA): The US EPA is the federal-level national environmental regulator of the United States, operating under analogous authorities (Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, TSCA) covering hazardous substances, emissions, and permitting. It is the largest and most directly comparable environmental regulator to the NZ EPA, differing mainly in scale and federal structure.
• Environment Agency (England): The Environment Agency is the principal environmental regulator for England, with statutory duties over waste, water quality, pollution control, and chemicals regulation. Directly comparable to the NZ EPA in regulatory remit, enforcement role, and operating model as a national regulator funded by government appropriation and fees.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada: Environment and Climate Change Canada is the federal Canadian counterpart responsible for pollution, chemicals management (CEPA), and climate programs. Similar in function to the NZ EPA across hazardous substances and emissions trading, though broader in scope across multiple program areas.
• Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket): Sweden's national environmental agency with mandate spanning chemicals regulation (REACH implementation), emissions, and waste. A European counterpart comparable on hazardous substances and emissions functions, though structured as a government agency rather than a Crown entity.

Direct peers

• Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA Victoria): EPA Victoria is the closest international peer: an Australian state-level environmental protection authority with statutory licensing, pollution enforcement, and waste/land functions. Both agencies share governance structure (Crown/state entity), regulatory tools (licences, enforcement orders), and product taxonomy (database of contaminated sites, waste tools).
• NSW Environment Protection Authority: NSW EPA regulates contaminated land, waste, water, and air quality in Australia's most populous state, with regulatory and enforcement tools that closely mirror the NZ EPA. A like-for-like Australian state peer with comparable fee-funded operating model and statutory independence.
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA): SEPA is a national environment regulator for Scotland with jurisdiction over emissions, waste, water, and contaminated land. Operates at a similar scale (~1,000–1,500 staff) on a comparable Crown-funding-plus-fee model, making it one of the closest size-equivalent peers to the NZ EPA.
• Environment Protection Authority (Queensland, Australia): Queensland's EPA is part of the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation and handles environmental approvals, assessments, and contaminated land responsibilities. Smaller-scope than NZ EPA but functionally comparable on approvals and compliance functions.

Regional players

• Environment Protection Authority (Tasmania, Australia): Tasmania's EPA is a small state-level regulator performing environmental impact assessments and permit functions. Smaller in scale than NZ EPA but operates under a similar statutory model and shares the EPA branding and remit on EIA and pollution control.
• Environmental Protection Authority (Western Australia): The WA EPA conducts environmental impact assessment for significant proposals under Western Australian legislation. Comparable to the NZ EPA on EIA-only functions, though much narrower in mandate (assessment only, not enforcement or ETS administration).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EPAgovtnz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Environmental Protection Authority