The Government has agreed to remove the list of offensive trades from the Health Act 1956, eliminating registration requirements for businesses.
This change follows a review undertaken by the Ministry for Regulation and the Ministry of Health, which found that the current system:
- No longer aligns with modern regulatory practice.
- Duplicates controls already delivered under the Health Act 1956, the Resource Management Act 1991 and other sector-based regulatory regimes.
- Creates unnecessary compliance costs for businesses.
What this means for your business
Businesses previously classified as offensive trades are no longer required to register with the Council or pay an offensive trade registration fee. We have ceased processing registrations and renewals and will not undertake offensive trade inspections for new or existing businesses.
The Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1966 no longer apply to offensive trades, although they will remain in effect for other sectors.
What still applies
Businesses must still comply with general public health and safety laws, including:
- The Health Act 1956 and the Resource Management Act 1991.
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
- The Trade Waste Bylaw 2025.
- The Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw 2023.
- Local building and planning requirements.
An Environmental Health Officer may still carry out an inspection of your premises under the Health Act 1956 if a complaint is received about nuisance effects or risks to public health.
Trade waste
Trade waste compliance is implemented by the Council under the Local Government Act 2002 through the Christchurch City Council Trade Waste Bylaw 2025. The bylaw sets out rules for controlling the amount and quality of trade waste discharged to the sewer.
If you have any questions regarding your trade waste permit, please contact us by phone on 03 941 8999 or email to tradewaste@ccc.govt.nz.
Waste operations licence
A waste operations licence may be required from Council if you handle, process, store or dispose of more than 30 tonnes of waste in a 12-month period.
