Offensive trades are required to be registered and inspected annually by the Whakatāne District Council under the Health Act 1956 and the Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1966.
If you have questions or you aren't sure, come in and see our Environmental Health team. You can make an appointment by calling us on 07 306 0500 or send us a message to environmentalhealth@whakatane.govt.nz. We're here to help!
The Health Act 1956
Schedule 3 of the Act lists the following activities as offensive trades:
- Blood or offal treating
- Bone boiling or crushing
- Collection and storage of used bottles for sale
- Dag crushing
- Fellmongering
- Fish cleaning
- Fish curing
- Flax pulping
- Flock manufacturing, or teasing of textile material for any purpose
- Gut scraping and treating
- Nightsoil collection and disposal
- Refuse collection and disposal
- Septic tank desludging and disposal of sludge
- Slaughtering of animals for any purpose other than human consumption
- Storage, drying or preserving of bones, hides, hooves or skins
- Tallow melting
- Tanning
- Wood pulping
- Wool scouring
The Health Act 1956 (Section 54) requires anyone operating an offensive trade to obtain a Certificate of Registration from Council, in accordance with the Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1966. It is an offence to operate an offensive trade without a current registration certificate.
The Certificate of Registration will only be approved and issued when the premises comply with the Act and all other relevant legislation such as the Building Act, and when consent from the Medical Officer of Health has been given.
A full copy of the Health Act can be obtained online through Legislation New Zealand.
Exemption from Registration
Registration with Whakatāne District Council is not required if a resource consent has been granted for the activity, providing registration it is not a condition of the resource consent.
Transfer or sale of a business
If you are buying or taking over a business, you must reapply for registration.
Inspection
Offensive trades are inspected annually in the period 1 July - 30 June by our Environmental Health Officers, they'll call you to arrange a suitable time to visit.
Further Information
For information on the legal requirements of establishing and operating an offensive trade, please email info@whakatane.govt.nz, send us an online enquiry or phone 07 306 0500.