MEMORANDUM

To: Siobhan Quayle, Group General Manager, Regulatory Systems and Operations

Copy To: Dr Clark Ehlers, Acting General Manager, HSNO

From: Advisor New Organisms

Date: 09 September 2020

Subject: Decision to notify application APP203502

Purpose of this memo 1. To decide whether application APP203502 should be publicly notified. Discretion to notify 2. Under section 53(2) of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act, the EPA has the discretion to notify application APP203502 if it considers that there is likely to be significant public interest.

3. The purpose of public notification is to ensure that the decision-maker is informed on all relevant matters and has heard the views of those affected by the decision, including the views of the public, technical information, the effect of the decision on the public or specified groups, and any additional information the public can provide. This ensures that the decision may be made following a fully informed consideration of all relevant factors.

4. The EPA Board has delegated the decision to publicly notify applications under section 53(2) to the Chief Executive, who has subdelegated decision-making to the General Manager of Hazardous Substances and New Organisms. Discussion

Potential for public interest 5. Some New Zealanders may be interested in this application. I have attempted to determine whether this would meet the threshold of significant public interest outlined in section 53(2) of the HSNO Act by addressing the following points.

Is the application for novel new organisms or activities? 6. Application APP203502 is from Massey University who proposes to import new organisms into containment for the purposes of research and teaching.

7. The organism(s) in the application are: 2

o Risk Group 1 microorganisms including (but not limited to) Bacteria, Archaea, Viruses (including Bacteriophages), eukaryotic microbes (Algae, Fungi (including Yeasts), Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Protozoa and Micro-invertebrates) that are unlikely to cause disease in humans, animals, , or fungi.

o Risk Group 2 microorganisms including (but not limited to) Bacteria, Archaea, Viruses (including Bacteriophages), eukaryotic microbes (Algae, Fungi (including Yeasts), Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Protozoa and Micro-invertebrates that may cause disease in humans, animals, plants, or fungi but are unlikely to be a serious hazard to laboratory personnel, the community, animals, or the environment, and have effective treatment and preventive measures with respect to any infections that they may cause, and present a limited risk of spread on infection.

o Animal cell lines (as Category 1 host organisms) (including immortalized and primary cell lines) from organisms within the Kingdom Animalia, Phyla Arthropoda, and Chordata. Animal cell lines may include induced pluripotent stem cell lines and embryonic stem cell lines. Animal cell lines will be established or primary cell lines are obtained from commercial sources or reputable scientific laboratories.

o cells and tissues (as Category 1 host organisms) including protoplasts, cultured cells, and tissue from Kingdom Plantae.

o Plant genera and species (see Appendix 1).

8. This application is similar to application APP201857, granted to the University of Otago in 2015, for the importation into containment of unmodified new organisms for the purposes of research and teaching. Like APP203502, APP201857 allows the importation of risk group 1 and 2 microorganisms as well as cell lines into containment and, many of the same plant species under consideration in APP203502. The current application considers 280 different genera of plants for importation, excluding unwanted organisms and prohibited organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and/or the HSNO Act 1996.

How does this application compare to previous applications that have and have not been notified? 9. The following applications were found to be of significant public interest:  Application NOC03005 from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry: to import the bacterium Melissococcus pluton (the causal agent of European foulbrood in introduced honey bees) for diagnostic testing purposes, including the development of new laboratory test methods and for surveillance in New Zealand.  Application NOC04012 from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry: to import strains of microorganisms that potentially cause exotic and emerging diseases of animals into containment for diagnostic and testing purposes.  Application ERMA200512 from Life Clinic Hirudotherapy and Healing: to import into containment an Asian medicinal leech for use in treatments. This application was considered to have novel issues to consider as the leeches will come into direct contact with the general public and the outcome of this 3

application if approved was likely to directly affect the business of New Zealand supplier of clinically bred medicinal leeches.

10. The applications that were not considered to meet the definition of significant public interest include the following applications:  APP203819 from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research: to import and hold in containment the foreign plants Solanum austro-caledonicum, Solanum mammosum, Solanum milnei, Abutilon indicum and Urena lobata to maintain populations.  APP203503/APP203504 from Massey University: to import or develop low risk genetically modified organisms into containment for research and teaching purposes. Organisms will include low-risk microorganisms, cell lines, laboratory animals, invertebrates, and plants.  APP201857 from the University of Otago: to import into containment new unmodified low-risk organisms for research and teaching purposes. 11. APP203502 is very similar to APP201857 (broad approval which includes entire genera of plants), as well as approvals for many other unmodified new organisms, none of which were publicly notified.

Have any significant cultural, economic, environmental, ethical, health, international, or spiritual effects be identified? 12. Significant cultural, economic, environmental, ethical, health, international, or spiritual effects were not identified. The applicant consulted with mana whenua iwi regarding the application, and they considered that this current application can also be addressed by their previous consultation where they could see no reason why the application should not proceed. Based on the information provided in the application, Kaupapa Kura Taiao considers that any potential (low risk) impacts for Māori have been addressed by the applicant.

Is there any other relevant information? 13. The EPA will consult with the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for Primary Industries about this application as part of routine application processing. Conclusion and recommandation 14. Based on the information in the application, mana whenua iwi consultation, KKT advice, and previous decisions not to publicly notify previous applications for the importation into containment of unmodified new organisms, we conclude that this application is not likely to be of significant public interest.

15. I recommend that this application does not meet the threshold of significant public interest as set out in section 53(2) of the HSNO Act.

Please indicate your decision below.

09/09/2020 Advisor New Organisms Date

4

Decision

I decide that application:

 Will not be publicly notified as there is not likely to be significant public interest in the application.

Will not be publicly notified as there is not likely to be significant public interest in the application;

however, targeted notification should be undertaken (for the reason/s specified below).

Will be publicly notified as there is likely to be significant public interest in the application (for the

reason/s specified below).

Comments/Reasons – “For the reasons set out in this memo”

14 September 2020

Siobhan Quayle Date Group General Manager Regulatory Systems and Operations Environmental Protection Authority

5

Appendix 1: List of plant genera and species in the application

Family Common names or examples in genus

Actinidiaceae Actinidia (except A. repens and A. rubricaulis) Kiwifruit

Amaryllidaceae Allium Onions, Garlic Amaranthus Amaranth Beta Silver beet, beetroot, sugar beet Amaranthaceae Chenopodium Quinoa Spinacia Spinach Apium Celery Daucus Carrot Apiaceae Pastinaca Parsnip Azorella Cushion plant Araceae Colocasia Taro Carthamus (except C. lanatus) Safflower Asteraceae Helianthus (except H. ciliaris) Sunflower Arabidopsis Thale cress and relatives Brassica Oilseed rape, Broccoli, Turnip Brassicaceae Raphanus Radish Arabis Rock cress Boechera Rock cress Cannabaceae Humulus Hops Ipomoea (excluding I. indica, I. caerulea, I. Convolvulaceae Sweet potato hederacea, I. plebia (biflora), and I. tribola) Betulaceae Corylus Hazelnut Citrullus Watermelon Cucurbitaceae Cucumis Cucumber Curcubita Pumpkin, Melon Dioscoreaceae Dioscorea Yam Vaccinium Blueberry, Cranberry Ericaceae Rhododendron Rhododendron Manihot Cassava Arachis Peanut Cajanus Pigeon pea Fabaceae Cicer Chickpea Glycine Soy

Lathyrus Grass pea

Lens Lentils

Lupinus Lupine Medicago Alfalfa Phaseolus Beans Pisum Peas 6

Trifolium Clover Vicia Broad Bean Vigna Cowpea, Mung bean, Adzuki bean Fagaceae Castanea Chestnut Grossulariaceae Ribes Gooseberry Juglandaceae Carya Pecan Juglans (excluding J. ailantifola) Walnut Lamiaceae Salvia Mint Lauraceae Persea Avocado Linaceae Linum Flax Myrtaceae Eucalyptus Gum tree Acca Feijoa Leptospermum Tea tree Oleaceae Olea Olive Oxalidaceae Oxalis NZ Yam Pinaceae Pinus (excluding P. contorta) Pine plants Bambusa Bamboo Avena Oats Brachypodium Model grass plant Coix Chinese Pearl barley/Job's tears Eleusine Finger millet Poaceae Festuca Fescues Hordeum Barley Lolium Ryegrass

Oryza Rice

Panicum (except P. maximum and P. repens) Broom millet

Pennisetum (only P. glaucum and P. Pearl millet, Kikuyu grass clandestinum)

Poa Grass, Tussock

Secale Rye Sorghum (excluding S. halepense and Sorghum Sorghum x almum) Triticum Wheat Triticosecale Wheat/Rye hybrid Zea Maize/Corn Araucariaceae Agathis Kauri, Dammar Podocarpaceae Dacrycarpus Dacrydium Podocarpus Proteaceae Macadamia Macadamia Drymocalis Cinquefoil Rosaceae Fragaria Strawberry Malus Apple Prunus (except for P. serotina) Plum, Cherry, Nectarine Pyrus Pear

Rosa Roses 7

Rubus (except for R. ellipticus and R. Raspberry, Blackberry, etc moluccanus) Rubiaceae Coffea Coffee Rutaceae Citrus Orange, Lemon Physalis Cape Gooseberry Solanaceae Capsicum Peppers Nicotiana Tobacco Solanum (except for S. carolinense, S. elaeagnifolium, S. mauritianum, S. torvum, and Tomato, Potato S. marginatum) Petunia Petunias Atropa Belladonna Theaceae Camellia Camellias, Tea Vitaceae Vitis Grape Acaulimalva Andeimalva Byttneria

Callianthe

Callirhoe Wine cup

Calyculogygas Calyptraemalva Camptostemon Berrya

Catostemma

Cavanillesia

Ceiba Cenocentrum Cephalohibiscus Cheirolaena Chiranthodendron

Christiana

Cienfuegosia Clappertonia Coelostegia Cola Colona

Commersonia

Corchoropsis

Corchorus Corynabutilon Craigia Cristaria

Decaschistia

Dendrosida

Desplatsia Dicarpidium Dicellostyles 8

Malvaceae Diplodiscus Dirhamphis

Dombeya

Duboscia

Durio Eleutherostylis Entelea Eremalche

Sterculia

Erinocarpus

Eriolaena Eriotheca Gossypium Firmiana Franciscodendron

Fremontodendron

Fryxellia

Fuertesimalva Gaya Glossostemon Glyphaea

Goethalsia

Gossypioides

Grewia Guazuma Guichenotia

Gyranthera

Hampea

Harmsia Helicteres Helicteropsis Heliocarpus

Helmiopsiella

Helmiopsis

Herissantia Heritiera Hermannia Herrania

Hibiscus Hibiscus

Hildegardia

Hochreutinera Horsfordia Huberodendron Humbertiella 9

Iliamna Kearnemalvastrum

Keraudrenia

Kitaibelia

Kleinhovia Kosteletzkya Krapovickasia Malvaceae Kydia

Lagunaria

Lavatera

Lawrencia Lecanophora Leptonychia Luehea Lueheopsis

Macrostelia

Thespesia

Malachra Malva

Malvalthaea

Malvastrum

Malvaviscus Malvella Mansonia Matisia

Megatritheca

Megistostegium

Melhania Melochia Meximalva Microcos

Modiola

Modiolastrum (M. pinnatipartitus synonym of

Tropidococcus pinnatipartitus)

Mollia

Monteiroa

Mortoniodendron Nayariophyton Neesia Neobaclea Neobrittonia

Nesogordonia

Nototriche

Ochroma 10

Octolobus Pachira

Palaua

Paradombeya

Paritium Patinoa Pavonia Peltaea

Pentapetes

Pentaplaris

Periptera Perrierophytum Phragmotheca Physodium

Plagianthus

Pseudabutilon

Pseudobombax Pseudocorchorus Malvaceae Pterospermum Pterygota

Quararibea

Radyera

Reevesia Bombax Rhynchosida Riedlea

Robinsonella

Rojasimalva

Rulingia Saviniona Scaphium Scaphopetalum

Scleronema

Septotheca

Seringia Sida Sidalcea Sidasodes Sidastrum Sparrmannia Globe mallow Spirotheca Talipariti Tarasa Tetrasida 11

Theobroma Cocoa Tilia Trichospermum Triplochiton Triumfetta Trochetiopsis Typhalea Uladendron Urena Urocarpidium Vasivaea Waltheria Wercklea

Wissadula

Musa Banana, plantain Musaceae Ensete Thyrsopteridaceae Thyrsopteris