Dunedin City Council staff say they had no choice but to prosecute Lien Duong, after discovering the stockpile of chemicals inside her Mornington home.
It was the first time such a prosecution had been launched in New Zealand, but the quantity of the chemicals found meant it was "a serious public health issue", council environmental health team leader Ros MacGill said.
Duong had been made aware of her obligations under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 upon opening her manicure business in the Meridian mall in June last year, including a 100-litre limit on chemicals stored at the business.
The 778 litres of chemicals found at her home required an approved hazardous substances location to be established, and for Duong to hold appropriate certification, neither of which had happened, court documents showed.
Duong had been "completely aware" of what she was doing, and any talk of issuing an infringement notice had been ruled out, Ms MacGill said.
Fumes from the chemicals had been so strong inside the basement, a council environmental health officer sent to inspect the find had become ill after just five minutes inside.
Duong's explanation, that she wanted to stockpile chemicals ahead of having a baby, to reduce inconvenience during her pregnancy, was "not acceptable at all", Ms MacGill said.
"I don't think we had any choice. It was such an extreme amount of chemicals we would be negligent to not take a prosecution," she said.
Council staff were in regular contact with beauty therapy and tattooists using chemicals, offered advice where needed and also ran an inspections regime, she said.
It was the first time such a find, involving large quantities of chemicals being stored at home, had been uncovered in Dunedin, she said.
Duong declined to comment ahead of sentencing when approached yesterday by the Otago Daily Times.
