| Chemicals management Chemicals are a vital part of our daily life. They provide society with a wide range of benefits, particularly increased agricultural and industrial productivity and improvements in the control of disease. On the other hand chemicals have the potential to cause considerable health and environmental problems throughout their life cycle, from production through to disposal. To ensure that chemicals are managed safely to protect the environment and human health, the Department of the Environment and Heritage: Undertakes environmental assessments of industrial and agricultural chemicals for the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA); Engages with the States & Territories, industry and community groups in the development of guidelines and standards to reduce production of hazardous chemicals; Cooperates in the development of international agreements for restricting the use, production, and emission or release of hazardous chemicals, or for the sharing of information about them; and Gathers information about persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and develops strategies to reduce or eliminate them. A description of the basic legal, institutional, administrative and technical chemicals management infrastructure is provided in: National Profile of Chemicals Management Infrastructure in Australia (November 1998); and Towards Ecologically Sustainable Management of Chemicals (2003). Connect |
| Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) What are POPs? Connection |
| Hazardous waste What's new What we do Who do I contact? Links The Department of the Environment and Heritage administers and implements the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 ('the Act'). The Act was developed to enable Australia to comply with specific obligations under the Basel Convention (Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal), a Convention set up to control the international movements of hazardous wastes. More about the Hazardous Waste Act. GO TO |
| What is hazardous waste? The Hazardous Waste Act, which covers hazardous waste only, defines hazardous waste as: Waste prescribed by the regulations, where the waste has any of the characteristics mentioned in Annex III to the Basel Convention. These characteristics include: Explosive Flammable Liquids/Solids Poisonous Toxic Ecotoxic Infectious Substances. Wastes that belong to any category contained in Annex I to the Basel Convention, unless they do not possess any of the hazardous characteristics contained in Annex III. Wastes in Annex I include: Clinical wastes; Waste oils/water, hydrocarbons/water mixtures, emulsions; Wastes from the production, formulation and use of resins, latex, plasticizers, glues/adhesives; Wastes resulting from surface treatment of metals and plastics; Residues arising from industrial waste disposal operations; and Wastes which contain certain compounds such as: copper, zinc, cadmium, mercury, lead and asbestos. Household waste; or Residues arising from the incineration of household waste. Copies of Annex 1 and Annex III to the Basel Convention can be found in Information paper No 4. For some materials, their status as a hazardous waste is not obvious. Under the Act, the Minister may issue an evidentiary certificate stating that a specified substance is, or is not, a hazardous waste. Before issuing such a certificate, the Minister must seek expert advice from the Hazardous Waste Technical Group. To date, evidentiary certificates have been made for Electronic equipment under warranty, Zinc ash and Zinc scrap. |
| Renewable energy Government programmes In the home Industry contacts Power supply Projects - AGO funded projects Publications & resources Mandatory Renewable Energy Target Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator GO TO |
Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator
The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator is a statutory authority
established to oversee the implementation of the Australian
Government's mandatory renewable energy target.
What's new
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 - Amendment Round
14
Portfolio Budget Statements 2006-07: Agency Budget Statements -
Office of Renewable Energy Regulator
Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator Financial Annual Report
2004-05
Update on the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) -
Completion of the Eleventh Amendment Round
GO TO
The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator is a statutory authority
established to oversee the implementation of the Australian
Government's mandatory renewable energy target.
What's new
Renewable Energy (Electricity) Regulations 2001 - Amendment Round
14
Portfolio Budget Statements 2006-07: Agency Budget Statements -
Office of Renewable Energy Regulator
Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator Financial Annual Report
2004-05
Update on the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) -
Completion of the Eleventh Amendment Round
GO TO
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| Start to help, the Problem is Big. |
• This year (as every year) 11 million children younger than 5 will
die needlessly, more than half from hunger-related causes.
• In the developing world, more than 1.2 billion people currently
live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.
• Among this group of poor people, many have problems
obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families.
As a result, 815 million people in the developing world are
undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of
calories essential for sound health and growth.
• Economically, the effort of constantly securing food consumes
valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work
and earning income.
die needlessly, more than half from hunger-related causes.
• In the developing world, more than 1.2 billion people currently
live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 per day.
• Among this group of poor people, many have problems
obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families.
As a result, 815 million people in the developing world are
undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of
calories essential for sound health and growth.
• Economically, the effort of constantly securing food consumes
valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work
and earning income.
Chemicals in the Environment
Our world is made up of chemicals - those that occur naturally and
those that are manufactured for a huge range of purposes. The
environment can be exposed to such chemicals. Determining if
these chemicals are at levels harmful to organisms (including
humans) in the environment is the key to sustaining these
environments into the future. In order to determine if chemical levels
in the environment are below harmful levels, considerable research
is conducted to determine the fate and effect of these chemicals in
air, water, soil and biota. This information is analysed to derive safe
concentration values that should be achieved in order to protect
ecosystems and human health.
Our world is made up of chemicals - those that occur naturally and
those that are manufactured for a huge range of purposes. The
environment can be exposed to such chemicals. Determining if
these chemicals are at levels harmful to organisms (including
humans) in the environment is the key to sustaining these
environments into the future. In order to determine if chemical levels
in the environment are below harmful levels, considerable research
is conducted to determine the fate and effect of these chemicals in
air, water, soil and biota. This information is analysed to derive safe
concentration values that should be achieved in order to protect
ecosystems and human health.
