Skip to main content

Management of Chemical Environmental Risks – COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – Standing Council on Environment and Water

On 17 April 2013 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Standing Council on Environment and Water (the Council) released a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) on the management of chemical environmental risks. The Consultation RIS suggests that the regulatory framework surrounding the management of chemical environmental risks in Australia is incomplete and needs improvement to address unmanaged risks to the environment. In some circumstances, a realisation of these risks could result in loss of ecosystem function, contamination of water or soil, effects on human health, loss of amenity and costly remediation. In general, responsibilities for regulation are shared between jurisdictions. The Commonwealth undertakes most hazard and risk assessment at a national scale and the states and territories typically deal with on-ground risk management and control of use. The RIS suggests that the key problem in the environment area is that jurisdictions are often not undertaking the risk management actions recommended. These actions may be needed to protect the environment from those industrial chemicals identified by the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme as likely to have environmental impacts unless managed appropriately. The RIS seeks stakeholder feedback on the appropriateness of four options:

  1. status quo;
  2. non-statutory development of national environmental risk management decisions;
  3. national decision adopted using Commonwealth, state and territory legislation; and
  4. new risk management framework fully implemented under a single national system.

 The closing date for submissions is 28 June 2013. Further information can be found at COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water website. A Consultation RIS was prepared by the Council and assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.