IFCS Indicators of Progress
Priorities for Action beyond 2000
and
Forum Recommendations
QUESTIONNAIRE
Please provide the information described on the following pages concerning your country,
giving the current status and, to the extent possible, that foreseen at the end of 2006
Please complete:
COUNTRY: Australia
1.
NATIONAL CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES FOR CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT
Priorities for Action E1 and E21
1a)
Has a comprehensive National Chemicals Management Profile, or other
equivalent strategic national plan, been developed through a multi-stakeholder
process2?
National Profile
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
Other equivalent strategic national plan
No
‫ڤ‬
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬

If "Yes" to either of the above, please indicate the original publication date and
the date(s) of any revisions.
The ‘National Profile of Chemicals Management Infrastructure in
Australia’ was published in 1998. Since this Profile was developed,
Australia has advanced work in this area. In addition to the National
Profile, in 2002 the Federal and State Environment Ministers agreed to
establish a National Chemicals Taskforce to assess chemical management
frameworks used in Australia and to scope the issues associated with, and
the need for, a national approach to the environmental dimension of
chemicals management.
The report of the Taskforce updates the work of the National Profile of
Chemicals Management Infrastructure, and can be viewed at:
http://www.ephc.gov.au/pdf/EPHC/chemicalsmgt_scoping.pdf
_______________________________________________
If "Yes" to either of the above, please list all ministries, agencies and
organizations that participated:
Government and Science Organisations:
 Australian Local Government Association
 Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
 Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
 Department of the Environment and Heritage
 Therapeutic Goods Administration
 Office of Chemical Safety
 National Industrial Chemicals Notification and
Assessment Scheme
 Food Standards Australia New Zealand
 National Occupational Health and Safety
Commission
1
The Priorities for Action Beyond 2000 may be viewed on the IFCS website at www.ifcs.ch.
A multi-stakeholder process is a process involving all concerned national ministries and other government
institutions, as well as other interested national parties.
2
1




National Road Transport Commission
Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and
Engineering
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute.














Community Groups:
National Toxics Network
Greenpeace
NSW Environmental Defenders Office
Public Health Association of Australia
W.A Conservation Council
Australian Chemical Trauma Alliance
Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Consumers Association
Total Environment Centre
Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Rhodes Action Group
Friends of the Earth
The LEAD Group.





Industry Associations:
Plastics and Chemicals Industry Association
AvCare
National Farmers Federation
Australian Consumer and Specialty Products
Association
Fertiliser Industry Federation of Australia
The Veterinary Manufacturers and Distributors
Association
Vinyl Council of Australia
The Chemicals and Plastics Leadership Group.





____________________________________________________________
If "No", is your country in the process of developing or planning on developing a
Comprehensive National Chemicals Management Profile?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
Expected completion date ___________
No
‫ڤ‬
If "No", have equivalent measures such as a government investigation on
chemical safety followed by legislative measures been undertaken?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes", please describe:
2
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
1b)
Has your country developed any of the following on the sound management of
chemicals?
If yes, please provide
year completed.
If development is in
progress, please provide
the expected completion
year?
 The Environmental Risk
Management Framework
which relates to the
environmental dimension
of chemicals
management (due to be
ready for
implementation by late
2005)
 National Chemicals
Gateway (implemented
2004)
 National Chemical
Reference Guide (due to
be launched April 2005)
National Policies
National Priorities
National Programs
 National Dioxins
Program (2004)
 Chemcollect Program
(implemented 20002005)
National Strategies
National Action Plans
There are a number of
relevant national action
plans for chemicals
management in
Australia, including:
1. Polychlorinated
Biphenyls Management
Plan (1996)
2. Organochlorine
Pesticides Waste
Management Plan
(1999)
3. Hexachlorobenzene
3
No
Waste Mgt Plan (1996)
There are also several
relevant National
Environmental
Protection Measures,
including:
1. Air Toxics Program
was established to
support the
development of a
national strategy to
monitor and manage
air toxics (established
1999)
2. National Environment
Protection Measure
(NEPM) for Ambient
Air Quality (established
June 1998)
3. NEPM for Movement of
Controlled Waste
between states and
territories (established
1998)
4. National Pollutant
Inventory (established
1998.)
5. NEPM for assessment
of contaminated sites
(2000)
6. Australian and New
Zealand Guidelines for
Fresh and Marine
Water Quality
(implemented 2000)
7. National Health and
Medical Research
Council developed the
Drinking Water
Guidelines
(implemented 2004)
4
1c)
Has your country established an inter-ministerial/intersectoral coordinating
mechanism (e.g. committee or body) to facilitate the comprehensive treatment of
chemical safety issues?
Yes‫ڤ‬
If "Yes":
No
‫ڤ‬
What is the name of the "mechanism"?
When was it established?
The following ministerial committees coordinate the interests of national,
State and Territory governments in different aspects of chemicals
management:
 Environment Protection Heritage Council (environmental)
 Primary Industries Ministerial Council (agriculture)
 Australian Health Ministers Conference (health)
 National Environmental Health (enHealth) Council (established
1999).
 Chemical Liaison Environment Agencies Network (CLEAN)
The following Australian Government interdepartmental committees
operate specifically to address chemical safety, management and policy
issues:
 Chemicals Clearing House (relating to implementation of Chapter
19, Agenda 21)
 Interdepartmental Committee on Chemicals Treaties (for the
Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions).
2.
CLASSIFICATION AND LABELLING OF CHEMICALS
Priority for Action B1
2a)
Has your country initiated work to adopt and implement the Globally Harmonized
System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes", what is the expected date (year) GHS will be fully operational?
New national policy documents for workplace chemicals are currently
being developed to align them with the GHS. It is expected that the new
national standard for workplace chemicals will be available in 2006. This
will allow sufficient lead time for State and Territory jurisdictions to
implement the GHS provisions for workplace chemicals in 2008, which is
consistent with the global implementation date
The Environmental Risk Management Framework (ERMF) for chemicals
currently being developed will assist in delivering environmental aspects of
the GHS.
_________________________________________________________
5
2b)
Has your country ratified and implemented ILO Convention 170 on Safety in the
Use of Chemicals at Work3, or instituted comparable measures?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
3.
NATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
Priority for Action C1
3a)
What arrangements are operational in your country for the exchange of
information on hazardous chemicals? Please describe.
1. Australia ratified the Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions in May
2004 and arrangements for the exchange of information on hazardous
chemicals are included within these conventions.
2. Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals
All new and selected existing agricultural and veterinary chemicals are
assessed by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Management
Authority (APVMA) under the powers invested in it by the Agricultural
and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994. The APVMA is required,
when assessing chemical products for registration, to ensure that the
products will have no unacceptable adverse impacts on public health,
occupational health and safety, trade or the environment and that the
products will be effective for their intended purpose. A review of existing
chemicals may be initiated when new research or evidence has raised
concerns about the use or safety of a particular chemical or product. The
review process generally includes extensive consultation with the public
and industry. Comments are sought on the draft review report. The final
review report is published and is available on the APVMA website at
http://www.apvma.gov.au/
For new chemicals the APVMA also publishes a public release summary
and invites public comments that are then taken into consideration before
the active is approved or the product is registered. When new actives are
approved or a new product registered, this information is published in
the monthly APVMA Gazette as required under the legislation. The
Gazette includes other notices as required under the legislation. The
Gazette is also available from the APVMA website.
3. Industrial Chemicals
All industrial chemicals new to Australia and existing chemicals that are
reviewed on a priority basis undergo a scientific risk assessment under
3
ILO Convention 170 may be viewed on the ILO website at:
http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm
6
the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme
(NICNAS). Reports are published on the assessments and are made
available under the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment)
Act 1989 (ICNA Act). The reports can be accessed at:
www.nicnas.gov.au
Under the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act,
NICNAS is required to provide statistical data. NICNAS publishes a
High Volume Industrial Chemicals List (HVICL) found at
http://www.nicnas.gov.au/obligations/highvolume/index.htm
The HVIC list is an important information source for NICNAS, other
regulators and the public on the use of industrial chemicals in Australia.
NICNAS relies on a range of committees and contact networks. At the
government level it relies on a network of contacts established under a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Commonwealth
States and Territories regarding the functioning of NICNAS.
Representatives from each State government meet to discuss
arrangements relating to the MOU and NICNAS and coordinate an
overview of industrial chemicals in Australia.
One of the main purposes of industrial chemicals assessment is to identify
hazardous substances. These are regulated by a coordinated framework
based on the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission’s
Hazardous Substances Regulatory package. In determining the
hazardous nature of an industrial chemical NICNAS relies on the
National Occupational Health &Safety Commission (NOHSC) workplace
hazardous substances regulatory package. The package can be accessed
on the NOHSC website at:
http://www.nohsc.gov.au/OHSInformation/NOHSCPublications/#7
The package consists of:
 National Model Regulations for the Control of Workplace Hazardous
Substances [NOHSC: 1005 (1994);
 National Code of Practice for the Control of Workplace Hazardous
Substances [NOHSC: 2007 (1994)]
 National Code of Practice for the Preparation of Material Safety Data
Sheets 2nd Edition [NOHSC: 2011(2003)]
 National Code of Practice for the labelling of Workplace Substances
[NOHSC: 2012(1994)]
 Approved Criteria for Classifying Hazardous Substances [NOHSC:
1008(2004)
 Hazardous Substances Information System at:
http://www.nohsc.gov.au/applications/hsis/
Please indicate if the established infrastructure includes:
7
1) website where national partners can gain access to chemical information
sources,
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
(Website references are listed in answer 3a.)
2) institutional directory listing sources of information
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
4.
No
‫ڤ‬
NATIONAL PROCEDURES ON SAFETY INFORMATION FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN
CIRCULATION
Priority for Action C3
4a)
Does your country have procedures in place to ensure that any hazardous material
put into circulation is accompanied, at a minimum, by appropriate and reliable
safety information that is easy to access, read and understand?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes":
Are the procedures consistent with the safety data sheets of the 1990 International
Labour Organization Chemicals Convention (No.170)?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Do they conform to the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and
Labelling Of Chemicals?
Yes. (in progress) ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Australia’s safety data sheet requirements will be largely aligned with the
GHS when the second edition of the National Code of Practice for the
Preparation of Material Safety Data Sheets takes effect on 26 April 2006.
Some minor changes to the Code of Practice will be required to fully align
it with the GHS prior to 2008
5.
ECOLOGICALLY SOUND AND INTEGRATED STRATEGIES FOR PEST MANAGEMENT
Priority for Action D1
5a)
Has your country prepared integrated pest management strategies?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Some government and industry sectors have integrated pest management
programs that have mostly been initiated and managed by industry.
If "Yes", were national studies done to develop the strategies?
8
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Whilst there has not been a single national study undertaken, there has been
substantial body of work done on IPM by government agencies and research
institutions in Australia.
6.
OBSOLETE STOCKS OF PESTICIDES AND OTHER CHEMICALS
Priority for Action D2
6a)
Are there any obsolete stocks of pesticides and/or other chemicals in your
country?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
6b)
No
‫ڤ‬
Has your country prepared an action plan for disposal of obsolete stocks of
pesticides and other chemicals?
Yes (partial)  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
A number of action plans and programs for the disposal of obsolete stocks
of pesticides and other chemicals have been implemented. For example:
the Chemcollect program collected and removed agricultural chemicals no
longer registered for use or needed by farmers. The Chemcollect program
ended in 2002 and has subsequently been replaced by ChemClear. The
DrumMUSTER program collects and recycles empty, cleaned, nonreturnable crop production and on-farm animal health chemical
containers.
There are also various National Action Plans in place (which are listed in
section 1B) to deal with other chemicals, such as PCBs and HCB
stockpiles.
If "Yes", has the action plan been implemented?
Yes  (those listed in 1B) ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes", has the action plan been completed?
Yes (in progress)  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "No", is work in progress to prepare an action plan?
Yes
No
‫ ڤ‬If yes, what is the expected completion date (year)?
‫ڤ‬
If no, why not? _________________________________________
9
7.
NATIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PREVENTION OF MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AND
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE
Priority for Action D4
7a)
Has your country implemented a national system for emergency preparedness and
response, in accordance with international principles 4?
Yes  (Ongoing) ‫ڤ‬
No ‫ڤ‬
The National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) has
declared two national standards that address prevention, emergency
preparedness and response to industrial accidents involving hazardous or
dangerous chemicals. These are the National Standard for the Control of
Major Hazard Facilities and the National Standard for the Storage and
Handling of Workplace Dangerous Goods. These standards have been
implemented or are in the process of being implemented by the state and
territory jurisdictions throughout Australia.
If "No", is work in progress to implement the system?
Yes
7b)
No
‫ڤ‬
Is there a national law requiring the system?
Yes
7c)
‫ ڤ‬expected completion date (year)? _______________
‫ڤ‬
No ‫ڤ‬
Has your country ratified and implemented ILO Convention 174 5 on Prevention
of Major Industrial Accidents?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No 
‫ڤ‬
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
8.
‫ڤ‬
No  ‫ڤ‬
INTERNATIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF PESTICIDES
8a)
Has your government implement the revised International Code of Conduct on
the Distribution and Use of Pesticides (November 2002)6 as the basis for a
comprehensive life cycle approach to pesticide management?
4
Ref. OECD Second Edition 2003 Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and
Response, undertaken in cooperation with other international organizations, including ILO, IMO, UNECE,
UNEP, UNOCHA (UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit) and WHO.
5
ILO Convention 170 may be viewed on the ILO website at:
http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm
6
The International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides may be viewed at:
http://www.fao.org/AG/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/
10
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Although the FAO Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides is
aimed more at Developing Countries than Developed, it is fair to say that
Australia’s life cycle approach to chemical management has been based on the
FAO Code of Conduct.
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
8b)
‫ڤ‬
No ‫ڤ‬
Have the provisions of the Code of Conduct been implemented through other
pieces of legislation or by other means?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes", please briefly describe.
Australian regulations on pesticides are not covered by a single piece of
legislation. They are controlled through a suite of legislation at the State
Government and National level.
For example, at the National level, the Agvet Code establishes how a
product may be distributed and marketed eg restricted chemical product
provisions, requirements for containers. In addition to the AgVet Code, the
Adverse Experience Reporting Process provides a mechanism for reporting
of unexpected health and environmental effects caused by an agricultural
chemical.
At the level of State Governments, Poisons Scheduling Legislation sets out
how a chemical may be distributed and marketed.
Australian agricultural industries dedicate substantial resources to ensuring
that pesticide-related activities do not adversely affect the environment or
human health.
An example is Avcare, an Australian industry association that represents
companies involved in crop production and the animal health industry.
Avcare has a code of conduct, adherence to which is a condition for
Association membership.
The Code sets out industry standards and guidelines by which crop
production and animal health products must be manufactured, distributed
and marketed. In addition to adhering to Avcare’s code of conduct, all
eligible members must also observe the requirements of the FAO Code and
the CropLife International Guide to Implementation for the industry as a
condition of Avcare membership.
11
Avcare’s Code also requires all members to participate in industry
stewardship programs such as Agsafe Accreditation (an Australian based
chemical handling course), drumMUSTER (a program that involves the
collection and safe disposal of empty chemical containers) and ChemClear
(which is discussed in section 6B).
9.
POISON CENTRES
Priority for Action D7
9a)
Have poison centre(s) been established in your country?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Australia has well-established (Category A) Poison Information Centres (PIC) in each
State and Territory. A single national phone line provides access to either the local PIC
or the national duty officer for information and advice on the treatment of poisoning, bites
and stings.
If "Yes", please indicate classification level for each poison centre:
WHO Status of Development Classification
well-established centres, the full range of clinical analytical and other relevant facilities
A
and cover the whole country.
well-established centres, but lack some of the related facilities or do not provide full
B
coverage to the country. These centres require further development in order to meet
the ideal criteria for centres given in the IPCS Guidelines
certain facilities for poison control, but require major support to develop further areas
C
of activities, according to the criteria in the IPCS Guidelines, and should expand
coverage through the country.
Centre (Name &
location)
24 hr National
hotline:
Tel: 131 126
New South Wales
Date
Established
Classification initial
Classification 2000
Classification current
A
The New Children's
Hospital
Hawkesbury Road
Westmead NSW
2148
Tel: (02) 9845 3111
12
Northern Territory
A
Royal Darwin
Hospital
PO Box 41326
Casuarina NT 0811
Non-emergency
contact number
Tel: (08) 8922 8424
Australian Capital
Territory
A
Canberra Hospital
Yamba Drive
Garran ACT 2605
Tel: (02) 6285 2852
Victoria
A
Royal Children's
Hospital
Flemington Road
Parkville Vic 3052
Tel: (03) 9345 5680
Western Australia
A
Sir Charles
Gairdner Hospital
Hospital Avenue
Nedlands WA 6009
Tel: see national 24
hour contact above
Queensland
A
Pharmacy
Department
Royal Children's
Hospital
Herston Qld 4029
Tel: see national 24
hour contact above
Tasmania
A
Royal Hobart
Hospital
Liverpool Street
Hobart Tas 7000
Non-emergency
contact number
Tel: (03) 6238 8677
9b)
Is strengthening of poison centres planned?
Not necessary.
13
If "Yes", for what time period?
___________________________
9c)
If there are no established poison centres in your country, is work under way in
your country to establish a poison control centre with related chemical and
analytical facilities for the first time?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes" when do you expect the poison control centre to be operational? Please
provide location and date (year).
________________________________________________________
10.
POLLUTANT RELEASE AND TRANSFER REGISTERS/EMISSION INVENTORIES
Priority for Action D8
10a)
Has your country established:
An air emission inventory?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
A land emission inventory?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
A water emission inventory?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
A waste inventory?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No  ‫ڤ‬
A Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Australia’s National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) registers pollutant release to air, land and
water, however currently the NPI does not include a pollutant transfer component. The
NPI is currently being reviewed and the potential for this inventory to include a pollutant
transfer register is being investigated.
If "No", is work being initiated to design a PRTR or emission inventory
system?
14
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
10 b) Has your country implemented a system comparable to the PRTR (e.g. the
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)?
Yes
11.
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL TRAFFIC IN TOXIC & DANGEROUS PRODUCTS
Priority for Action F
11a)
Has your country developed a national strategy, or other national measures (e.g.
legislation, action plans) for the prevention of illegal traffic in toxic and
dangerous products?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "Yes", when was it prepared? Please indicate date (year)
No national strategy but a number of mechanisms in place. These are
the implementation of:
 The Customs Act 1901, Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations
1956, Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 (Australian
Customs Service)
 Chemical Weapons Convention (Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade, and Department of Defence), which entered into force in 1997.
 The Hazardous Waste Act (Department of the Environment and
Heritage) which entereed into force in 1989.
As a party to the Rotterdam and Basel Conventions, Australia is bound
by the procedures set forth in these treaties controlling the movement of
listed chemicals and wastes across national borders.
12.
Children and Chemical Safety (Forum IV Recommendation)
12a)
Has your government prepared, through multi-stakeholder consultation,
initial national assessments of children’s environmental health and
chemical safety?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No  ‫ڤ‬
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No  ‫ڤ‬
15
12b)
Has your government taken action to promote harmonized data collection,
research, legislation and regulations, and the use of indicators of children’s
environmental health?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No  ‫ڤ‬
If "Yes", please briefly describe:
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No  ‫ڤ‬
13. HAZARD DATA GENERATION (Forum IV Recommendation)
13a)
Has your government established national priorities for information
generation for chemicals that are not produced in high volumes?
Yes ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
Other Forum IV Recommendations address:
Please provide brief information on specific actions your government has taken to
respond to the recommendations of Forum IV in these areas:
1. Occupational Safety and Health;
In response to the Occupational Safety and Health recommendations of Forum IV,
Australia–
 As lead country of a correspondence group set up under the UN SCEGHS, developed
guidance material for the preparation of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) that will be
incorporated as an Annex into the next edition of the GHS documentation;
 Is revising its national workplace chemical safety legislative framework to
incorporate the GHS as the classification tool and the basis for labelling workplace
chemicals as well as to update provisions relating to the safe management and use of
chemicals; and
is developing labelling guidance for industry to assist in transferring GHS
classification information to labels for workplace chemicals, this will be of particular
relevance to SMEs;
2. Acutely Toxic Pesticides – risk management and reduction;
In response to the recommendations of Forum IV, the Australian Government has taken
the following specific policy actions:
16







Ratified the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions May 2004.
Regulates in accordance with the International Code of Conduct on the Use and
Distribution of Pesticides
Australia has a culture of compliance, accountability, enforcement and monitoring
when dealing with pesticides.
Australia recognises the importance of pest management in agriculture and dedicates
significant annual funds to research in this area.
Evaluations of toxic pesticides take into account their hazards and conditions of use
in a typical Australian situation.
The Environmental Risk Management Framework for chemicals will provide a
strategic, coordinated and consistent approach to the environmental dimension of the
management of chemicals in Australia, specifically by providing, among other things,
a national chemicals risk assessment mechanism, coordinated environmental
monitoring of chemicals and a process by which priority emerging chemicals of
concern will be managed quickly and responsibly.
The Australian Government encourages industry to participate in product stewardship
initiatives such as the National Packaging Covenant, which is a voluntary challenge
that aims to minimise the environmental impacts of consumer packaging waste
throughout the entire life cycle of the packaging product, close the recycling loop,
develop economically viable and sustainable recycling collection systems and ensure
that the voluntary process continues.
The Australian and State Governments administer regulations that:
 Emphasise the importance of Integrated Pest Management in managing pests;
 Ensure that any pesticides that are used in Australia are suitable to the local
environment and conditions of use. Labels are regulated to ensure that chemical
users are provided with sufficient information;
 Restricts availability of toxic pesticides to authorised persons only through poisons
schedule and/or restricted chemical products;
 Regulate certain aspects of chemical containers and provide programs for disposing
used pesticide containers;
 Regulates product label statements and compliance with those statements;
 Monitor pesticide residues in food and in the environment.
Australia has been an active participant in both the interim and full PIC procedures.
Australia has also been active in notifying severely hazardous pesticide formulations
during the interim procedure.
The Australian Government has taken various communication actions, as specified in
section 1b.
3. Capacity building;
- UNEP/SPREP South-west Pacific workshop on chemicals management:
Australia sponsored and hosted a capacity building workshop in April 2001 to improve
the chemicals management capacity in the South-west Pacific with a practical focus on
the Rotterdam, Basel and Waigani Conventions and the negotiations on Persistent
Organic Pollutants.
17
- South Pacific Chemical Profile Project:
The Australian Government assisted South Pacific countries to develop profiles of
chemical management, including development of the Papua New Guinea National Profile
of Chemical Management 1997-2000. Australia contributed A$30,000 to SPREP to assist
in the development of national profiles in selected South Pacific countries. SPREP then
contributed US$2000 towards the cost of the PNG profile.
- Collection of PCBs in PICs from Pacific Island countries for their export and disposal:
This project is funded by the Australian Government’s aid administration organisation,
AusAID. The Australian Government facilitates the transport of unwanted hazardous
chemicals, especially those listed under the Stockholm Convention, PCBs in chemicals
listed under the Rotterdam Convention to Australia for their responsible disposal. Around
1 tonne of OCPs and 7.5 tonnes of PCBs have been collected to date and brought to
Australia for destruction. The participating countries included: Fiji, Cook Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau,
Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
4. INFOCAP (Information Exchange Network on Capacity Building for the Sound
Management of Chemicals) implementation.
Australia has entered information on the INFOCAP website about various international
capacity building activities and contact details for potential sources of support.
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Details of person completing the questionnaire:
IFCS National Focal Point:
Yes 
Mark Hyman
Name:
Assistant Secretary, Environment Protection Branch
Title:
Department of the Environment and Heritage
Ministry
GPO Box 787
Address
Canberra
No
ACT 2601
Australia
61 0 62741622
Tel:
61 0 6274 1164
/03/2005
Fax:
Date:
Mark.Hyman@deh.gov.au
Email:
Signature:
Please provide the following additional information:
Does the IFCS National Focal Point have direct access to the Internet in his/her office?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
If "No", does he/she have access to the Internet in the building where he/she works?
Yes  ‫ڤ‬
No
‫ڤ‬
S:\ChemPol\IFCS\Indicators progress\2004 Indicator Progress Questionnaire\2004
Questionnaire.doc
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