News

Draft National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011

Amended 8 Nov 2010

On 4 November 2010, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) released a Status Report on National Waste Policy implementation over the previous 12 months. The Status Report provides a snapshot of progress against the 2010 milestones set out in the National Waste Policy Implementation Plan (as at 14 October 2010) and an update on the remaining strategies which have longer term milestones.

Expansion of the Multi-City Mortality and Morbidity Study

Volume 2- Project results and conclusions

Expansion of the Multi-City Mortality and Morbidity Study

Executive Summary and Summary Report

Decision Regulatory Impact Statement - Used Packaging Materials

• provides background and context to packaging and the role of the Covenant/NEPM
• describes the nature and extent of the problem with packaging
• outlines the government objectives for action and options including reviewing the impacts of continuation of the co-regulatory arrangements on competition, and whether the benefits of its application outweigh the costs
• considers the NEPM’s approach to the application of targets, and thresholds for compliance, for brand owner firms, and their appropriateness
• provides the results of consultation on the options considered.

Stage 1 of NChEM Plan for COAG Decision to Investigate Options for Environmental Labelling - Productivity Commission Recommendation 9-1 - Final Report - July 2010

Economic Associates was commissioned by the National Environment Protection Council Service Corporation to undertake Stage 1 of an investigation of options for environmental labelling of chemicals in Australia. The main objective of Stage 1 is to identify possible voluntary and mandatory options for addressing any identified gaps in environmental labelling.

Regulation of chemicals in Australia has developed historically in response to the perceived need for regulation in a number of industry sectors and has largely occurred independently within sectors. Currently, some of these arrangements are under active review. In the case of workplace hazardous chemicals, a firm proposal for change has been published in the form of the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Package, including a Draft National Code of Practice for Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals in July 2009. In addition, a review of agvet chemicals management is at the stage where stakeholder comments have been sought on a discussion paper; and a parallel review of the impact of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) on the Australian regulatory framework for the uniform scheduling of drugs and poisons has also sought stakeholder comments.
 

This statement communicates the National Environment Protection Council’s (NEPC’s)
expectations of the NEPC Service Corporation with respect to performance of its functions and in
line with policies of associated Governments.

Discussion Paper - Air Quality Standards

The National Environment Protection Council has released a discussion paper on Air Quality Standards for the Ambient Air Quality NEPM. Submissions on the paper are requested by Close of Business Friday 27 August 2010.

There will be a series of public consultation meetings held in late July and early August on this paper and the Standards Setting paper also available on this website.

Details on dates and locations for these meetings and a template for providing submissions will be posed on this site shortly.

National Framework for Chemicals Environmental Management - NChEM Chemicals Action Plan for the Environment - Second Progress Report 1 July 2008 - 30 June 2010

INTRODUCTION

This is the second progress report to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) on the implementation of the National framework for Chemicals Environmental Management since the signing of the 2007 NChEM Ministerial Agreement. Chairing of the EPHC NChEM Working Group, which is responsible for progressing the Chemicals Action Plan for the Environment, transferred from New South Wales to South Australia in September 2008. The NChEM Working Group met eight times between July 2008 to June 2010. A chart of key dates and events of the Working Group since its inception is attached (Attachment 1).

Wind energy has the potential to deliver a significant proportion of Australia’s future electricity needs and contribute to national greenhouse gas abatement objectives. In light of the expected increase in wind farm development in coming years EPHC has prepared a set of draft National Wind Farm Development Guidelines which aim to outline best practice for industry and planning authorities in areas including, heritage, threatened species and turbine noise.

Draft Minor Variation to the NEPM Released for Public comment July 2010.

ABARE review of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Estimating consumers’ willingness to pay for improvements to packaging and beverage container waste management Final Draft Report – Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics – June 2010

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report presents the outcomes of an investigation of options for national measures to improve management of packaging wastes, with particular emphasis on beverage containers. The investigation was commissioned by the Environment Protection & Heritage Council (EPHC) in order to:

• clarify the scope and scale of problems arising from current approaches to managing packaging wastes;
• consider the effectiveness of existing measures and the rationale for further government action, at a national level; and
• assess the merits of promising alternative approaches.

Cleaner Non-road Diesel Engine Project - Identification and Recommendation of Measures to Support the Uptake of Cleaner Non-road Diesel Engines in Australia - Final Report

This report by ENVIRON Australia (Pty) Ltd was commissioned by the NSW Department of Environment,Climate Change and Water (NSW DECCW) and the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) to identify and recommend measures to support the supply and purchase of cleaner non-road diesel engines so as to reduce emissions from these engines in Australia.

Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement - Used Packaging Materials

The purpose of this Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) is to explore options to address the current government policy objective of reducing the environmental impacts of packaging. This policy objective is outlined in the National Waste Policy: Less waste,more resources (2009).

The public consultation period has now closed.

Description of proposed variation to NEPM. Public consultation period has now closed.