National chemicals management
Chemicals management in Australia involves a range of responsibilities at different levels of government. These responsibilities are undertaken within the setting of four national assessment and registration schemes relating to different types of chemicals and overseen by a number of national chemical regulators.
In mid-2007 Australian Environment Ministers also endorsed a national framework for chemicals environmental management (NChEM) to improve environmental aspects of Australia's chemical management system.
National chemical management schemes and national chemical regulators
There are four national chemical management schemes in Australia, which relate to:
- industrial chemicals
- agricultural chemicals (pesticides and veterinary medicines)
- therapeutic goods (drugs and medicines)
- food additives
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through its: - Therapeutic Goods Adminstration (TGA), Office of Chemical Safety (OCS), and Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) is responsible for regulating therapeutic goods, chemicals and gene technology in Australia. Together the TGA, OCS and OGTR are known as the 'TGA group of regulators'.
The Office of Chemical Safety includes the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS), which regulates industrial chemicals in Australia.
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is the Australian Government authority responsible for evaluating and registering agricultural chemicals (pesticides and veterinary medicines) for use in Australia, within the framework of the National Registration Scheme for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals.
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, located within the Australia Government's health and aging portfolio, sets food standards for Australia and New Zealand.
The Australian Government Department of Environment and Water Resources also has a role in chemicals management in Australia. This includes undertaking environmental assessments of industrial and agricultural chemicals for NICNAS and the APVMA; liaising with the States and Territories on chemical matters; and contributing to the development of international agreements relating to hazardous substances. These agreements, for example, include the Stockholm Convention governing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (a policy framework for international action on chemical hazards) known as SAICM.
National Chemicals Environmental Management Framework (NChEM)
Detailed information about the National Chemicals Environmental Management (NChEM) Framework, which was endorsed by Environment Ministers on 2 June 2007 is available from the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) website.
This information includes the Ministerial Agreement on Principles for Better Environmental Management of Chemicals and a Chemicals Action Plan for the Environment. Environment Ministers also agreed to release for public consultation, draft Environmental Risk Assessment Guidance Manuals, which outline nationally agreed best practice for conducting environmental risk assessment of chemicals. The manuals have been released and submissions close on 23 November 2007. Visit the EPHC website for copies of the manuals and information on making a submission.
National Chemical Information Gateway and Reference Guide
For more information about chemicals, this gateway provides anyone interested in chemicals, including pesticides, with a quick and easy way to find out more. The gateway links to Australian and international sites.
The National Chemical Reference Guide contains data on environmental standards and guidelines in Australia for over 600 chemicals, and includes environmental criteria for chemicals in the air, water, soil, sediment and biota.
More information
DECC's chemical management webpage provides more information relating to national programs for the disposal of chemicals and chemical containers and Australia's international obligations relating to hazardous chemicals such as those that arise under the Stockholm Convention governing persistent organic pollutants (POPs).