An Act to establish a national system of notification and
assessment of industrial chemicals, to provide for registration of certain
persons proposing to introduce industrial chemicals, to provide for national
standards for cosmetics imported into, or manufactured in, Australia, and for
related purposes
Part 1—Preliminary
1
Short title [see Note 1]
This Act may be cited as the Industrial
Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989.
2
Commencement [see Note 1]
(1) Sections 1 and 2 commence on the day
on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), the
remaining provisions of this Act commence on a day or days to be fixed by
Proclamation.
(3) If a provision referred to in subsection (2)
does not commence under that subsection within the period of 6 months beginning
on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent, it commences on the
first day after the end of that period.
3
Objects of Act
The objects of this Act are to provide
for:
(a) a national system of notification
and assessment of industrial chemicals for the purposes of:
(i) aiding in the
protection of the Australian people and the environment by finding out the
risks to occupational health and safety, to public health and to the
environment that could be associated with the importation, manufacture or use
of the chemicals; and
(ii) providing information,
and making recommendations, about the chemicals to Commonwealth, State and
Territory bodies with responsibilities for the regulation of industrial
chemicals; and
(iii) giving effect to Australia’s obligations under international agreements relating to the regulation of
chemicals; and
(iv) collecting statistics
in relation to the chemicals;
being a system under which
information about the properties and effects of the chemicals is obtained from
importers and manufacturers of the chemicals; and
(b) national standards for cosmetics
imported into, or manufactured in, Australia and the enforcement of those
standards.
4
Additional operation of Act
Without prejudice to its effect apart
from this section, this Act also has, because of this section, the effect it
would have if the references to the manufacture of industrial chemicals or
cosmetics in Australia were, by express provision, confined to:
(a) the manufacture of those chemicals
or cosmetics in Australia:
(i) by foreign
corporations, within the meaning of paragraph 51(xx) of the Constitution; or
(ii) by trading
corporations formed within the limits of the Commonwealth, within the meaning
of that paragraph; or
(iii) for supply in the
course of trade and commerce with other countries, among the States, within a
Territory, between a State and Territory or between 2 Territories; or
(iv) for supply to, or to an
authority or instrumentality of, the Commonwealth or a Territory; and
(b) the manufacture of those chemicals
or cosmetics in a Territory.
5
Interpretation
(1) In this
Act, unless the contrary intention appears:
ADG Code means the Australian Code for the
Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail published by the Federal Office
of Road Safety of the Transport Department as in force from time to time.
approved means approved by the Director.
approved foreign scheme means a notification
and assessment scheme approved by the Minister under section 43.
assessment certificate means a certificate
given under section 39.
assessment information, in relation to an
industrial chemical, means information about a matter of which account would be
taken in the assessment of the chemical, being a matter specified in paragraph
32(2)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f).
assessment report means a report under
section 31, 57, 68 or 68A.
Australia, when used in a geographical sense,
includes the external Territories.
basic information, in relation to a chemical,
means all the following information:
(a) the name or names by which the
chemical is known to the public or is intended by its importer or manufacturer to
be so known;
(b) the chemical’s general uses;
(c) the precautions and restrictions
to be observed in the manufacture, handling, storage, use and disposal of the
chemical;
(d) recommendations arising from the
assessment of the chemical under this Act that relate to disposing of the
chemical and rendering it harmless;
(e) the procedures to be followed in
the event of an emergency involving the chemical;
(f) prescribed physical and chemical
data about the chemical, not being data that would reveal the chemical’s
composition;
(g) prescribed data relating to the
health effects or the environmental effects of the chemical.
biopolymer
means:
(a) a polymer directly produced by
living or once‑living cells or cellular components; or
(b) a synthetic equivalent of a
polymer referred to in paragraph (a); or
(c) a derivative or modification of a
polymer referred to in paragraph (a) in which the original polymer remains
substantially intact.
chargeable person,
in relation to a registration year, means:
(a) a person who proposes to introduce
relevant industrial chemicals in that registration year of a value that equals
or exceeds the threshold value if that person:
(i) did not introduce
relevant industrial chemicals in the previous financial year; or
(ii) introduced relevant
industrial chemicals in the previous financial year of a value less than the
threshold value; or
(b) a person who proposes to introduce
relevant industrial chemicals in that registration year of any value if that
person introduced relevant industrial chemicals in the previous financial year
of a value that equalled or exceeded the threshold value.
chemical has the meaning given in section 6.
Chemical Gazette means an issue of the
Gazette published:
(a) unless the regulations prescribe
days for the purposes of this definition—on the first Tuesday in any month; or
(b) where the regulations prescribe
days for those purposes—on any of the prescribed days.
chemical name, in relation to a chemical,
means:
(a) in the case of a pure chemical—the
Chemical Abstracts preferred Index Name, or, if such a name is not available,
the name used, or to be used, by the International Union for Pure and Applied
Chemistry; or
(b) in any other case—a complete
description of the chemical;
including, in the case of a biopolymer, a description of
the biological source of the biopolymer.
commercial includes financial.
commercial evaluation, in relation to an
industrial chemical, means testing the chemical with a view to ascertaining its
potential for commercial application.
commercial evaluation permit means a permit
under section 21G.
confidential section means the section of the
Inventory referred to in subsections 12(4) and (4A).
controlled use permit means a permit under
section 22F.
cosmetic means:
(a) a substance or preparation
intended for placement in contact with any external part of the human body,
including:
(i) the mucous membranes
of the oral cavity; and
(ii) the teeth;
with a view to:
(iii) altering the odours of
the body; or
(iv) changing its appearance;
or
(v) cleansing it; or
(vi) maintaining it in good
condition; or
(vii) perfuming it; or
(viii) protecting it; or
(b) a substance or preparation
prescribed by regulations made for the purposes of this paragraph;
but does not include:
(c) a therapeutic good within the
meaning of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989; or
(d) a substance or preparation
prescribed by regulations made for the purposes of this paragraph.
Note: An ingredient or component of a cosmetic could
be an industrial chemical.
dangerous good has the meaning given by the
ADG Code.
Department means an Agency within the meaning
of the Public Service Act 1999.
development does not include tests that
relate solely to the commercial evaluation of a product or process.
Director means the Director, National
Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, appointed under
section 90.
disposal, in relation to a chemical or
cosmetic, includes disposal of waste resulting from the manufacture or use of
the chemical or cosmetic.
environment includes all aspects of the
surroundings of humans, whether affecting them as individuals or in social
groupings.
Environment Department means the Department
of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories.
environmental effect, in relation to an
industrial chemical, means the effect on the environment of the importation,
manufacture, handling, storage, use or disposal of the chemical.
excluded use has the meaning given by
subsection 7(2).
exempt information means information about
which the Director has given a notification under section 75, and includes
information for which an application for treatment as exempt information has
been made under this Act but not finalised.
existing chemical means an industrial
chemical other than a new industrial chemical.
export, in relation to an industrial
chemical, means do an act that constitutes exportation of the chemical for the
purposes of the Customs Act 1901, or would constitute such exportation
if that Act extended to the external Territories.
factory cost, in relation to the industrial
chemicals manufactured by a person, means the total of:
(a) the cost of labour involved in the
manufacture; and
(b) the cost of materials involved in
the manufacture other than the cost of any relevant industrial chemical:
(i) that is used as an
ingredient in the manufacturing; and
(ii) in respect of which an
amount of registration charge has been paid; and
(c) the factory overhead expenses;
incurred by the person in respect of the manufacture of the
first‑mentioned chemicals.
Gene Technology Regulator has the same
meaning as in the Gene Technology Act 2000.
GM product has the same meaning as in the Gene
Technology Act 2000.
handling, in relation to a chemical or
cosmetic, includes transporting the chemical or cosmetic.
hazardous chemical has the meaning prescribed
by the regulations.
health effect, in relation to an industrial
chemical, means the effect on occupational health and safety or on public
health of the importation, manufacture, handling, storage, use or disposal, of
the chemical.
holder, in relation to a permit or an
assessment certificate, means a person in respect of whom the permit or
certificate is issued.
holder of a confidence, in relation to an
industrial chemical, means a person who under section 17 is to be treated
as the holder of a confidence about the chemical.
import, in relation to an industrial chemical
or a cosmetic, means do an act which constitutes importation of the chemical or
cosmetic for the purposes of the Customs Act 1901, or would constitute
such importation if that Act extended to the external Territories.
importer, in relation to an industrial
chemical, means a person who imports or proposes to import the chemical.
incidentally‑produced
chemical means a chemical that is produced as a result of:
(a) the exposure of another chemical
to light, heat or other environmental conditions in the course of handling or
storage; or
(b) the
occurrence of a chemical reaction during the manufacture or use of another
chemical;
but does not include a chemical whose production has
commercial value for a person manufacturing, handling, storing or using that
other chemical.
industrial chemical has the meaning given in
section 7.
information, in relation to an industrial
chemical, includes:
(a) information about the result of a
test relating to the chemical; and
(b) other information about such a
test.
inspector means:
(a) a person appointed as an inspector
under subsection 84(1); or
(b) an officer of the Public Service
of a State or Territory to whom an arrangement referred to in subsection 84(2)
applies.
introduction, in relation to an industrial
chemical, means the importation, or manufacture in Australia, of the chemical.
introduction permit means a permit under
section 30 or 30A.
Inventory means the Australian Inventory of
Chemical Substances referred to in section 11.
listed industrial chemical means an
industrial chemical whose particulars are included in the Inventory.
low volume chemical means an industrial
chemical in respect of which a low volume permit is in force.
low volume permit means a permit under
subsection 21U(2) or (2A).
manufacturer, in relation to an industrial
chemical, means a person who manufactures or proposes to manufacture the
chemical in Australia.
Material Safety Data Sheet, in relation to a
chemical or to a product or substance containing a chemical, means a written
statement that:
(a) identifies the chemical; and
(b) specifies the health hazards that
could be caused by the chemical; and
(c) specifies the manner of handling
the chemical, product or substance in a way that minimises hazards; and
(d) specifies the procedures to be
adopted in the event of any emergency involving the chemical, product or
substance; and
(e) contains information about the
chemical and physical properties of the chemical, not being exempt matter or
matter referred to in subsection 46(2); and
(f) contains
prescribed information;
being, if there are in force guidelines approved by the
Minister by notice in the Chemical Gazette for the purposes of this definition,
a statement prepared in accordance with those guidelines.
modifications includes additions,
substitutions and omissions.
monomer means a chemical the molecules of
which are capable of forming covalent bonds with 2 or more like or unlike
molecules under the conditions of the relevant polymer‑forming reactions used
for a particular process of polymer formation.
naturally‑occurring chemical means:
(a) an unprocessed chemical occurring
in a natural environment; or
(b) a chemical occurring in a natural
environment, being a substance that is extracted by:
(i) manual, mechanical or
gravitational means; or
(ii) dissolution in water;
or
(iii) flotation; or
(iv) a
process of heating for the sole purpose of removing uncombined water;
without chemical change in the
substance.
new industrial chemical means:
(a) either:
(i) if the chemical is a
listed industrial chemical whose introduction is subject to a condition of use included
in the Inventory under section 13 or subsection 15AB(1)—the chemical but
only to the extent that the manufacturer or importer of the chemical
introduces, or proposes to introduce, the chemical for any other use; or
(ii) otherwise—an
industrial chemical that is not a listed industrial chemical; and
(b) in the case of a synthetic
polymer—a chemical that is a new synthetic polymer;
but does not include the following:
(c) a reaction intermediate;
(d) an incidentally‑produced chemical.
new synthetic polymer means:
(a) a synthetic polymer that includes
a combination of monomers and other reactive components each representing at
least 2% by weight, being a combination not listed in the Inventory; or
(b) a synthetic polymer of whose
weight at least 2% is attributable to a monomer or other reactive component
that is not listed in the Inventory as a component of a synthetic polymer.
non‑confidential section means the section of
the Inventory referred to in subsection 12(3).
non‑hazardous chemical has the meaning given
by subsection (2).
notification law, in relation to a State or
Territory, means a law of the State or Territory under which a statement of
matters about new industrial chemicals manufactured there are given to an
authority of the State or Territory.
notification statement means a statement
referred to in subsection 23(3).
occupier, in relation to a vehicle, vessel or
aeroplane, means the person in charge of it.
officer means a person who is, or has been:
(a) the Director; or
(b) assisting the Director; or
(c) an inspector.
permit means:
(a) a commercial evaluation permit; or
(b) a low volume permit; or
(c) a controlled use permit; or
(d) an introduction permit.
polymer means a chemical:
(a) consisting of molecules that are:
(i) characterised by the
sequence of one or more types of monomer units; and
(ii) distributed over a
range of molecular weights whose differences in the molecular weight are
primarily attributable to differences in the number of monomer units; and
(b) comprising a simple weight
majority of molecules containing at least 3 monomer units which are covalently
bound to at least one other monomer unit or other reactant; and
(c) comprising less than a simple
weight majority of molecules of the same molecular weight.
polymer of low concern means a polymer that:
(a) either:
(i) has a number average
molecular weight, as defined by the regulations, that is greater than 1,000; or
(ii) has a number average
molecular weight, as defined by the regulations, that is less than or equal to
1,000, and has such other characteristics as are prescribed by the regulations;
and
(b) has a low charge density, as so
defined; and
(c) is not a hazardous chemical; and
(d) does not dissociate readily, as so
defined; and
(e) under the conditions in which it
is used is stable, as so defined; and
(f) has such other characteristics as
are prescribed by the regulations.
premises includes:
(a) a structure, building, aircraft,
vehicle or vessel; and
(b) a place (whether enclosed or built
upon or not); and
(c) a part of premises (including
premises of a kind referred to in paragraph (a) or (b)).
prescribed reactant, in relation to a
polyester, means a substance listed in the regulations as a prescribed
reactant.
previous financial year, in relation to a
particular registration year, means the financial year ending on the last 30 June
before the start of that registration year.
priority existing chemical means an
industrial chemical in respect of which a declaration under section 51 is
in force.
public report means a report prepared under
section 34 as varied or modified in accordance with this Act.
reaction intermediate means a substance that:
(a) is produced in the course of a
chemical reaction; and
(b) has a transient existence; and
(c) does not become a major component
of the reaction mixture; and
(d) is not removed from the reaction
system.
Register means the Register established under
section 80C.
registration charge means a charge imposed on
the registration of a chargeable person:
(a) so far as it is a duty of
customs—by the Industrial Chemicals (Registration Charge—Customs) Act 1997;
and
(b) so far as it is a duty of
excise—by the Industrial Chemicals (Registration Charge—Excise) Act 1997;
and
(c) so far as it is neither a duty of
customs nor a duty of excise—by the Industrial Chemicals (Registration Charge—General)
Act 1997.
registration year means a period of 12 months
beginning on 1 September 1997 or 1 September of any subsequent year.
relevant industrial chemical has the meaning
given by section 7A.
research does not include research for the
purpose of determining market acceptance or consumer preferences.
secondary notification means notification
required by section 65.
Secretary means an Agency Head within the
meaning of the Public Service Act 1999.
self‑assessed assessment certificate means
an assessment certificate given under subsection 39(1A).
sequence, in relation to a polymer molecule,
means a continuous string of monomer units within the molecule that are
covalently bound to one another and are uninterrupted by units other than
monomer units.
supplementary information statement means the
statement described in paragraph 40A(5)(a).
synthetic polymer means any polymer other
than a biopolymer.
threshold value, in relation to relevant
industrial chemicals introduced by a person, means $500,000.
trade name product means a chemical included
in the section of the Inventory known as Section VIII—AICS Trade Names Annex.
Transport Department means the Department
administered by the Minister administering the National Transport Commission
Act 2003.
Tribunal means the Administrative Appeals
Tribunal.
use includes proposed use.
value of relevant industrial chemicals imported,
in relation to a particular person and a particular period (whether a financial
year or a registration year), is the amount worked out in accordance with
subsection 7A(2) in respect of that person and that period.
value of relevant industrial chemicals introduced,
in relation to a particular person and a particular period (whether a financial
year or a registration year), means the sum of:
(a) the value (if any) of the relevant
industrial chemicals imported by that person during that period; and
(b) the value (if any) of the relevant
industrial chemicals manufactured by that person during that period.
value of relevant industrial chemicals manufactured,
in relation to a particular person and a particular period (whether a financial
year or a registration year), is the factory cost of manufacturing the
industrial chemicals by the person during that period.
(2) In this Act:
non‑hazardous chemical means a chemical in
respect of which the following conditions are met:
(a) the chemical is not a hazardous
chemical;
(b) the chemical is not a dangerous
good;
(c) the prescribed criteria relating
to the environmental effect of the chemical have been met;
(d) any other prescribed conditions
have been met;
(e) the introduction of the chemical
is consistent with the reasonable protection of occupational health and safety,
public health and the environment.
(3) The Director must take account of the following
matters in deciding whether he or she is satisfied that the condition referred
to in paragraph (e) of the definition of non‑hazardous chemical is
met:
(a) the proposed nature of the use of
the chemical;
(b) the extent of the proposed use of
the chemical;
(c) the effect of the chemical on the
environment;
(d) the effect of the chemical on
occupational health and safety and public health;
(e) the structure and activity of the
chemical;
(f) whether, in Australia or overseas, the chemical is the subject of:
(i) investigations
initiated by a person because of concerns about a possible adverse effect on
occupational health and safety, public health or the environment; or
(ii) action taken by a
person to control the use of, or access to, the chemical;
(g) any other prescribed matter.
6
Meaning of chemical
(1) In this Act, unless the contrary
intention appears:
chemical includes:
(a) a chemical element, including a
chemical element contained in a mixture; or
(b) a compound or complex of a chemical
element, including such a compound or complex contained in a mixture; or
(c) a UVCB substance; or
(d) a
naturally‑occurring chemical;
but does not include:
(e) an article; or
(f) a radioactive chemical; or
(g) a mixture.
(2) In this section:
article means an object that:
(a) is manufactured for use for a
particular purpose, being a purpose that requires that the object have a
particular shape, surface or design; and
(b) is formed to that shape, surface
or design during manufacture; and
(c) undergoes
no change of chemical composition when used for that purpose except as an
intrinsic aspect of that use;
but does not include a particle or a fluid.
mixture means a physical combination of
chemicals resulting from deliberate mixing of those chemicals or from a
chemical reaction, but does not include a UVCB substance.
radioactive chemical means a chemical having
a specific activity greater than 35 becquerels per gram.
UVCB substance means:
(a) a chemical of unknown or variable
composition; or
(b) a complex product of a chemical
reaction; or
(c) biological material, other than a
whole animal or a whole plant.
7
Meaning of industrial chemical
(1) In this Act, unless the contrary
intention appears:
industrial chemical means a chemical that has
an industrial use, whether or not it also has an excluded use.
(2) In this section:
agricultural chemical means a substance or
mixture of substances that is a means of directly or indirectly:
(a) destroying, stupefying,
inhibiting, attracting or repelling a pest in relation to a plant, a place or a
thing; or
(b) destroying a plant; or
(c) modifying the physiology of a
plant so as to alter its natural development, productivity or reproductive
capacity; or
(d) modifying
the effect of another agricultural chemical product;
but does not include:
(e) a veterinary chemical product; or
(f) a substance or mixture of
substances of a kind that is declared by regulations made under the Agricultural
and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 not to be an agricultural chemical
product for the purposes of that Act.
excluded use, in relation to a chemical,
means:
(a) use as an agricultural chemical or
a constituent of an agricultural chemical; or
(b) use as a veterinary chemical or a
constituent of a veterinary chemical; or
(c) therapeutic use or use as an
ingredient or component in the preparation or manufacture of goods for
therapeutic use; or
(d) use as food intended for
consumption by humans or animals or a constituent of such food; or
(e) use as a food additive in food referred
to in paragraph (d).
food additive means a chemical whose
inclusion in food as a food additive is permitted under the Australia New
Zealand Food Standards Code (as defined for the purposes of the Food
Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991).
industrial use, in relation to a chemical,
means a use other than an excluded use.
therapeutic use means use in, or in
connection with:
(a) preventing, diagnosing, curing or
alleviating diseases, ailments, defects or injuries in humans; or
(b) influencing, inhibiting or
modifying physiological processes in humans; or
(c) testing
the susceptibility of humans to diseases or ailments;
and, without limiting this, includes use in, or in
connection with, testing for pregnancy, contraception, prosthetics or orthotics.
veterinary chemical
product means a substance or mixture of substances that is:
(a) a means of directly or indirectly:
(i) preventing,
diagnosing, curing or alleviating a disease or condition in an animal or an
infestation of an animal by a pest in relation to that animal; or
(ii) curing or alleviating
an injury suffered by an animal; or
(iii) modifying the
physiology of an animal:
(A) so as to
alter its natural development, productivity or reproductive capacity; or
(B) so as to
make it more manageable; or
(b) prepared
by a pharmacist or veterinary surgeon, in the course of the practice of his or
her profession, to deal with a particular condition of a particular animal in a
particular instance;
but does not include a substance or mixture of substances
of a kind that is declared by regulations made under the Agricultural and
Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 not to be a veterinary chemical product
for the purposes of that Act.
7A
Meaning of value of relevant industrial chemicals etc.
(1) In this Act:
biological material does not include a whole
plant or a whole animal.
relevant industrial
chemical means an industrial chemical:
(a) that is not intended for an
excluded use; and
(b) that is not:
(i) a naturally‑occurring
chemical; or
(ii) biological material;
or
(iii) an incidentally‑produced
chemical; or
(iv) a reaction
intermediate.
(2) The value of relevant industrial
chemicals imported by a person during a particular period (whether a financial
year or a registration year) is the amount, worked out to the nearest whole
dollar, using the formula:

where:
V means the customs value (within the meaning
of section 159 of the Customs Act 1901) of all of those relevant
industrial chemicals.
CIF means the cost of the insurance and
freight relating to those chemicals.
CD means the customs duty payable on those
chemicals.
8
Application of Act
This Act extends to every external
Territory.
9 Act
to bind Crown
This Act binds the Crown in right of the
Commonwealth, of each of the States, of the Australian Capital Territory, of
the Northern Territory and of Norfolk Island, but nothing in this Act renders
the Crown liable to be prosecuted for an offence.
10
Relationship to other Commonwealth laws etc.
The provisions of this Act are in
addition to, and not in substitution for, the requirements of any other law of
the Commonwealth (whether passed or made before or after the commencement of
this Act).
10AA
Application of Criminal Code
Chapter 2 of the Criminal Code applies
to all offences against this Act.
Note: Chapter 2 of the Criminal Code sets
out the general principles of criminal responsibility.
10A
Consultation with Gene Technology Regulator
(1) This section applies to the following:
(a) an assessment of an industrial
chemical that is, or contains, a GM product;
(b) an application for a permit
(however described) in relation to an industrial chemical that is, or contains,
a GM product.
(2) Subject to subsection (5), the
Director must give written notice to the Gene Technology Regulator:
(a) stating that the assessment is to
be undertaken, or that the application for the permit has been made, as the
case requires; and
(b) requesting the Gene Technology
Regulator to give advice about the assessment or the application for the
permit.
(3) If the Director gives the Gene Technology
Regulator a notice under subsection (2), the Gene Technology Regulator may
give written advice to the Director about the assessment or the application.
(4) The advice is to be given within the
period specified in the notice.
(5) If an advice from the Gene Technology
Regulator is in force under section 10B in relation to a class of GM
products, the Director is not required to notify the Regulator under this
section in relation to:
(a) an assessment of an industrial
chemical that is or contains a GM product belonging to that class; or
(b) an application for a permit in
respect of an industrial chemical that is or contains a GM product belonging to
that class.
10B
Director may seek advice about classes of GM products
(1) The Director may request advice from the
Gene Technology Regulator in relation to industrial chemicals that consist of,
or that contain, a GM product belonging to a class of GM products specified in
the request.
(2) A request for advice under subsection (1)
must specify the matters to which the advice is to relate.
(3) If the Director requests advice from the
Gene Technology Regulator under subsection (1), the Gene Technology
Regulator may provide written advice in relation to the matters specified in
the request.
(4) If the Gene Technology Regulator gives
advice to the Director under subsection (3), the advice remains in force
until it is withdrawn by the Gene Technology Regulator by written notice given
to the Director.
10C
Director to take advice into account
If the Director receives advice from the
Gene Technology Regulator:
(a) in response to a notice under
section 10A within the period specified in the notice; or
(b) under section 10B;
the Director must:
(c) ensure that the advice is taken
into account in undertaking the assessment, or in making a decision on the
application for the permit, as the case requires; and
(d) inform the Gene Technology
Regulator of the assessment, or the decision on the application, as the case
requires.
Part 2—Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances
Division 1—Keeping of Inventory
11
Inventory
(1) The Director must keep the inventory
known as the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances.
(2) The Inventory must be kept in the
prescribed form at such place as the Director directs, and may be kept by
electronic means.
(3) If a chemical is included in the
Inventory, the chemical may be imported into Australia, or manufactured in Australia, without obtaining an assessment certificate or permit.
(4) However, if the importation or
manufacture of the chemical is subject to a condition included in the Inventory
under section 13 or subsection 15AB(1), the chemical may only be imported
or manufactured without obtaining an assessment certificate or permit if the
importation or manufacture is in accordance with the condition.
Note: Subsections (3) and (4) are not intended
to be an exhaustive description of the effects or consequences of including a
chemical, or a condition on the importation or manufacture of a chemical, in
the Inventory. There may be other consequences, express or implied, because of
other provisions of the Act.
12
Content of Inventory
(2) The Inventory is to consist of a non‑confidential
section and a confidential section.
(3) The non‑confidential section is to
contain approved particulars of:
(d) each chemical included under
subsection 14(7); and
(da) each chemical included under
subsection 15AB(1); and
(db) any particulars included in the
Inventory under subsection 15AB(1) in respect of a chemical included in the
Inventory under that subsection; and
(e) each chemical transferred under
section 19; and
(f) any condition of use, or any
other condition, to which the importation or manufacture of a chemical referred
to in paragraph (d), (da) or (e) is subject under section 13; and
(g) any other matter included under
section 13 in respect of a chemical referred to in paragraph (d),
(da) or (e).
(4) The confidential section is to contain
approved particulars of:
(a) each chemical transferred under
section 18A; and
(c) each
chemical included under subsection 14(4);
other than chemicals transferred under section 19.
(4A) The confidential section is also to contain
approved particulars of:
(a) any condition of use, or any other
condition, to which the importation or manufacture of a chemical referred to in
paragraph (4)(a) or (c) is subject under section 13; and
(b) any other matter included under
section 13 in respect of a chemical referred to in paragraph (4)(a)
or (c).
(5) The names of naturally occurring
chemicals are to be regarded as included in the non‑confidential section.
(6) The Inventory is not to contain
particulars of a chemical removed from it under section 63 unless those
particulars are subsequently required to be included under section 14.
13
Conditions of use etc. of, and other information about, chemicals
(1) The Director may include in the Inventory
the following particulars in respect of a chemical included in the Inventory:
(a) particulars of any condition of
use to which the importation or manufacture of the chemical is subject;
(b) particulars of any other condition
to which the importation or manufacture of the chemical is subject;
(c) any particulars about the
assessment of the chemical under Division 3 of Part 3;
(d) any other particulars in respect
of the chemical that are prescribed by regulations for the purposes of this
section.
Note 1: For example, the Director may include
particulars recommending the secondary notification of a chemical in particular
circumstances.
Note 2: The Director is required to give notice in the
Chemical Gazette if the Director proposes to include particulars in the
Inventory (see section 13A).
Note 3: A person who breaches a condition on the
importation or manufacture of a chemical in the Inventory might commit an
offence (see section 15A).
(2) The
Director may:
(a) include particulars at the time a
chemical is included in the Inventory or at a later time; and
(b) vary particulars already included
in the Inventory in respect of a chemical; and
(c) remove particulars already
included in the Inventory in respect of a chemical.
Note: The Director is required to give notice in the
Chemical Gazette if the Director proposes to include or vary particulars in the
Inventory (see section 13A).
13A
Director to notify of inclusion or variation of particulars
(1) If at any time the Director proposes,
under section 13, to include or vary particulars in the Inventory in
respect of a chemical, the Director must give notice in the Chemical Gazette
that he or she proposes to include or vary the particulars in respect of the
chemical.
(2) The notice must state:
(a) the name under which the chemical
has been or is to be included in the Inventory; and
(b) any name by which the chemical is
commonly known; and
(c) that the Director proposes to
include or vary the particulars in the Inventory in respect of the chemical;
and
(d) that a person may give a statement
to the Director, within 28 days of the date of publication of the notice,
giving reasons why the particulars should not be included or varied.
(3) If the Director knows the name and
address of a person who is introducing or proposes to introduce the chemical,
the Director must send a copy of the notice to the person.
(4) If the Director receives a statement from
a person giving reasons why the particulars should not be included or varied,
the Director must reconsider the proposed inclusion or variation in the light
of the statement.
(5) If the Director accepts the reasons why
the particulars should not be included or varied, the Director must:
(a) publish a notice in the Chemical
Gazette that the particulars are not going to be included or varied in respect
of the chemical; and
(b) give a copy of the notice to the
person who gave the statement.
(6) If the Director rejects the reasons why
the particulars should not be included or varied, the Director must:
(a) give the person who made the
statement notice of the decision to reject the reasons; but
(b) not include or vary the
particulars until 28 days after the date of the giving of the notice or, if the
person applies to the Tribunal for review of the decision, until the review has
been finalised.
(7) A notice under this section may be
included with a notice under another section under this Act.
13B
Inclusion of new industrial chemical in non‑confidential section of Inventory
before 5 years
(1) This section applies if:
(a) an assessment certificate (other
than an extension of an original certificate) for an industrial chemical is in
force; and
(b) the period of 5 years from the
giving of the certificate has not yet ended; and
(c) the holder or each holder of the
certificate applies in the approved form to the Director for the inclusion of
the chemical in the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; and
(d) if the application is made after
28 days of the giving of the certificate—the fee prescribed under section 110
is paid.
(2) If there are any other assessment
certificates in force in respect of the new industrial chemical, the Director
must give each holder or holders of those assessment certificates (including
each holder of an extension of such a certificate) written notice:
(a) informing them of the proposed
inclusion; and
(b) setting out the terms of subsections (3)
and (4).
(3) The holder
or each holder of any of those other assessment certificates may apply to the
Director in the approved form, within 28 days of the giving of the notice, for
the chemical not to be included in the non‑confidential section of the
Inventory.
(4) If an application is made under subsection (3)
within the 28 days, the Director:
(a) must not include the chemical in
the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; and
(b) must give a written notice to the
applicant or applicants under subsection (1) stating that the chemical is
not going to be included in that section of the Inventory; and
(c) must repay any fee paid in respect
of the application made under subsection (1).
(5) If an application is not made under subsection (3)
within the 28 days, the Director:
(a) must include the chemical in the
non‑confidential section of the Inventory; and
(b) must give notice in the Chemical
Gazette that he or she has included the chemical in the non‑confidential
section of the Inventory.
Note: Under section 13, the Director can
include conditions and other particulars in respect of a chemical that is
included in the Inventory under this section.
14
Inclusion of new industrial chemical in Inventory after 5 years
(1) Where:
(a) an assessment certificate (other
than an extension of an original certificate) for an industrial chemical is in
force; and
(b) the
period of 5 years from the giving of the certificate ends;
the Director must include the chemical in the Inventory,
and must give notice in the Chemical Gazette that he or she has done so.
Note: The Director can include conditions and other
particulars in respect of a chemical that is included in the Inventory under
this section (see section 13).
(2) Not less than 28 days before including
the chemical (including each holder of an extension of such a certificate) in
the Inventory, the Director must give each holder of an assessment certificate
for the chemical (including each holder of an extension of such a certificate)
written notice:
(a) informing them of the proposed
inclusion; and
(b) setting out the terms of subsections (3)
and (4).
(3) A holder may apply in the approved form
to the Director for the inclusion of the chemical in the confidential section.
(4) If the Director is satisfied that:
(a) the publication of some or all of
the chemical’s particulars could reasonably be expected to prejudice
substantially the commercial interests of the applicant; and
(b) the prejudice outweighs the public
interest in the publication of those particulars;
the Director must include the chemical in the confidential
section.
(5) The Director must give the applicant
written notice of the decision about the application.
(6) Where the Director decides not to include
the chemical in the confidential section, he or she must delay including the
chemical in the Inventory for 28 days after giving notice or, where the
applicant applies during those days to the Tribunal under section 102 for
the review of the decision, until the application to the Tribunal is finalised.
(7) Where the chemical is not included in the
confidential section, it is to be included in the non‑confidential section.
15
Inventory to be publicly available
The Director must ensure that copies of
the non‑confidential section are available for:
(a) sale to the public; or
(b) inspection by the public at the
prescribed times, and on payment of the prescribed fee (if any).
15A
Offence for failing to comply with conditions of use etc.
A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person imports or manufactures
an industrial chemical at a particular time; and
(b) at that time, the importation or
manufacture of the chemical is subject to a condition included in the Inventory
under section 13 or subsection 15AB(1); and
(c) the importation or
manufacture breaches the condition.
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
Division 1A—Inclusion of previously regulated chemicals in Inventory
15AA
Proposal to include previously regulated chemical in Inventory
(1) The Director may make a proposal to
include or not to include a new industrial chemical in the Inventory if:
(a) the chemical was previously
regulated; and
(b) there is no assessment certificate
in force for the chemical; and
(c) the chemical is currently in use
in Australia.
Note: See subsection (9) for the definition of previously
regulated.
(2) The Director may include in a proposal
the following particulars in respect of a chemical proposed to be included in
the Inventory:
(a) particulars of any condition of
use to which the importation or manufacture of the chemical is subject;
(b) particulars of any other condition
to which the importation or manufacture of the chemical is subject;
(c) any other particulars in respect
of the chemical that are prescribed by regulations for the purposes of this
paragraph.
(3) In making a proposal, the Director must
consider whether the use of the chemical poses an unreasonable risk to
occupational health and safety, public health or the environment.
(4) The Director must give notice of a
proposal in the Chemical Gazette.
(5) The notice must state the following:
(a) the chemical name for the
chemical;
(b) the number assigned to the
chemical by the service known as the Chemical Abstracts Service, or if that
number is not available, the number that accords with an alternative numbering
system;
(c) any name by which the chemical is
commonly known;
(d) whether the Director proposes to
include or not to include the chemical in the Inventory;
(e) the reasons why the Director
proposes to include or not to include the chemical in the Inventory;
(f) if the Director proposes to
include the chemical in the Inventory:
(i) any particulars that
the Director proposes to include in respect of the chemical; and
(ii) the reasons why the
Director proposes to include those particulars;
(g) that a person may give a statement
to the Director, within 28 days after the date of publication of the notice,
giving reasons why the person objects to the Director’s proposal.
(6) If the Director knows the name and
address of a person who is introducing or proposes to introduce the chemical,
the Director must send a copy of the notice to the person.
(7) Once the 28 days mentioned in
paragraph (5)(g) have passed, the Director must, having regard to any
statements received, make a final decision:
(a) to include or not to include the
chemical in the Inventory; and
(b) if the Director decides to include
the chemical in the Inventory—to include or not to include specified
particulars in respect of the chemical.
(8) The Director must:
(a) publish a notice in the Chemical
Gazette of the Director’s final decision; and
(b) give a copy of the notice to any
person who gave a statement.
(9) For the
purposes of subsection (1), a chemical was previously regulated
if:
(a) the chemical has been, but is no
longer, within the scope of regulation of a Commonwealth law that relates to
chemicals and that is prescribed by the regulations; or
(b) the chemical is contained in a
product that has been, but is no longer, within the scope of regulation of any
of the following:
(i) the Agricultural
and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994;
(ii) the Therapeutic
Goods Act 1989;
(iii) the Food Standards
Australia New Zealand Act 1991;
(iv) another Commonwealth
law that relates to chemicals in products (whether consisting of a single
chemical or not) and that is prescribed by the regulations.
15AB Inclusion of
previously regulated chemical in Inventory
(1) If:
(a) the Director makes a final
decision under subsection 15AA(7) to include a new industrial chemical in the
Inventory; and
(b) either:
(i) at least 28 days have
passed since the Director published the notice mentioned in subsection 15AA(8)
and an application to the Tribunal for review of the Director’s decision has
not been made; or
(ii) an application to the
Tribunal for review of the Director’s decision has been made and review of the
decision has been finalised;
then the Director must include the chemical in the
Inventory, along with any particulars in respect of the chemical that the
Director has made a final decision to include in the Inventory.
Note: Once the chemical has been included in the
Inventory, the Director can include and vary conditions and other particulars
in respect of the chemical under section 13.
(2) If the Director includes a chemical in
the Inventory under subsection (1):
(a) the chemical is to be included in
the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; and
(b) the Director must give notice in
the Chemical Gazette of:
(i) the inclusion of the
chemical in the Inventory; and
(ii) any particulars
included in the Inventory in respect of the chemical.
Division 2—Confidential Section of Inventory
16
Confidential section
The confidential section is not to be
publicly available.
17
Holder of a confidence
(2) A person who held an assessment certificate
for a chemical included in the confidential section under section 14 is to
be treated as the holder of a confidence about that chemical.
(2A) If a chemical is transferred to the
confidential section as a result of an application made by a person under
section 18A, the person is to be treated as the holder of a confidence
about the chemical.
(3) A person may apply in the approved form
to the Director to be treated as the holder of a confidence about an industrial
chemical in the confidential section.
(4) Where the Director is satisfied that the
publication of some or all of the particulars of a chemical in relation to
which an application under subsection (3) has been made could reasonably
be expected to prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the
applicant, the applicant is to be treated as the holder of a confidence about
the chemical.
(5) The Director must give the applicant
written notice of the decision about the application.
(6) Where the application is rejected, the
applicant is to be treated as the holder of a confidence about the chemical for
28 days after the giving of the notice or, where the applicant applies during
those days to the Tribunal under section 102 for the review of the
decision, until the application to the Tribunal is finalised.
18
Effect of inclusion in confidential section
(1) Where an industrial chemical is included
in the confidential section, an officer must not publish or disclose any of the
particulars recorded in that section in relation to that chemical except:
(a) as permitted under this section;
or
(b) in the course of carrying out
duties and functions under this Act; or
(c) by order of a court; or
(d) with the consent of the holders of
a confidence about the chemical.
(2) Where:
(a) a person inquires of the Director
in writing whether a particular industrial chemical that is not included in the
non‑confidential section is included in the confidential section; and
(b) the
Director is satisfied that the person intends to introduce the chemical;
the Director may answer the inquiry.
(3) However, if the introduction of the
chemical is subject to a condition of use included in the confidential section
under section 13, then the Director may only disclose the condition if:
(a) the Director has asked the person
the use for which the person intends to introduce the chemical; and
(b) the Director is satisfied that the
person intends to introduce the chemical for that use.
(4) If the Director discloses a condition
under subsection (3) to a person, then the Director may also disclose to
the person any other conditions in the confidential section to which the
introduction of the chemical is subject.
18A
Transfer of industrial chemical from non‑confidential section to confidential
section
(1) If an industrial chemical was transferred
to the non‑confidential section under section 19 as in force before the
commencement of this section, a person who was a holder of a confidence about
the chemical may, within a prescribed period, apply in the approved form to the
Director for the transfer of the chemical to the confidential section.
(2) If the
Director is satisfied that:
(a) the publication of some or all of
the chemical’s particulars could reasonably be expected to prejudice
substantially the commercial interests of the applicant; and
(b) the prejudice outweighs the public
interest in the publication of those particulars;
the Director must transfer the chemical, and any
particulars in respect of the chemical, to the confidential section.
(3) The Director must give the applicant
written notice of the decision about the application.
19
Transfer of industrial chemical from confidential section to non‑confidential
section
Definitions
(1) In this section:
decision not to transfer, in respect of a
chemical in the confidential section, means:
(a) a decision by the Director not to
transfer that chemical to the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; or
(b) if:
(i) the Director decides
to transfer the chemical to the non‑confidential section of the Inventory; and
(ii) the holder of a
confidence about the chemical applies to the Tribunal for a review of the
Director’s decision within 28 days after the making of the decision; and
(iii) the Tribunal decides
to revoke the Director’s decision and substitute a decision not to so transfer
the chemical;
the Tribunal’s decision.
inclusion date, in respect of a chemical in
the confidential section means:
(a) unless paragraph (b)
applies—the date of the chemical’s inclusion in the confidential section; or
(b) if, since the chemical’s inclusion
in the confidential section, a decision or decisions have been made not to
transfer the chemical—the date of the decision or of the last such decision.
Inclusion in confidential section to be reviewed every
5 years
(2) An industrial chemical, and any
particulars in respect of the chemical, in the confidential section must be
transferred to the non‑confidential section on the fifth anniversary of its
inclusion date unless a decision not to transfer the chemical is made before
that fifth anniversary.
Notice of possible transfer
(3) The Director must, for each chemical that
is in the confidential section, notify each holder of a confidence about the
chemical, in writing:
(a) that the chemical will be
transferred to the non‑confidential section unless a decision not to transfer
the chemical is made; and
(b) setting out the terms of this
section.
The Director must give the notice at least 3 months before
the fifth anniversary of the inclusion date in respect of that chemical.
Holder may state why chemical should not be transferred
(4) A holder of a confidence about a chemical
may, within 28 days after being given a notice under subsection (3), give
the Director a written statement setting out the reasons why the chemical
should not be transferred to the non‑confidential section.
After receipt of statement Director must decide
(5) If a statement is given under subsection (4),
the Director must, not later than the fifth anniversary of the inclusion date
in respect of the chemical, make a decision whether or not to transfer the
chemical to the non‑confidential section.
Director’s decision not to transfer chemical
(6) If, having regard to any statement made
to the Director under this section by the holder of a confidence about a chemical,
the Director is satisfied that:
(a) the publication of some or all of
the chemical’s particulars could reasonably be expected to prejudice
substantially the commercial interest of any holder of a confidence who gave
such a statement; and
(b) the prejudice outweighs the public
interest in the publication of those particulars;
the Director:
(c) must decide not to transfer the
chemical to the non‑confidential section; and
(d) must give written notice of the
decision to each holder of a confidence who gave such a statement.
Director’s decision to transfer
(7) If, having regard to the statement or
statements given to the Director, the Director is not satisfied as specified in
subsection (6), the Director:
(a) must give written notice of the
decision to transfer the chemical to each holder of a confidence who made a
statement to the Director; but
(b) must delay transferring the
chemical and any particulars in respect of the chemical:
(i) unless subparagraph (ii)
applies, for 28 days after giving the notice; and
(ii) if the holder of a
confidence applies during those 28 days to the Tribunal under section 102
for the review of the Director’s decision—until the application to the Tribunal
is finalised.
Division 3—Amendment of Inventory
20
Amendment of Inventory
The Director may amend the Inventory for
the purpose of:
(a) adding additional information
concerning chemicals that were included:
(i) before the
commencement of Part 2; or
(ii) after that
commencement under section 13 of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification
and Assessment) Act 1989 as in force at any time before the commencement of
the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Amendment Act (No. 2)
1992; or
(aa) adding extra information about
industrial chemicals already in the Inventory that was obtained under section 20AB
(details of trade name products); or
(b) correcting
an error (except the wrong inclusion of a chemical in the Inventory);
and must give notice in the Chemical Gazette of any such
amendment.
Note: The Director can also add or vary information
under section 13 about chemicals already in the Inventory.
20AA
Chemicals wrongly included in the Inventory
(1) If the Director believes that a chemical
has been wrongly included in the Inventory, the Director must give notice in
the Chemical Gazette that he or she proposes to remove the chemical from the
Inventory.
(2) The notice must state:
(a) the name under which the chemical
has been included in the Inventory; and
(b) any name by which the chemical is
commonly known; and
(c) that the Director proposes to
remove the chemical from the Inventory; and
(e) that a person may give a statement
to the Director, within 3 months of the date of publication of the notice,
giving reasons why the chemical should not be removed.
(3) If the Director knows the name and
address of a person who is introducing the chemical, the Director must send a
copy of the notice to the person.
(4) If the Director receives a statement from
a person giving reasons why the chemical should not be removed, the Director
must reconsider the proposed removal in the light of the statement.
(5) If the Director accepts the reasons why
the chemical should not be removed, the Director must:
(a) leave the chemical, and any
particulars in respect of the chemical, in the Inventory; and
(b) publish a notice in the Chemical
Gazette that the chemical is not going to be removed; and
(c) give a copy of the notice to the
person who gave the statement.
(6) If the Director rejects the reasons why
the chemical should not be removed, the Director must:
(a) give the person who made the
statement notice of the decision to reject the reasons; but
(b) not remove the chemical, or any
particulars in respect of the chemical, until 28 days after the date of the
giving of the notice or, if the person applies to the Tribunal for review of
the decision, until the review has been finalised.
20AB
Details of trade name products
(1) The Director may, by written notice, ask
that he or she be given the identity of each industrial chemical making up a
trade name product.
(2) A notice must:
(a) set out the information required
about each trade name product; and
(b) set out the form in which the
information is required; and
(c) state the date (the due date),
at least 12 months after the date of the notice, by which the information is to
be given to the Director; and
(d) state that any industrial chemical
making up the trade name product that is not already included in the Inventory
may be so included; and
(e) state that any such chemical that
is to be so included may, on application made to the Director, be included in
the confidential section of the Inventory if the Director is satisfied that
some or all of the particulars of the chemical meet the tests set out in
paragraphs 14(4)(a) and (b); and
(f) be published in the Chemical
Gazette.
(3) The Director must send a copy of the
notice to each person whom the Director is aware:
(a) nominated the trade name product
for entry in the Inventory; or
(b) has manufactured the trade name
product in Australia; or
(c) has imported the trade name
product into Australia.
(4) Subject to subsections (4A), (4B),
(4C) and 12(6), if the Director receives the information about the trade name
product by the due date, the Director must:
(a) if particulars of an industrial
chemical making up the trade name product have not been included in the
Inventory—include those particulars in the Inventory; and
(b) remove the trade name product from
the Inventory.
(4A) If an industrial chemical to which paragraph (4)(a)
applies has been the subject of an application for inclusion in the
confidential section of the Inventory and the Director is satisfied that:
(a) the publication of some or all of
the chemical’s particulars could reasonably be expected to prejudice
substantially the commercial interests of the person seeking that chemical’s
inclusion in the confidential section of the Inventory; and
(b) the prejudice outweighs the public
interest in the publication of those particulars;
the Director must include the chemical in the confidential
section.
Note: The Director can include conditions and other
particulars in respect of a chemical that is included in the Inventory under
this subsection (see section 13).
(4B) If the Director decides, in relation to a
chemical to which paragraph (4)(a) applies that has been the subject of
such an application for inclusion in the confidential section of the Inventory
not to include the chemical in the confidential section, he or she must:
(a) give the applicant for inclusion
of the chemical in that section written notice of the decision on the
application; and
(b) delay including the chemical in
the Inventory for 28 days after giving the notice, or, where the applicant
applies during that period to the Tribunal under section 102 for review of
the decision, until the application to the Tribunal is finalised.
Note: The Director can include conditions and other
particulars in respect of a chemical that is included in the Inventory under
this subsection (see section 13).
(4C) If the Director delays the inclusion of an
industrial chemical in the Inventory under subsection (4B), the Director
must, during the period of that delay, defer removing the trade name product
concerned from the Inventory.
(5) If the Director does not receive the
information about each industrial chemical making up the trade name product by
the due date, the Director must remove the trade name product from the
Inventory.
Part 3—Notification and Assessment of Industrial Chemicals
Division 1—New Industrial Chemicals to be Assessed
21
Introduction of new industrial chemicals
(1) A person must not introduce a new
industrial chemical.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply if the
person holds an assessment certificate in force in relation to the chemical.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (1A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(2) Subsection (1) does not prohibit the
introduction of a new industrial chemical in accordance with:
(a) a commercial evaluation permit; or
(b) a low volume permit; or
(c) a controlled use permit; or
(d) an introduction permit.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matters in subsection (2) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(3) Subsection (1) does not prohibit the
introduction of:
(a) a new industrial chemical imported
solely for an excluded use within the meaning of section 7; or
(b) a new industrial chemical
manufactured in Australia:
(i) in an apparatus that
is a fixture designed for producing one or more chemicals; and
(ii) in the course of a
program of research, development or analysis; and
(iii) by a person who,
before manufacturing the chemical, gave the Director information about the type
and location of the apparatus, and a general description of the program and the
type of chemical to be manufactured in the apparatus, and a description of all
procedures for the safe disposal of the chemical and any hazardous degradation
products derived from the chemical; or
(e) a new industrial chemical that may
be introduced under regulations referred to in paragraph 111(c).
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matters in subsection (3) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(4) Subsection (1) does not prohibit the
introduction by a person of an amount of new industrial chemical not exceeding
100 kilograms in a period of 12 months (either by itself or in a mixture with
one or more other chemicals):
(a) unless the person knows that the
chemical poses an unreasonable risk to occupational health and safety, public
health or the environment; and
(b) either:
(i) if the chemical is
introduced in a cosmetic—if requirements (if any), prescribed in regulations
made for the purpose of this subparagraph, relating to its introduction are met
(including requirements relating to its use, packaging or labelling); or
(ii) otherwise—if
requirements (if any), prescribed in regulations made for the purpose of this
subparagraph, relating to its introduction are met (including requirements
relating to its use, packaging or labelling).
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matters in subsection (4) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(5) For the purposes of subparagraph (4)(b)(i)
or (ii), different requirements may be prescribed in respect of different
volumes of a particular chemical.
(6) Subsection (1) does not prohibit the
introduction of the following:
(a) a new industrial chemical
introduced by a person:
(i) solely for the purpose
of research, development or analysis; and
(ii) in a quantity of not
more than 100 kilograms in any 12 month period;
(b) a new industrial chemical:
(i) that is introduced by
a person at a port or airport in Australia; and
(ii) that remains subject
to the control of Customs (within the meaning of the Customs Act 1901)
at the port or airport at all times before leaving Australia; and
(iii) that leaves Australia less than 30 days after the day of introduction;
(c) a new industrial chemical:
(i) that is a non‑hazardous
chemical; and
(ii) that is introduced in
a cosmetic; and
(iii) whose concentration in
the cosmetic is 1% or less; and
(iv) whose introduction
meets any requirements, prescribed in regulations for the purposes of this
subparagraph, relating to its introduction.
Note 1: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matters in subsection (6) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
Note 2: A person who introduces a new industrial chemical
under subsection (6) is required to provide an annual report (see section 21AA).
21AA
Annual reporting obligations for introductions under section 21
(1) A person who introduces a new industrial
chemical in a registration year under subsection 21(4) or (6) must provide a
report to the Director stating:
(a) the chemical name of the chemical
that was introduced in the year; and
(b) the volume of the chemical that
was introduced in the year.
(2) The report must be provided before or on
28 September of the following registration year.
(3) The report must be provided in the
approved form.
(4) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is required to provide
a report in accordance with subsections (1) and (2); and
(b) the person fails to do so.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
Note 1: A person does not commit an offence if the
person fails to provide the report in the approved form.
Note 2: If a person does not provide the report in
accordance with subsection (1) before or on 28 September, the obligation
to do so continues after that date, with daily offences being committed until
the obligation is complied with (see section 4K of the Crimes Act 1914).
(5) Subsection 4K(2) of the Crimes Act
1914 ceases to apply in relation to an offence against subsection (4)
of this section at the end of the 12th day after 28 September (being 10 October).
Note: Because of this subsection, 120 penalty units
is the maximum penalty that can be imposed for offences against subsection (4).
21AAA
Exempt information supplied under section 21AA
(1) A report under section 21AA may be
accompanied by an application in the approved form that some or all of the
information stated in the report be treated as exempt information under
section 75.
(2) If a person applies under subsection (1)
for the chemical name of a chemical introduced during a registration year to be
exempt information, the application must include a trade name of the chemical.
21AB List
of chemicals and summary of information
(1) The Director must maintain a list of:
(a) the names of the chemicals
provided in each report under section 21AA for a registration year; and
(b) the volume of such chemicals.
(2) At least once during the next
registration year, the Director must prepare a summary of the information given
to the Director under subsection 21AA(1).
(3) The summary must:
(a) include any information of a kind
that is prescribed by the regulations; and
(b) not contain any exempt
information.
(4) If:
(a) the Director has refused an
application made under section 21AAA for information given as a result of
the notice under section 21AA to be treated as exempt information; and
(b) the applicant applies to the
Tribunal under section 102 for review of the decision;
the Director must, in spite of subsection (2), delay
the preparation of the summary until the application for review has been
finalised.
(5) When the Director has prepared the
summary, he or she must publish the summary in the Chemical Gazette.
Division 1A—Commercial Evaluation Permit System
21A
Object of commercial evaluation permit system
The object of the commercial evaluation
permit system is to:
(a) provide a simple means of by‑passing
the assessment certificate system in cases where the introduction of new
industrial chemicals is required for the sole purpose of commercial evaluation;
and
(b) ensure that the means of by‑passing
the assessment certificate system is subject to adequate safeguards.
21B
Application for commercial evaluation permit or renewal of permit
(1) A manufacturer or importer of a new
industrial chemical may apply for a commercial evaluation permit authorising
the applicant to introduce not more than a specified quantity of the chemical
in a specified period for the sole purpose of commercial evaluation by whichever
of the following persons is specified:
(a) in any case—the applicant;
(b) in the case of the importation of
the chemical—another person who agrees, or 2 or more other persons who jointly
agree, to be bound by the conditions of the permit.
(2) A manufacturer or importer whose
commercial evaluation permit relating to a new industrial chemical is still in
force may apply for the permit to be renewed if the following conditions are
met:
(a) the function or use of the
chemical has not changed, and is not likely to change, significantly;
(b) the amount of the chemical being
introduced has not increased, and is not likely to increase, significantly;
(c) in the case of a chemical that was
not manufactured, or proposed to be manufactured, in Australia at the time the
permit was issued—it continues not to be manufactured in Australia;
(d) the method of manufacture of the
chemical in Australia has not changed, and is not likely to change, in a way
that may result in an increased risk of an adverse effect on occupational
health and safety, public health or the environment;
(e) no additional information has
become available to the manufacturer or importer as to any adverse effects of
the chemical on occupational health and safety, public health or the
environment;
(f) no event prescribed for the
purposes of section 64 has happened;
(g) any conditions of the permit
imposed by or under section 21L were complied with during the period of
the current permit;
(h) no changes are required to any
conditions of the permit.
(3) A manufacturer or importer may only apply
for a commercial evaluation permit to be renewed once.
21C
Joint applications
(1) 2 or more persons, each of whom is a
manufacturer or importer of a new industrial chemical, may make a joint
application under section 21B.
(2) If a joint application is made, then,
unless the contrary intention appears, a reference in this Division to the
applicant is a reference to the joint applicants.
21D
Form of application etc.
Form of application
(1) An application for a commercial
evaluation permit, or a renewal of a commercial evaluation permit, must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be in an approved form; and
(c) be given to the Director.
Material to accompany application for permit
(2) An application for a commercial
evaluation permit must be accompanied by:
(a) in any case—a Material Safety Data
Sheet in relation to the chemical; and
(aa) in any case—a written explanation
why the quantity of the chemical that the applicant seeks to introduce under
the permit is reasonably needed for effective commercial evaluation of the
chemical; and
(b) in any case—such other information
as is specified in the regulations; and
(c) if a person agrees (whether
jointly or otherwise) to be bound by the conditions of the permit—the agreement
concerned.
Form of paragraph 21B(1)(b) agreement
(3) An agreement mentioned in paragraph
21B(1)(b):
(a) must be in writing in the approved
form; and
(b) is irrevocable.
21E
Restrictions on applications
[Maximum quantity—4,000 kilograms]
(1) The quantity specified in an application
must not exceed 4,000 kilograms.
[Maximum period—2 years]
(2) The period specified in an application:
(a) must commence on the day on which
the application is granted; and
(b) must not exceed 2 years.
[Application invalid if another permit held for the
same chemical]
(3) An application for a commercial
evaluation permit, or an application for a renewal of a commercial evaluation
permit, for a chemical is invalid if, at any time during the period specified
in the application:
(a) in any case—another commercial
evaluation permit relating to the commercial evaluation by the applicant, or
any of the joint applicants, (whether jointly or otherwise) of the same
chemical will be in force; and
(b) if a person agrees (whether
jointly or otherwise) to be bound by the conditions of the permit—another
commercial evaluation permit relating to the commercial evaluation by the
person (whether jointly or otherwise) of the same chemical will be in force.
21F
Director may request further information about application
(1) The Director may give an applicant, or
another person who agrees (jointly or otherwise) to be bound by the conditions
of the permit, a written notice requiring the person given the notice to give
the Director further information about a matter referred to in subsection
21D(2), or a matter referred to in the application for the renewal of the
commercial evaluation permit, within the period specified in the notice.
(2) The notice must specify a period of at
least 14 days.
21G
Grant of commercial evaluation permit
(1) After considering an application, the
Director must grant a commercial evaluation permit in accordance with the
application.
(2) This section has effect subject to
section 21H (which deals with refusals).
21H
Refusal of application
Application to be refused unless quantity of chemical
is reasonably needed
(1) The Director must refuse an application
unless he or she is satisfied that the quantity of the chemical that the
applicant seeks to introduce under the permit is reasonably needed for
effective commercial evaluation of the chemical.
[Excess period]
(2) If the period which an applicant seeks to
have specified in the permit exceeds 1 year, the Director must refuse the
application unless the applicant satisfies the Director that the excess period
is reasonably required for the effective commercial evaluation of the chemical.
[Contravention of Act etc.]
(3) The Director may refuse an application
if, at any time during the period commencing 5 years before the application was
made, the applicant, any of the joint applicants or a person who agrees
(whether jointly or otherwise) to be bound by the conditions of the permit:
(a) contravened section 21; or
(b) contravened any of the conditions
to which a commercial evaluation permit was subject; or
(c) made a statement, or gave
information:
(i) in or in connection
with an application for a commercial evaluation permit or an application for a
renewal of a commercial evaluation permit; or
(ii) in accordance with a
requirement under section 21F; or
(iii) in
accordance with a condition of a kind mentioned in subsection 21L(3);
that was false or misleading in
a material particular.
Failure to provide further information
(3AA) The Director may refuse an application if
further information required by the Director under section 21F is not
given to the Director within the period specified in the notice requiring that
further information.
(3A) The Director may refuse an application for
a renewal of a commercial evaluation permit if the Director is satisfied that
the conditions in subsection 21B(2) have not been met.
[Notification of refusal of application]
(4) If the Director refuses an application,
the Director must give written notice of the refusal to the applicant.
21J
Notice of permit to be published in Chemical Gazette
As soon as practicable after a
commercial evaluation permit is issued, the Director must cause to be published
in the Chemical Gazette a notice stating that the permit has been issued and
setting out:
(a) the name of the holder, or
holders, of the permit; and
(b) either:
(i) a trade name of the
chemical; or
(ii) the chemical name of
the chemical; and
(c) the period of the permit.
21K
Duration of commercial evaluation permit
A commercial evaluation permit comes
into force at the beginning of the period specified in the permit and remains
in force until the end of that period.
21L
Conditions of commercial evaluation permit
[Conditions of permit]
(1) A commercial evaluation permit relating
to an industrial chemical is subject to the following conditions:
(a) a condition that a person who is
or was the holder, or any of the holders, of the permit must not use the
chemical, or permit the use of the chemical, for a purpose other than
commercial evaluation unless the person holds an assessment certificate in
force in relation to the chemical;
(b) such other conditions (if any) as
are specified by the Director in the permit.
Note: A person who holds a commercial evaluation
permit must also provide an annual report (see section 40N).
[Variation etc. of conditions]
(2) The Director may, by written notice given
to the holder or holders of a commercial evaluation permit:
(a) impose one or more further
conditions to which the permit is subject; or
(b) revoke or vary any condition:
(i) imposed under paragraph (a);
or
(ii) specified in the
permit.
[Conditions may require giving of information]
(3) Without limiting the kinds of conditions
to which a commercial evaluation permit may be subject, a commercial evaluation
permit may be subject to conditions requiring a person who is or was the
holder, or any of the holders, of the permit to give information to the
Director.
Offence of contravening conditions
(4) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is or was the holder,
or any of the holders, of a commercial evaluation permit; and
(b) the person does an act or omits to
do an act; and
(c) the act or omission contravenes a
condition of the permit.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
Defence of reasonable excuse
(4A) Subsection (4) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (4A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
[Holder includes a person who agrees to be bound
by the conditions of a permit]
(5) For the purposes of this section, if a
person agrees (whether jointly or otherwise) to be bound by the conditions of a
commercial evaluation permit, the person is taken to be a holder of the permit.
21M
Additional operation of section 21L
(1) Without prejudice to its effect apart
from this subsection, section 21L also has, because of this subsection,
the effect it would have if a reference in paragraph 21L(1)(a) to the use of an
industrial chemical were, by express provision, confined to the use of that
chemical:
(a) by a foreign corporation, within
the meaning of paragraph 51(xx) of the Constitution; or
(b) by a trading corporation formed
within the limits of the Commonwealth, within the meaning of that paragraph; or
(c) for purposes in connection with
the supply of the chemical in the course of trade and commerce with other
countries, among the States, within a Territory, between a State and Territory
or between 2 Territories; or
(d) for purposes in connection with
the supply of the chemical to, or to an authority or instrumentality of, the
Commonwealth or a Territory.
(2) Without prejudice to its effect apart
from this subsection, section 21L also has, because of this subsection,
the effect it would have if a reference in paragraph 21L(1)(b) or (2)(a) or (b)
to a condition were, by express provision, confined to a condition that relates
to:
(a) conduct engaged in by a foreign
corporation, within the meaning of paragraph 51(xx) of the Constitution; or
(b) conduct engaged in by a trading
corporation formed within the limits of the Commonwealth, within the meaning of
that paragraph; or
(c) the supply of the chemical
concerned in the course of trade and commerce with other countries, among the
States, within a Territory, between a State and Territory or between 2
Territories; or
(d) the supply of the chemical
concerned to, or to an authority or instrumentality of, the Commonwealth or a
Territory.
21N
Cancellation of commercial evaluation permit
(1) The Director may, by written notice given
to the holder or holders of a commercial evaluation permit, cancel the permit
if:
(a) the holder, or any of the holders,
has contravened any of the conditions to which the permit is subject; or
(b) the holder, or any of the holders,
has made a statement, or given information:
(i) in or in connection
with the application for the permit or the application for the renewal of the
permit; or
(ii) in accordance with a
requirement under section 21F in relation to the permit; or
(iii) in
accordance with a condition of a kind mentioned in subsection 21L(3) to which
the permit was subject;
that was false or misleading in
a material particular.
(2) For the purposes of this section, if a
person agrees (whether jointly or otherwise) to be bound by the conditions of a
commercial evaluation permit, the person is taken to be a holder of the permit.
21P
Exempt information
(1) An application for a commercial
evaluation permit, or an application for a renewal of a commercial evaluation
permit, may include an application that certain information given in accordance
with section 21D be treated as exempt information under section 75.
(2) The giving of information about a
chemical under section 21F, or in accordance with a condition of a kind
mentioned in subsection 21L(3), may be accompanied by an application in the
approved form that some or all of the information be treated as exempt
information under section 75.
Division 1B—Low Volume Chemicals Permit System
21Q
Object of permit system for low volume chemicals
The object of the permit system for low
volume chemicals is to:
(a) provide a simple means of by‑passing
the assessment certificate system in respect of a new industrial chemical if
the total of the quantities of the chemical that are to be introduced by the
person in any 12 month period will not exceed 100 kilograms (or 1,000 kilograms
in certain cases); and
(b) ensure that the means of by‑passing
the assessment certificate system is subject to adequate safeguards.
21R
Who may apply for permit or renewal of permit
(1) A manufacturer or importer of a new
industrial chemical may apply for a low volume permit in respect of the
chemical.
(1A) A manufacturer or importer whose low volume
permit in respect of a new industrial chemical is still in force may apply for
the permit to be renewed if the following conditions are met:
(a) the function or use of the
chemical has not changed, and is not likely to change, significantly;
(b) the amount of the chemical being
introduced has not increased, and is not likely to increase, significantly;
(c) in the case of a chemical that was
not manufactured, or proposed to be manufactured, in Australia at the time the
permit was last issued—it continues not to be manufactured in Australia;
(d) the method of manufacture of the
chemical in Australia has not changed, and is not likely to change, in a way
that may result in an increased risk of an adverse effect on occupational
health and safety, public health or the environment;
(e) no additional information has
become available to the manufacturer or importer as to any adverse effects of
the chemical on occupational health and safety, public health or the
environment;
(f) no event prescribed for the
purposes of section 64 has happened;
(g) any conditions of the permit
imposed by or under section 21W were complied with during the period of
the current permit;
(h) no changes are required to any
conditions of the permit.
(1B) A manufacturer or importer may apply for a
low volume permit to be renewed any number of times.
(2) 2 or more persons, each of whom is a
manufacturer or importer of a new industrial chemical, may make a joint
application under subsection (1) or (1A).
(3) If a joint application is made, then,
unless the contrary intention appears, a reference in this Division to the
applicant is a reference to the joint applicants.
21S
How application is to be made
(1) An application for a low volume permit,
or a renewal of a low volume permit, must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be in an approved form; and
(c) be given to the Director.
(2) An application for a low volume permit is
taken not to be duly made unless the applicant:
(a) has provided a written statement
about the chemical that:
(i) states the purpose for
which the chemical is to be introduced; and
(ii) contains a summary of
the chemical’s health effects and environmental effects; and
(iii) sets out the matters
referred to in paragraphs 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 of Part B of the Schedule;
and
(iv) states the quantity of
the chemical proposed to be introduced by the applicant in:
(A) the 12
month period beginning on the date on which the application is made; and
(B) each of
the next two 12 month periods; and
(b) has paid the prescribed fee.
(3) An application for a renewal of a low
volume permit is taken not to be duly made unless the applicant has paid the
prescribed fee.
21SA
Director may request further information about application
(1) The Director may give an applicant a
written notice requiring the applicant to give the Director further information
about a matter referred to in paragraph 21S(2)(a), or a matter referred to in
the application for the renewal of the permit, within the period specified in
the notice.
(2) The notice must specify a period of at
least 14 days.
21T
Applicant may withdraw or amend application
An applicant may, at any time before the
application has been determined, by written notice to the Director, withdraw
the application or amend the application or any document that accompanied the
application.
21U
Determination of application
(1) The Director must determine an
application within 20 days after:
(a) the day the application is made;
or
(b) if the applicant amends the
application or an accompanying document—the day on which the applicant made
such an amendment.
(1A) If the Director notifies the applicant
under section 21SA that he or she is required to give further information,
the period starting on the day of notification and ending when the information
is received is not to be taken into account in determining the period of 20
days referred to in subsection (1).
(1B) If the further information required by the
Director under section 21SA is not given to the Director within the period
specified in the notice requiring that further information, the application is
taken to have been withdrawn.
(2) The
Director must grant an application for a low volume permit in respect of a
chemical and issue the permit to the applicant if the Director is satisfied of
the following:
(a) section 21S has been complied
with in respect of the application;
(b) the intended use of the chemical
does not pose an unreasonable risk to occupational health and safety, public
health or the environment, having regard to the following:
(i) the inherent nature of
the chemical;
(ii) any guidelines
prescribed for the purposes of this section;
(iii) any other matters that
the Director considers relevant;
(c) the total quantity of the chemical
that is proposed to be introduced by the applicant during any 12 month period
does not exceed:
(i) if guidelines
prescribed for the purposes of this section apply to the chemical—1,000
kilograms; or
(ii) otherwise—100
kilograms.
(2A) The Director must grant an application for
a renewal of a low volume permit in respect of a chemical and issue the permit
to the applicant if the Director is satisfied of the following:
(a) section 21S has been complied
with in respect of the application;
(b) the conditions referred to in
subsection 21R(1A) have been met.
(3) If the Director is not satisfied under subsection (2)
or (2A), the Director must refuse the application.
21V
Duration of permit
A low volume permit comes into force at
the beginning of such period of not more than 36 months as is stated in the
permit and remains in force until the end of that period.
21W
Permit may be subject to conditions
(1) A low
volume permit is granted subject to a condition that, if the holder of the
permit becomes aware of any of the following circumstances, namely, that since
the permit was last issued:
(a) the function or use of the
chemical has changed, or is likely to change, significantly;
(b) the amount of the chemical being
introduced under the permit in the 12 month period referred to in sub‑subparagraph
21S(2)(a)(iv)(A) or in a 12 month period referred to in sub‑subparagraph
21S(2)(a)(iv)(B) has exceeded, or is likely to exceed, the quantity stated in
the written statement provided under subsection 21S(2) or the application for
the renewal of the permit;
(c) in the case of a chemical not
manufactured, or proposed to be manufactured, in Australia when the permit was
last issued—it has begun to be manufactured in Australia;
(d) the method of manufacture of the
chemical in Australia has changed, or is likely to change, in a way that may
result in an increased risk of an adverse effect of the chemical on
occupational health and safety, public health or the environment;
(e) additional information has become
available to the holder as to an adverse effect of the chemical on occupational
health and safety, public health or the environment;
(f) a
prescribed event has happened;
the holder will, within 28 days of becoming aware, give
written notice to the Director of the circumstances of which the holder has
become aware.
Note: A person who holds a low volume permit must
also comply with the obligations in Division 3B of this Part.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1),
the holder of a permit is taken to have become aware of circumstances if,
having regard to:
(a) the holder’s abilities,
experience, qualifications and other attributes; and
(b) the
nature of the circumstances;
the holder ought reasonably to have become aware of the
circumstances.
(3) A low volume permit may be expressed to
be granted subject to such other conditions as the Director considers necessary
or desirable to ensure that use of the low volume chemical will not constitute
an unreasonable risk to occupational health and safety, public health or the
environment.
(4) The Director may, by written notice given
to the holder of a low volume permit:
(a) impose one or more further
conditions to which the permit is to be subject; or
(b) revoke
or vary a condition:
(i) imposed
under paragraph (a); or
(ii) stated in the permit.
(5) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is or was the holder,
or any of the holders, of a low volume permit; and
(b) the person does an act or omits to
do an act; and
(c) the act or omission contravenes a
condition to which the permit is subject.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
(5A) Subsection (5) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (5A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(6) The Director may, by written notice given
to the holder of a low volume permit, cancel the permit if:
(a) a condition to which the permit is
subject has been contravened; or
(b) a written statement provided or
any information given:
(i) in or in connection
with the application for the permit or any application for a renewal of the
permit; or
(ii) in
accordance with a condition to which the permit was subject;
was false or misleading in a
material particular.
21X
Form of permit
A low volume permit must be in an
approved form.
21Y
Notice of permit to be published in Chemical Gazette
As soon as practicable after a low
volume permit is issued, the Director must cause to be published in the
Chemical Gazette a notice stating that the permit has been issued and setting
out:
(a) the name of the holder, or
holders, of the permit; and
(b) either:
(i) a trade name of the
chemical; or
(ii) the chemical name of
the chemical; and
(c) the period of the permit.
21Z
Notice of refusal of application
(1) If the Director decides to refuse an
application, he or she must, as soon as practicable, give to the applicant a
written notice of the decision that sets out the findings on material questions
of fact, refers to the evidence or other material on which those findings were
based and gives the reasons for the decision.
(2) If the Director does not, within 20 days
after receiving an application, issue to the applicant a low volume permit or a
notice under subsection (1), the Director is taken to have refused the
application.
21ZA
List of low volume chemicals
(1) The Director must maintain a list of low
volume chemicals.
(2) At least once a year, the Director must
publish the list in the Chemical Gazette.
21ZB
Exempt information
(1) An application for a low volume permit,
or an application for a renewal of a low volume permit, may include an
application that certain information given in accordance with section 21S
be treated as exempt information under section 75.
(2) The giving of information about a matter
under section 21SA, or in accordance with a condition of a kind mentioned
in subsection 21W(1), may be accompanied by an application in the approved form
that some or all of the information be treated as exempt information under
section 75.
Division 1C—Controlled use permit system
22A
Object of controlled use permit system
The object of the controlled use permit
system is:
(a) to provide an alternative to the
assessment certificate system in respect of a new industrial chemical that is a
low risk to occupational health and safety, public health and the environment
because its use, handling and disposal are highly controlled; and
(b) to ensure that this alternative is
subject to adequate safeguards.
22B
Who may apply for permit or renewal of permit
(1) A manufacturer or importer of a new industrial
chemical may apply for a controlled use permit in respect of the chemical.
(2) A manufacturer or importer whose
controlled use permit in respect of a new industrial chemical is still in force
may apply for the permit to be renewed if the following conditions are met:
(a) the function or use of the
chemical has not changed, and is not likely to change, significantly;
(b) the amount of the chemical being
introduced has not increased, and is not likely to increase, significantly;
(c) in the case of a chemical that was
not manufactured, or proposed to be manufactured, in Australia at the time the
permit was last issued—it continues not to be manufactured in Australia;
(d) the method of manufacture of the
chemical in Australia has not changed, and is not likely to change, in a way
that may result in an increased risk of an adverse effect on occupational
health and safety, public health or the environment;
(e) no additional information has
become available to the manufacturer or importer as to any adverse effects of
the chemical on occupational health and safety, public health or the
environment;
(f) no event prescribed for the
purposes of section 64 has happened;
(g) any conditions of the permit
imposed by or under section 22H were complied with during the period of
the current permit;
(h) no changes are required to any
conditions of the permit.
(3) A manufacturer or importer may apply for
a controlled use permit to be renewed any number of times.
(4) 2 or more persons, each of whom is a
manufacturer or importer of a new industrial chemical, may make a joint
application under subsection (1) or (2).
(5) If a joint application is made, then,
unless the contrary intention appears, a reference in this Division to the
applicant is a reference to the joint applicants.
22C
How application is to be made
(1) An application for a controlled use
permit, or a renewal of a controlled use permit, must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be in an approved form; and
(c) be given to the Director.
(2) An application for a controlled use
permit is taken not to be duly made unless the applicant has provided a written
statement about the chemical that:
(a) states the use for which the
chemical is to be introduced; and
(b) contains a summary of the
chemical’s effects on occupational health and safety, public health and the
environment; and
(c) states the quantity of the
chemical proposed to be introduced by the applicant in the 12 month period
beginning on the date on which the application is made; and
(d) states the quantity of the
chemical proposed to be introduced by the applicant in each of the next two 12
month periods; and
(e) contains such other information as
is prescribed in the regulations.
(3) An application for a controlled use
permit, or a renewal of a controlled use permit, is taken not to be duly made
unless the applicant has paid the prescribed fee.
22D
Director may request further information about application
(1) The Director may give an applicant a
written notice requiring the applicant to give the Director further information
about a matter referred to in subsection 22C(2), or a matter referred to in the
application for the renewal of the controlled use permit, within the period
specified in the notice.
(2) The notice must specify a period of at
least 14 days.
22E
Applicant may withdraw or amend application
An applicant may, at any time before the
application has been determined, by written notice to the Director, withdraw
the application or amend the application or any document that accompanied the
application.
22F
Determination of application
(1) The Director must grant an application
for a controlled use permit in respect of a chemical and issue the permit to
the applicant if the Director is satisfied of the following:
(a) section 22C has been complied
with in respect of the application;
(b) the intended use of the chemical
does not pose an unreasonable risk to occupational health and safety, public
health or the environment, having regard to the following:
(i) the inherent nature of
the chemical;
(ii) any guidelines
prescribed for the purposes of this section;
(iii) any other matters that
the Director considers relevant.
(2) The Director must grant an application
for a renewal of a controlled use permit in respect of a chemical and issue the
permit to the applicant if the Director is satisfied of the following:
(a) section 22C has been complied
with in respect of the application;
(b) the conditions referred to in
subsection 22B(2) have been met.
(3) If any further information required by
the Director under section 22D is not given to the Director within the
period specified in the notice requiring that further information, the
application is taken to have been withdrawn.
(4) If the Director is not satisfied under subsection (1)
or (2), the Director must refuse the application.
22G
Duration of permit
A controlled use permit:
(a) comes into force at the beginning
of the period of not more than 36 months that is stated in the permit; and
(b) remains in force until the end of
that period.
22H
Permit may be subject to conditions
(1) A controlled use permit is granted
subject to a condition that the chemical in respect of which the permit is
issued is only imported or manufactured for the use stated in the permit.
Note: A person who holds a controlled use permit
must also comply with the obligations in Division 3B of this Part.
(2) A controlled use permit is granted
subject to a condition that, if the holder of the permit becomes aware of any
of the circumstances referred to in subsection (3) happening since the
permit was last issued, the holder will, within 28 days, give written notice to
the Director of the circumstances.
(3) These are the circumstances:
(a) the function or use of the
chemical has changed, or is likely to change, significantly; or
(b) in the case of a chemical not
manufactured, or proposed to be manufactured, in Australia when the permit was
last issued—it has begun to be manufactured in Australia; or
(c) the method of manufacture of the
chemical in Australia has changed, or is likely to change, in a way that may
result in an increased risk of an adverse effect on occupational health and
safety, public health or the environment; or
(d) additional information has become
available to the holder as to an adverse effect of the chemical on occupational
health and safety, public health or the environment; or
(e) a
prescribed circumstance has happened.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2),
the holder of a permit is taken to have become aware of circumstances if the
holder ought reasonably to have become aware of the circumstances, having
regard to:
(a) the holder’s abilities,
experience, qualifications and other attributes; and
(b) the
nature of the circumstances.
(5) A controlled use permit may be expressed
to be granted subject to such other conditions as the Director considers
necessary or desirable to ensure that use of the chemical will not constitute
an unreasonable risk to occupational health and safety, public health or the
environment.
(6) If the Director considers it necessary or
desirable to ensure that use of a chemical will not constitute an unreasonable
risk to occupational health and safety, public health or the environment, the
Director may, by written notice given to the holder of a controlled use permit
issued in respect of the chemical:
(a) impose one or more further
conditions to which the permit is to be subject; or
(b) revoke or vary a condition:
(i) imposed under paragraph (a);
or
(ii) stated in the permit.
(7) The notice under subsection (6) must
specify a day on which the permit:
(a) becomes subject to the condition
imposed, or the condition as varied, under that subsection; or
(b) ceases to be subject to the
condition revoked under that subsection.
The day must be at least 28 days after the giving of the
notice.
22I
Offence for contravention of permit
A person
commits an offence if:
(a) the person is or was the holder,
or any of the holders, of a controlled use permit; and
(b) the person does an act or omits to
do an act; and
(c) the act or omission breaches a
condition to which the permit is subject.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
22J
Cancellation of permit
The Director may, by written notice
given to the holder of a controlled use permit, cancel the permit if:
(a) a condition to which the permit is
subject has been breached; or
(b) a written statement provided or
any information given:
(i) in or in connection
with the application for the permit or any application for a renewal of the
permit; or
(ii) in
accordance with a condition to which the permit was subject;
was false or misleading in a
material particular.
22K
Form of permit
A controlled use permit must be in an
approved form.
22L
Notice of permit to be published in Chemical Gazette
As soon as practicable after a controlled
use permit is issued, the Director must cause to be published in the Chemical
Gazette a notice stating that the permit has been issued and setting out:
(a) the name of the holder, or
holders, of the permit; and
(b) either:
(i) a trade name of the
chemical; or
(ii) the chemical name of
the chemical; and
(c) the use for which the chemical may
be imported or manufactured; and
(d) the period of the permit.
22M
Notice of refusal of application
If the Director decides to refuse an
application, he or she must, as soon as practicable, give to the applicant a
written notice of the decision that sets out:
(a) the findings on material questions
of fact; and
(b) the evidence or other material on
which those findings were based; and
(c) the reasons for the decision.
22N
List of controlled use chemicals
(1) The Director must maintain a list of the
following:
(a) the chemicals in respect of which
controlled use permits are in force;
(b) the conditions of use to which
those permits are subject.
(2) At least once a year, the Director must
publish the list in the Chemical Gazette.
22O
Exempt information
(1) An application for a controlled use
permit, or an application for a renewal of a controlled use permit, may include
an application that certain information given in accordance with section 22D
be treated as exempt information under section 75.
(2) The giving of information about a matter
under section 22D, or in accordance with a condition of a kind referred to
in subsection 22H(2), may be accompanied by an application in the approved form
that some or all of the information be treated as exempt information under
section 75.
Division 2—Notification Procedures before Assessment
22P
Object and overview of assessment certificates
(1) The object of the assessment certificate
system under this Division and Division 3 of this Part is to allow a new
industrial chemical to be assessed before a manufacturer or importer introduces
the chemical.
(2) There are 2 main assessment systems set
out in this Division and Division 3. In the self‑assessed system, a
manufacturer or importer of certain chemicals of low concern does most of the
assessment himself or herself and the application form is adopted as the
assessment report. However, the manufacturer or importer is subject to
additional obligations under Division 3B of this Part.
(3) Otherwise, an officer assesses the
chemical and prepares an assessment report.
23
Application for a non‑self‑assessed assessment certificate for any chemical
Who may make an application for a non‑self‑assessed
assessment certificate
(1) A manufacturer or importer of a new
industrial chemical may apply for an assessment certificate for the chemical.
(1A) 2 or more persons, each of whom is a
manufacturer or importer of a new industrial chemical, may make a joint
application.
Requirements for the application
(2) The application must be in writing in the
approved form and must be given to the Director.
(3) Subject to section 24A, the
application must be accompanied by a written notification statement about the
chemical.
Notification statement for chemicals other than
polymers
(4) A notification statement about the
following new industrial chemicals must contain the matters specified in Parts
A and B of the Schedule:
(a) a new industrial chemical (other
than a polymer) that is to be introduced by the applicant in a quantity of not
more than one tonne in any 12 month period;
(b) a new industrial chemical (other
than a polymer) that is to be manufactured in Australia by the applicant:
(i) solely for the
purposes of further manufacture at the site of its manufacture; and
(ii) in a quantity of not
more than 10 tonnes in any 12 month period.
Note: Polymers are dealt with in subsections (6),
(7) and (8).
(5) A notification statement about any other
chemical (other than a polymer) must contain the matters specified in Parts A,
B and C of the Schedule.
Note: Polymers are dealt with in subsections (6),
(7) and (8).
Notification statement for polymers
(6) A notification statement about a polymer
(other than a polymer of low concern) must contain the matters specified in
Parts A, B and D of the Schedule.
Note: Section 24A describes the contents of the
document that needs to accompany an application in respect of a polymer of low
concern.
(7) A notification statement about the
following polymers (other than one referred to in subsection (8)) must
also contain the matters specified in Part C of the Schedule:
(a) a biopolymer; and
(b) a synthetic polymer having a
number‑average molecular weight of less than 1,000.
(8) A notification statement about the
following polymers does not need to contain the matters specified in Part C of
the Schedule:
(a) a polymer that is to be introduced
by the applicant in a quantity of not more than one tonne in any 12 month
period;
(b) a polymer that is to be
manufactured in Australia by or on behalf of the applicant:
(i) solely for the
purposes of further manufacture at the site of its manufacture; and
(ii) in a quantity of not
more than 10 tonnes in any 12 month period;
(c) a polymer of low concern.
Notification statement for certain UV filters
(9) A notification statement about a new
industrial chemical that is to be used as an ultraviolet filter in a cosmetic
to be applied to the skin must contain the matters specified in:
(a) Parts A, B, C and E of the
Schedule; and
(b) if the chemical is a polymer—Part
D of the Schedule.
(9A) If subsection (9) applies to a
chemical, subsections (4) to (8) do not apply.
Other requirements for the application
(10) An application for an assessment
certificate for a new industrial chemical must, in addition to the notification
statement, be accompanied by a statement of any other assessment information
available to the applicant.
(11) A notification statement must be accompanied
by a statement that the applicant is entitled to use and give the Director all
data in the statement.
(12) Where a notification statement contains
information obtained from a test, that test shall be of a kind approved by the
Director for the purpose of obtaining such information.
(13) For the purposes of subsection (10),
information shall be taken to be available to a person if, having regard to:
(a) the person’s abilities,
experience, qualifications and other attributes; and
(b) all
the circumstances surrounding the alleged failure to give a statement of the
information;
the person ought reasonably to have been aware of the
information.
23A
Application for a self‑assessed assessment certificate for certain chemicals
(1) A manufacturer or importer of any of the
following new industrial chemicals may apply for a self‑assessed assessment
certificate for the chemical:
(a) a polymer of low concern;
(b) a non‑hazardous chemical;
(c) any other chemical, or class of
chemical, the criteria for which are prescribed by the regulations.
Note: A manufacturer or importer of any of those new
industrial chemicals can still apply under section 23 for a non‑self‑assessed
assessment certificate.
(2) The application must be in writing in the
approved form.
(3) The application must be given to the
Director, together with a statement signed by the applicant that the
information provided in the form is correct.
24
Variation of requirements of section 23
(1) Where:
(a) a person wishes to apply under
section 23 for an assessment certificate for a new industrial chemical;
and
(b) the chemical is listed in a
prescribed international inventory of chemicals; and
(c) the
Director is satisfied that, because of the listing, adequate information is
available about particular matters that, but for this subsection, would be
required to be included in the notification statement;
the Director may waive the requirement to include those
matters in the statement.
(2) A person who wishes to apply under
section 23 for an assessment certificate for a new industrial chemical may
request the Director in writing to vary the requirements in relation to the
notification statement by:
(a) waiving a requirement to include
particular matters in the statement; or
(b) waiving such a requirement and
substituting another requirement.
(3) The Director may vary the requirements in
the way requested where he or she is satisfied that:
(a) the introduction of the chemical
is not against the public interest; and
(b) the chemical can be assessed
adequately under this Act:
(i) where paragraph (2)(a)
applies—without those matters; or
(ii) where paragraph (2)(b)
applies—if the other requirement is substituted.
(4) The Director must waive the requirement
if he or she is satisfied that the particular matters are irrelevant, or
unnecessary, for the assessment of the chemical.
24A
Variation of requirement for notification statement in case of polymers of low
concern
Despite section 23, the only
document that needs to accompany an application under that section for an
assessment certificate for a polymer of low concern is a copy of the approved
form that contains a statement, signed by the applicant or each applicant, that
the information provided in the form is correct.
25
Exempt information about new industrial chemical
An application under section 23 or
23A for an assessment certificate for a new industrial chemical may include an
application that certain information given in the notification statement or
approved form about the chemical be treated as exempt information under section 75.
26
Withdrawal of application
(1) An applicant under section 23 or 23A
for an assessment certificate for a chemical may withdraw the application by
written notice given to the Director at any time before the publication of the
assessment report about the chemical.
(2) Where the applicant withdraws the
application and requests the Director in writing to return to the applicant the
application and all documents given to the Director by the applicant in
connection with the application, the Director must comply with the request.
(3) Where an officer has information, and has
it only because it was given by the applicant in connection with the withdrawn
application, the officer must not make a record of, or disclose, any of the
information except:
(a) in the course of carrying out
functions and duties under this Act; or
(b) by order of a court; or
(c) with the consent of the applicant.
27
Director may require further information
(1) Where:
(a) an application for an assessment
certificate has been made under section 23 or 23A; and
(b) either:
(i) the notification
statement accompanying the application does not contain sufficient information
about a matter required under section 23; or
(ii) the applicant has not
included sufficient information about a matter referred to in the approved form
under section 23A or 24A;
the Director may give the applicant written notice
requiring the applicant to give more information about the matter to the
Director.
(2) Where:
(a) an application for an assessment
certificate for a new industrial chemical has been made under section 23;
and
(b) the
Director considers that information additional to the matters required under
section 23 is necessary for the purpose of assessing the chemical and can
be given by the applicant;
the Director may, at any time before the assessment report
on the chemical is completed, give the applicant written notice specifying the
information and requiring the applicant to give the information to the Director.
(3) A notice under this section must specify
a period of not less than 28 days for compliance.
(4) If an applicant satisfies the Director
that the applicant cannot give some or all of the information required by a
notice under subsection (2), the applicant is, for the purposes of
subsection 31A(1), to be taken to have complied with the notice so far as it
relates to that information.
28
Applicants to give further information
(1) Where, after an application for an
assessment certificate for a new industrial chemical has been made under
section 23 or 23A and before the application is finalised, the applicant
becomes aware of additional assessment information, the applicant must give the
information to the Director in writing as soon as practicable.
(2) Where an applicant fails to comply with subsection (1),
the Director may suspend the consideration of the application until the
applicant complies.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1),
a person shall be taken to have become aware of information if, having regard
to:
(a) the person’s abilities,
experience, qualifications and other attributes; and
(b) all
the circumstances surrounding the alleged failure to give the information;
the person ought reasonably to have become aware of the
information.
29
Further exempt information
The giving of information about a
chemical under section 27 or 28 may be accompanied by an application
in the approved form that some or all of the information be treated as exempt
information under section 75.
30
Permits allowing introduction before assessment
(1) A person who has applied under section 23
for an assessment certificate for a chemical may apply to the Minister for a
permit authorising the importation or manufacture, as the case may be, of the
chemical before the assessment certificate is given to the applicant on the
ground that:
(a) it is in the public interest that
the chemical be imported or manufactured by the applicant without delay; and
(b) the importation or manufacture, or
the importation or manufacture subject to conditions under subsection (5),
is consistent with the reasonable protection of occupational health and safety,
public health and the environment.
(1A) An application must be accompanied by the
fee prescribed under section 110 in respect of the application.
(1B) After
consideration of an application for a permit duly made under subsection (1),
the Minister must, by notice in writing given to the applicant:
(a) if he or she is satisfied that the
grounds of the application are established in relation to the industrial
chemical concerned—grant the permit so applied for; and
(b) if he or she is not so
satisfied—refuse to grant the permit and specify in the notice the reasons for
so refusing.
(1C) If an application for an assessment certificate
for an industrial chemical is a joint one:
(a) the applicants for that assessment
certificate may make joint application for a permit under subsection (1);
and
(b) the Minister must, by notice given
to each applicant for the permit, grant or refuse the permit.
(2) The Minister is to cause notice of the
grant of the permit to be published in the Chemical Gazette as soon as is
practicable.
(3) Unless the Minister is satisfied that it
is in the public interest to withhold publication of any of the following
information, the Chemical Gazette notice must contain:
(a) the name of the applicant;
(b) the name or names by which the
chemical is known to the public or is intended by its importer or manufacturer
to be so known;
(c) the period for which the permit is
to remain in force;
(d) any prescribed particulars.
(4) Where:
(a) the applicant requested the
Minister to withold the publication of information; but
(b) the
Minister decides to publish the information;
then the Minister is to:
(c) give written notice of the
decision to the applicant; and
(d) delay the publication for 28 days
after giving the notice or, where the applicant applies during those days to
the Tribunal under section 102 for the review of the decision, until the
application is finalised.
(5) The permit is subject to such conditions
as are specified in the permit.
(6) The Minister is not to specify a
condition referred to in subsection (5) unless the condition is reasonably
necessary for the protection of occupational health and safety, public health
or the environment.
(7) A permit in relation to a chemical ceases
to be in force if the application by the holder of the permit for an assessment
certificate for the chemical is withdrawn under section 26.
30A
Application for early introduction of non‑hazardous chemicals
Application
(1) A person who has applied under section 23
or 23A for an assessment certificate for a chemical of a kind mentioned in subsection (1A)
may apply to the Director for a permit to introduce the chemical before the
assessment report is completed.
(1A) An application may be made under subsection (1)
in respect of the following chemicals:
(a) a polymer of low concern;
(b) a non‑hazardous chemical;
(c) any other chemical, or class of
chemical, the criteria for which are prescribed by the regulations.
(2) The application must:
(a) be in the approved form; and
(b) have with it the prescribed fee.
Grant of permit
(3) The Director may grant the permit if he
or she is satisfied that:
(a) the chemical is a chemical of a
kind mentioned in subsection (1A); and
(b) in respect of a polymer of low
concern:
(i) carbon or silicon is
the polymer’s largest component; and
(ii) the introduction of
the polymer is consistent with the reasonable protection of occupational health
and safety, public health and the environment; and
(iii) any other conditions
prescribed by the regulations have been met.
(4) The Director must take account of the
following matters in deciding whether he or she is satisfied that the introduction
of a polymer of low concern is consistent with the reasonable protection of
occupational health and safety, public health and the environment:
(a) the proposed nature of the use of
the polymer;
(b) the extent of the proposed use of
the polymer;
(c) the effect of the polymer on the
environment;
(d) the effect of the polymer on
occupational health and safety and public health;
(e) the structure and activity of the
polymer;
(f) whether, in Australia or overseas, the polymer is the subject of:
(i) investigations
initiated by a person because of concerns about a possible adverse effect on
occupational health and safety, public health or the environment; or
(ii) action taken by a
person to control the use of, or access to, the polymer;
(g) any other matter prescribed by the
regulations.
Period for determining application
(5) The Director must decide the application
within 28 days of receiving it.
Request for further information
(6) If, on the material in the application,
the Director is not able to determine whether the chemical is a chemical of a
kind mentioned in subsection (1A), he or she may in writing:
(a) ask the applicant for further
information on whether the chemical is a chemical of a kind mentioned in subsection (1A);
and
(b) state a period within which the
information is to be given to the Director.
(7) If the Director asks for further
information, the period starting on the date of the request and ending when the
further information is received is not to be taken into account in determining
the period of 28 days mentioned in subsection (5).
(8) If the further information is not given
to the Director within the period mentioned in paragraph (6)(b), the
application is taken to have been withdrawn.
Joint application
(9) If the application for an assessment
certificate is a joint application, the Director may grant a permit to any one
or more of the applicants applying under this section.
Conditions
(10) If the Director decides to grant a permit,
the permit is subject to such conditions as are specified in the permit.
Notice
(11) As soon as practicable after a permit is
issued, the Director must cause to be published in the Chemical Gazette a
notice stating that the permit has been issued and setting out:
(a) the name of the holder, or holders,
of the permit; and
(b) either:
(i) a trade name of the
chemical; or
(ii) the chemical name of
the chemical.
30AA
Dual applications for introduction permits
(1) This section applies to a chemical if a
person makes an application to the Director under section 30A in respect
of the chemical and, either before or after that time, or at the same time,
makes an application to the Minister under section 30 in respect of the
chemical.
(2) If this section applies to a chemical,
any consideration, or if it has already commenced, any further consideration,
of an application under section 30 in respect of the chemical is deferred
until the Director decides whether or not to grant the application under
section 30A in respect of the chemical.
(3) If the Director decides to grant the
application under section 30A in respect of a chemical, the application
under section 30 in respect of the chemical is taken to have been
withdrawn when the Director notifies the applicant of the decision.
(4) If the Director decides not to grant the
application under section 30A in respect of a chemical, the Minister must
consider, or resume consideration of, the application under section 30 as
soon as practicable after the Director notifies the applicant of the decision.
30B Exempt
information about early introduction
An application under section 30A
may have with it an application in the approved form that some or all of the
information be treated as exempt information.
30C
Revocation of permit
(1) If:
(a) the Director grants a permit under
section 30A; and
(b) he or she becomes aware of further
information relating to whether the chemical is a chemical of a kind mentioned
in subsection 30A(1A);
the Director must reconsider the decision to grant the
permit and either confirm or revoke it.
(2) If, following the reconsideration of the
initial decision, the Director decides to confirm the grant of the permit, he
or she must also confirm any conditions to which the permit was subject or vary
those conditions.
(3) If, following the reconsideration of the
initial decision, the Director decides to revoke the permit:
(a) he or she must notify the
applicant of the revocation as soon as possible; and
(b) the applicant must stop
introducing the chemical as soon as the applicant receives the notice.
(4) A person must not contravene paragraph (3)(b).
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
Division 3—Assessment, self‑assessment and reports
31
Assessment of chemical
(1) Where:
(a) an application for an assessment
certificate for a new industrial chemical has been made under section 23
or 23A; and
(b) the
information required by any notice in force under section 27 in relation
to the application has been given;
the Director must cause the chemical to be assessed in
accordance with section 32 or 33A and a report of the assessment to be
prepared.
Note: The report of the assessment for polymers of
low concern and other chemicals referred to in section 23A might be the
application form under that section (see sections 33A and 33B).
31A
Time periods for applications for non‑self‑assessed assessment certificates
under section 23
Time periods for applications for non‑self‑assessed
assessment certificates under section 23
(1) An assessment of an application under
section 23 is to be made and the assessment report and the public report
completed within:
(a) if a notice or notices requiring
additional information were given under section 27—90 days after the day
on which the information was provided; and
(b) otherwise—90 days after the day on
which the application was made.
Note: The Minister may extend the 90 day period
under subsection (3).
Time periods to exclude time taken to provide requested
information
(2) If:
(a) the applicant for the assessment
certificate also applies under section 30A for a permit to introduce the
chemical before the assessment report is complete; and
(b) the Director requests further
information to be given by the applicant under subsection 30A(6);
then, the period starting on the date of that request and
ending when the further information is received is not to be taken into account
in determining the period of 90 days referred to in subsection (1).
Minister may extend time period
(3) If it is not reasonably practicable for
the assessment to be carried out thoroughly, and the reports completed, within
the period, the Minister may extend the period by up to 90 days.
(4) The Minister must immediately notify the
applicant of any extension under subsection (3).
31B
Time periods for applications for self‑assessed assessment certificates under
section 23A
Time periods for applications for self‑assessed
assessment certificates under section 23A
(1) An assessment of an application under
section 23A is to be made and either:
(a) the assessment report and the
public report completed; or
(b) a notice given under subsection
33C(2);
within:
(c) if a notice or notices requiring
additional information were given under section 27—28 days after the day
on which the information was provided; and
(d) otherwise—28 days after the day on
which the application was made.
Note: The Minister may extend the 28 day period
under subsection (3).
Time periods to exclude time taken to provide requested
information
(2) If:
(a) the applicant for the assessment
certificate also applies under section 30A for a permit to introduce the
chemical before the assessment report is complete; and
(b) the Director requests further
information to be given by the applicant under subsection 30A(6);
then, the period starting on the date of that request and
ending when the further information is received is not to be taken into account
in determining the period of 28 days referred to in subsection (1).
Minister may extend time period
(3) If it is not reasonably practicable for subsection (1)
to be complied with within the period, the Minister may extend the period by up
to 28 days.
(4) The Minister must immediately notify the
applicant of any extension under subsection (3).
Deemed refusal of application for self‑assessed
assessment certificate
(5) An application for a self‑assessed
assessment certificate is taken to have been refused if subsection (1) is
not complied with within the period required by this section.
32
Nature of non‑self‑assessed assessment
(1) Where an assessment of an application
under section 23 for an industrial chemical is being made the officer
preparing the report must determine the risk (if any) of adverse health
effects, safety effects or adverse environmental effects that could be caused
by:
(a) where it is proposed to import the
chemical—the importation; or
(b) where it is proposed to
manufacture the chemical in Australia—the manufacture; or
(c) the use, storage, handling or
disposal;
of the chemical.
(2) For the purpose of making a determination
under subsection (1) in relation to an industrial chemical, account is to
be taken of each of the following matters:
(a) the properties of the chemical;
(b) any use to which the chemical is
intended to be, or is reasonably likely to be, put;
(ba) any adverse effects on the
environment or persons that the chemical has the intrinsic capacity to cause;
(bb) the extent to which the
environment, persons in a particular occupation or the public will be exposed
to the chemical;
(c) any risk to the health or safety
of persons who because of their occupation are engaged, or likely to be
engaged, in the manufacture, handling, storage, use or disposal of the
chemical;
(d) any risk to the health or safety
of likely consumers handling or using the chemical or any product containing
the chemical;
(e) any risk to the environment
arising from the use of the chemical or from the discharge of waste products
resulting from the manufacture or use of the chemical;
(f) the extent to which any risk
referred to in this subsection is capable of being reduced by compliance with:
(i) appropriate procedures
relating to the manufacture, handling, storage, use or disposal of the
chemical;
(ii) special requirements
in the packaging or labelling of the chemical;
(iii) procedures relating to
the control of, or the discharge into the environment of, the chemical or waste
products resulting from the manufacture or use of the chemical;
(g) any other relevant information
available to the Director.
33
Contents of non‑self‑assessed assessment report
An assessment report (other than an
assessment report referred to in section 33B (self‑assessment)) must
include a Material Safety Data Sheet, a summary of health, safety and
environmental matters considered in the assessment and such recommendations as
may reasonably be made in relation to each of the following matters:
(a) the precautions and restrictions
to be observed during the importation, manufacture, handling, storage, use or
disposal of the chemical to protect persons exposed to the chemical;
(b) controls to limit emissions of the
chemical into the environment, including permissible concentrations in
emissions of the chemical into the air or water from a manufacturing plant or
other facility;
(c) the packaging, labelling, handling
or storage of the chemical;
(d) the measures to be employed in
emergencies involving the chemical to minimise hazard to persons and damage to
the environment;
(e) the uses of the chemical;
(f) the means of disposal of the
chemical;
(g) the circumstances (if any) in
which secondary notification of the chemical is required;
(h) any prescribed matter.
33A
Nature of self‑assessed assessment
An officer assessing an application
under section 23A for an industrial chemical must:
(a) determine whether the chemical is
a chemical of a kind referred to in subsection 23A(1); and
(b) determine the risk (if any) of the
adverse effects referred to in section 32.
33B
Contents of self‑assessed assessment report
(1) If the officer determines:
(a) that the chemical is a chemical of
a kind referred to in subsection 23A(1); and
(b) that there is no possibility of an
unreasonable risk of any of the adverse effects referred to in section 32
occurring;
then the officer must adopt the application made under
section 23A for the chemical as the assessment report under section 31.
(2) However, the officer may include in the
assessment report additional information or recommendations in respect of the
chemical.
Note: For example, the officer may adopt the
application as the assessment report but also recommend in the report the
secondary notification of the chemical in particular circumstances.
33C
Moving from the self‑assessed system to the non‑self‑assessed system
Persons can be moved from the self‑assessed to the non‑self‑assessed
system
(1) If the officer determines:
(a) that the chemical is not a
chemical of a kind referred to in subsection 23A(1); or
(b) that there is a possibility of an
unreasonable risk of one or more of the adverse effects referred to in section 32
occurring;
then the officer must refuse the application for a self‑assessed
assessment certificate.
Notification of refusal of application
(2) If the officer refuses the application,
he or she must give to the applicant a written notice of the decision, as soon
as practicable, that sets out:
(a) the findings on material questions
of fact; and
(b) the evidence or other material on
which those findings were based; and
(c) the reasons for the decision.
Person may make a new application under section 23
(3) After a person’s application for a self‑assessed
assessment certificate has been refused then the person may make a new
application in respect of the chemical under section 23.
Person must pay additional application fee
(4) If the person makes such an application
under section 23 in respect of a chemical, then the person must pay any
difference between the amount prescribed under section 110 for
applications under section 23 and the amount already paid for the
application previously made under section 23A in respect of the chemical.
34 Public
report of assessment
On completing an assessment report about
a chemical, the Director must cause a public report of the assessment to be
prepared consisting of the contents of the assessment report other than exempt
information.
36
Notice to applicant on completing report
Notice after completing non‑self‑assessed assessment
report
(1) As soon as is reasonably practicable
after completing:
(a) an assessment report (other than
an assessment report referred to in section 33B (self‑assessment)) about a
chemical; and
(b) the public report about the
chemical;
the Director must give the applicant for the assessment
certificate:
(d) a copy of the reports; and
(e) a notice setting out the terms of
sections 37 and 38.
Notice after completing self‑assessed assessment report
(2) As soon as is reasonably practicable
after completing:
(a) an assessment report referred to
in section 33B (self‑assessment) about a chemical; and
(b) the public report about the
chemical;
the Director must give the applicant for the assessment
certificate:
(d) a copy of the reports; and
(e) a notice setting out the terms of
section 38.
Note: The Director must also give the applicant the
self‑assessed assessment certificate (see subsection 39(1A)).
37
Application for variation of assessment report
(1) When an assessment report is given under
subsection 36(1) to the applicant for an assessment certificate, the applicant
may apply in the approved form to the Director, within 14 days of the giving of
the report, for the variation of the report.
(2) The Director must consider the
application for variation within 14 days of receiving it, and:
(a) where satisfied that the report
varied as requested would be correct:
(i) vary the report as
requested; and
(ii) make any consequential
variation of the public report; and
(iii) notify the applicant
of the variation; or
(b) where not satisfied that the
report varied as requested would be correct—give the applicant written notice
of the decision to refuse.
38
Publication of report
(1) Where, after the Director has complied
with section 36 in relation to an assessment report about a chemical, the
applicant for the assessment certificate for the chemical gives the Director
written consent to the publication of the report, the Director must publish the
report.
(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4),
the Director must publish an assessment report about a chemical at the end of
28 days after his or her compliance with section 36 in relation to the
report.
(3) The Director must not publish an
assessment report under subsection (2):
(a) until he or she has made a
decision about any application under section 25 or 37 in relation to the
report; and
(b) for 28 days after giving notice of
any refusal of such an application; and
(c) until any application during those
days to the Tribunal under section 102 for the review of such a decision
has been finalised.
(4) The Director must not publish an
assessment report about a chemical after the application for the assessment
certificate for the chemical has been withdrawn.
(5) The Director is to publish the assessment
report by:
(a) subject to subsection (6),
giving a copy of it to prescribed authorities of the Commonwealth, the States
and the Territories; and
(b) giving a copy of the public report
about the chemical to any person that the Minister directs; and
(c) publishing the public report about
the chemical on the website maintained for the National Industrial Chemicals
Notification and Assessment Scheme by the Department; and
(d) publishing a notice in the
Chemical Gazette stating that the public report is available as mentioned in
paragraph (c).
(6) The Director must not give a copy of the
assessment report to an authority for the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory
unless arrangements are in place under which the authority is not to disclose
any exempt information in the report except:
(a) in the course of carrying out
functions and duties under a law of the Commonwealth, the State or the
Territory relating to industrial chemicals; or
(b) by order of a court; or
(c) with the consent of the person who
gave the exempt information.
(7) The Director may publish the public
report in such other ways as the Director considers appropriate.
39
Giving of assessment certificates
(1A) If an applicant is given a notice under
subsection 36(2) (self‑assessment), the Director must give the applicant a
certificate at the same time containing such information as is prescribed by
the regulations.
Note: A person who holds a self‑assessed assessment
certificate must comply with the obligations in Division 3B of this Part.
(1) Otherwise, within 7 days after paragraph
38(5)(a) is complied with in relation to an application for an assessment
certificate for a chemical, the Director must give the applicant a certificate
containing such information as is prescribed by the regulations.
(2) If the application is a joint
application, each applicant must be given a separate certificate.
(3) If the Director gives an applicant a
certificate in respect of a chemical, the Director must also notify the
applicant in writing that the applicant may apply to have the chemical included
in the non‑confidential section of the Inventory under section 13B.
40
Application for variation of public report
(1) If a public report about an industrial
chemical has been published under section 38, a person may apply in the
approved form to the Director for variation of the public report. The
application must be made within 28 days after publication.
(2) Where, at the end of the 28 days, the
Director has received an application or applications for the variation of the
report, he or she must:
(a) publish in the Chemical Gazette a
notice setting out:
(i) each proposed
variation; and
(ii) the terms of subsections (4),
(5), (6) and (7); and
(b) give a copy of the notice to the
applicant for the assessment certificate for the chemical; and
(c) delay varying the report for 28
days after the publication of the notice.
(3) Within 28 days after the publication of
the notice, an applicant may give the Director a written statement setting out
further matters in support of the application.
(4) Within 28 days after the publication of
the notice, a person may give the Director a written statement setting out
reasons why a proposed variation should not be made.
(5) The Director must, in considering the
application for the variation, have regard to any statement received about it
under subsection (3) or (4).
(6) The Director must:
(a) where satisfied that the report
varied as requested would be correct—vary the report as requested; or
(b) where not satisfied that the
report as varied would be correct—refuse the application for variation.
(7) When the Director makes a decision about
the variation, he or she must:
(a) publish a notice of the decision
in the Chemical Gazette; and
(b) give a copy of the notice to:
(i) the applicant for the
assessment certificate for the chemical; and
(ii) each person who made
an application for a variation of the report; and
(iii) each person who gave a
statement under subsection (4); and
(c) where the decision is to vary the
report—delay doing so for 28 days after publishing the notice, or, where a
person applies during those days to the Tribunal under section 102 for the
review of the decision, until the application for review is finalised.
(8) If a public report about a chemical is
varied, the Director must make any consequential variations to the assessment
report about the chemical.
Division 3A—Extension of original assessment certificates
40A
Application for extension of original assessment certificate to cover other
importers or manufacturers
(1) If an assessment certificate (the original
certificate) has been given for an industrial chemical, an importer or
manufacturer of the chemical who does not hold the original certificate may
apply for extension of the original certificate for the chemical to cover that
importer or manufacturer.
(1A) However, an importer or manufacturer may
not apply for extension of a self‑assessed assessment certificate.
(2) 2 or more persons may make a joint
application for extension of an original certificate if each of them is a
manufacturer or importer of the chemical.
(3) If the application relates to any
chemical, other than a polymer of low concern, it must be accompanied by a
statement of the matters set out in clauses 1, 2, 3, 5, 11 and 12 of Part
B of the Schedule.
(4) If the application relates to a polymer
of low concern, it must be accompanied by a copy of the form approved for the
purposes of section 24A signed by the applicant or each applicant to
indicate that the information in the form is correct.
(5) An application in relation to any
chemical must also be accompanied by:
(a) a supplementary information
statement in writing containing:
(i) if there has been a
significant variation in matters affecting occupational, environmental or
public exposure as set out in the notification statement that accompanied the
application for the original certificate or as set out in any additional
information given under section 27 or 28 in respect of the application for
the original certificate—details of the variation; and
(ii) any new information
available to the applicant about the health and environmental effects of the
chemical; and
(iii) confirmation that the
person has access to a copy of the public report about the chemical; and
(b) the written agreement of the
holder of the original certificate to the extension of the certificate to cover
the applicant or each applicant; and
(c) a statement that the applicant or each
applicant is entitled to use and give the Director all the data in the
statement; and
(d) the prescribed fee.
(6) For the purposes of subparagraph (5)(a)(ii),
information is taken to be available to the applicant if the applicant ought
reasonably to have been aware of the information having regard to the
applicant’s abilities, experience, qualifications and other attributes.
40B
Requests for additional information
(1) If the supplementary information
statement does not contain sufficient information about a matter required under
section 40A, the Director may give the applicant written notice asking the
applicant to give more information about the matter to the Director within 28
days.
(2) The Director may give the applicant
written notice asking the applicant to give the Director specified information
additional to the matters required under section 40A within 28 days, if
the Director considers that:
(a) the information is needed to deal
with the application; and
(b) the applicant can give the information.
40C
Applicants to give further information
(1) If an applicant for an extension of an
original assessment certificate becomes aware of additional information
relevant to the application before the certificate is given, the applicant must
give the information to the Director as soon as possible.
(2) A person is taken to become aware of
information if the person ought reasonably to have become aware of the
information, having regard to the person’s abilities, experience,
qualifications and other attributes.
40D
Exempt information
(1) An application for an extension of an
original assessment certificate may include an application that specified
information in the supplementary information statement be treated as exempt
under section 75.
(2) When giving information under section 40B
or 40C, an applicant for extension may apply for the information to be treated
as exempt under section 75.
40E
Director to prepare modifications of original assessment report
(1) Subject to subsection (2), the
Director must, having regard to:
(a) the application for extension of
the original assessment certificate; and
(b) if further information has been
given either as a result of a notice under section 40B or in compliance
with subsection 40C(1)—that further information;
prepare modifications of the original assessment report.
(2) The modifications of the original
assessment report are to be made within 45 days after:
(a) the day on which application for
extension was made; or
(b) if information was required by a
notice or notices under section 40B—the day on which the information
required by the notice or notices was given.
(3) As soon as is reasonably practicable
after preparing the modifications of the original assessment report, the
Director must give to the holder of the original assessment certificate and the
applicant for extension:
(a) a copy of the modifications; and
(b) a notice setting out the terms of
sections 40F and 40G.
(4) A copy of the modifications given under subsection (3)
to the holder of the original assessment certificate must not contain exempt
information.
40F
Variation of additional information
(1) The holder of the original assessment
certificate or the applicant for extension may apply to the Director for
variation of the modifications.
(2) The application for variation of the
modifications must be made:
(a) within 14 days of the giving of
the modifications; and
(b) in the approved form.
(3) The Director must consider the
application for variation within 14 days of receiving it and:
(a) if satisfied that the
modifications varied as requested would be correct—vary the modifications as
requested and inform the applicant of the variations; or
(b) if not satisfied that the
modifications varied as requested would be correct—refuse the application for
variations and give the applicant written notice of the decision to refuse to
make the variations.
40G
Publication of modifications
(1) At the end of 28 days after giving the
applicant for extension the modifications and the notice under section 40E,
the Director must publish the modifications, or the modifications as varied
under that section:
(a) by preparing and giving a copy of
the original assessment report, incorporating the modifications, or the
modifications as so varied, to:
(i) the prescribed
authorities of the Commonwealth, the States and the Territories; and
(ii) any person that the
Minister directs; and
(b) by incorporating, to the extent
required, the modifications or modification as so varied, in the public report;
and
(c) by publishing the public report on
the website maintained for the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and
Assessment Scheme by the Department; and
(d) by publishing a notice in the
Chemical Gazette stating that the public report is available as mentioned in
paragraph (c).
(2) Despite subsection (1), the Director
must not publish the modifications until:
(a) the applicant has consented in
writing to the publication; and
(b) the Director has made a decision
about any application to vary the modifications; and
(c) if the Director refuses an
application to vary the modifications—28 days after the Director gave notice of
refusal of the application; and
(d) if the Director refuses an
application to vary the modifications and the applicant applies to the Tribunal
under section 102 for review of the decision—the application for review
has been finalised.
(3) Despite subsection (1), the Director
must not publish the information after the application has been withdrawn.
(4) A copy of the original assessment report
or the public report published under subsection (1) (other than under subparagraph (1)(a)(i))
must not contain any exempt information.
40H
Extensions of original assessment certificate
(1) The Director must, as soon as possible
and in any case, within 7 days after publishing the modifications in the
Chemical Gazette under section 40G, give the applicant or each applicant
an assessment certificate endorsed to indicate that it is an extension of the
original assessment certificate.
(2) The certificate must contain the
prescribed information.
(3) The certificate ceases to be in force
when the chemical to which it relates is included in the Inventory under
section 14.
(4) However, if the importation or
manufacture of the chemical is subject to a condition of use included in the
Inventory under section 13, then the certificate only ceases to be in
force to the extent that it relates to that condition of use.
40J
Withdrawal of application
The applicant for an extension of the
original assessment certificate may withdraw the application by written notice
given to the Director at any time before the Director gives the certificate.
Division 3B—Obligations relating to certain permits and self‑assessed
assessment certificates
40K
Record keeping requirements
(1) A person who is issued:
(a) a low volume permit; or
(b) a controlled use permit; or
(c) a self‑assessed assessment
certificate;
must keep records to support any statement made in or in
connection with the application for the permit or certificate, or any
application for a renewal of the permit.
(2) The records must be kept for 5 years from
the date the permit or certificate is issued.
(3) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is required to keep
records under subsection (1) or (2); and
(b) the person fails to do so.
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
40L
Director may obtain information and documents
Making of request
(1) If the Director believes on reasonable
grounds that a person who is issued:
(a) a low volume permit; or
(b) a controlled use permit; or
(c) a self‑assessed assessment
certificate;
has particular information or a particular document that
is relevant to any statement made in or in connection with the application for
the permit or certificate, or any application for a renewal of the permit, the
Director may request the person to give the information, or produce the
document, to the Director.
Form of request
(2) A request given to a person under subsection (1)
must:
(a) be made in writing; and
(b) state what information the person
must give, or what document the person must produce, to the Director; and
(c) specify the day on or before which
the person must give the information or produce the document (which must be a
day at least 14 days after the day on which the Director makes the request);
and
(d) specify how the person is to give
the information, or produce the document, to the Director; and
(e) contain a statement to the effect
that a failure to comply with the request is an offence.
Offence
(3) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is required to give
information or produce a document under subsection (1); and
(b) the person fails to give the
information or produce the document.
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
40M
Self‑incrimination
(1) An individual is not excused from giving
information or producing a document under section 40L on the ground that
the information or the production of the document might tend to incriminate the
individual or expose the individual to a penalty.
(2) However:
(a) the information given or the
document produced; or
(b) giving the information or
producing the document; or
(c) any information, document or thing
obtained as a direct or indirect consequence of giving the information or
producing the document;
is not admissible in evidence against the individual in
criminal proceedings other than:
(d) proceedings for an offence against
subsection 40L(3); or
(e) proceedings for an offence against
section 137.1 or 137.2 of the Criminal Code that relates to this
Act.
40N Annual
reports
(1) A person who is issued:
(a) a commercial evaluation permit; or
(b) a low volume permit; or
(c) a controlled use permit; or
(d) a self‑assessed assessment
certificate;
in respect of an industrial chemical must provide a report
to the Director each registration year.
(2) The report must state the following:
(a) the name of the chemical in
respect of which the permit or certificate is issued; and
(b) the volume of the chemical that
was introduced during the year; and
(c) any adverse effect of the chemical
on occupational health and safety, public health or the environment of which
the person has become aware during the year.
(3) The report must be provided before or on
28 September of the following registration year.
(4) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person is required to provide
an annual report in accordance with this section; and
(b) the person fails to do so.
Penalty: 10 penalty units.
Note: If a person does not provide the report in
accordance with this section before or on 28 September, the obligation to
do so continues after that date, with daily offences being committed until the
obligation is complied with (see section 4K of the Crimes Act 1914).
(5) Subsection 4K(2) of the Crimes Act
1914 ceases to apply in relation to an offence against subsection (4)
of this section at the end of the 12th day after 28 September (being 10 October).
Note: Because of this subsection, 120 penalty units
is the maximum penalty that can be imposed for offences against subsection (4).
Division 4—Effect of Other Notification Schemes
41
Approved State and Territory notification procedures
(1) In this section:
notifiable industrial chemical means a new
industrial chemical manufactured in Australia.
(2) If the Minister is satisfied that:
(a) a notification law is in force in
a State or Territory; and
(b) the requirements of the
notification law as to the statement of matters to be given are not less than
those under section 23; and
(c) arrangements
are in place providing that, where an authority of a State or Territory
receives a statement of matters about a notifiable industrial chemical under
its notification law, the authority will send a copy of the statement to the
Director as soon as practicable;
the Minister may, by notice in the Chemical Gazette,
declare that the State or Territory has a notification law that is sufficient
for the purposes of this Act.
(3) Where:
(a) a declaration under subsection (2)
is in force in relation to a State or Territory; and
(b) a manufacturer of a notifiable
industrial chemical has given a statement of matters about the chemical to the
appropriate authority of the State or Territory for the purposes of the
notification law of that State or Territory; and
(c) the authority gives to the
Director a copy of the written statement, and certifies to the Director that
the statement satisfies the requirements of the notification law of the State
or Territory in relation to that chemical; and
(d) the
manufacturer applies under section 23 for an assessment certificate for
the chemical;
the statement is to be taken to be the notification
statement.
(4) If, at any
time after making a declaration under subsection (1), the Minister ceases
to be satisfied of the matters referred to in that subsection in relation to
the relevant State or Territory, the Minister is to revoke the declaration by
notice in the Chemical Gazette.
42
Exempt information given under section 41
A manufacturer of a new industrial
chemical about which a statement of matters has been given to the Director
under subsection 41(3), may, before the assessment of the chemical under this
Act has begun, make an application in the approved form that some of the
information in the statement be treated as exempt information under section 75.
43 Approved
foreign scheme
(1) In this section:
foreign scheme means a chemicals notification
and assessment scheme operating in a foreign country.
(2) The Minister may, by notice published in
the Chemical Gazette, approve a specified foreign scheme for the purposes of
this Act.
(3) An importer or a manufacturer of a new
industrial chemical may, by notice to the Minister in the approved form,
nominate a foreign scheme for approval by the Minister.
(4) The Minister may approve a foreign scheme
in relation to all industrial chemicals or in relation to industrial chemicals
specified in the notice of approval.
(4A) The Minister may, in the notice of
approval, state that a report of a specified kind that is made under the
foreign scheme is to be the approved report in relation to the chemical for the
purposes of paragraph 44(1)(b).
(5) The Minister is not to approve a foreign
scheme in relation to a chemical unless satisfied that notifications and
assessments under it relating to the chemical are of a standard equivalent to,
or higher than, those under this Act.
(6) If, at any time after approving a scheme
under subsection (1), the Minister ceases to be satisfied of the matters
referred to in subsection (5), the Minister is to revoke the approval by
notice in the Chemical Gazette.
44
Chemical notified and assessed under approved foreign scheme
(1) Where a person who wishes to make an
application under section 23 for an assessment certificate for a new
industrial chemical that has been notified and assessed under an approved
foreign scheme gives to the Director:
(a) a copy of all the particulars
about the chemical that were given under the scheme and are available to the
person; and
(b) a copy of a report of the
assessment of the chemical under the scheme that is the approved report for the
chemical under subsection 43(4A); and
(c) any other information about the
chemical available to the applicant that is assessment information or was given
under another approved foreign scheme; and
(d) documents that satisfy the
Director that, in comparison with the chemical as assessed under the scheme:
(i) the proposed use of
the chemical in Australia is not significantly different; and
(ii) the amount of the
chemical to be introduced is not significantly greater; and
(iii) no variation is
proposed in the method of manufacture, use or disposal of the chemical that
could increase the risk of adverse health effects or adverse environmental
effects;
then, subject to subsection (2), the Director is to
be taken to have received from the person an application for an assessment
certificate for the chemical in accordance with section 23 and the
documents given under paragraph (b) are to be taken to be the notification
statement.
(2) Where the Director is taken to have
received an application because of subsection (1), the Director:
(a) is not to require further
information to be given under section 27 in relation to the application,
other than information relating to matters referred to in paragraph (1)(d)
or information to clarify information given; and
(b) must adopt the report made under
the scheme unless he or she considers it inappropriate to do so because of
information, or the limited extent of the information, made available under paragraph (1)(a),
(b) or (c) or section 27.
(3) Where a report is adopted, the Director
is to be taken to have carried out his or her duties and functions under
sections 31 and 32 and the assessment report may be prepared on the basis
of the adopted report.
(4) Subject to subsection (5), the assessment
report and the public report are to be completed within 90 days after the day
on which the application was made or, where a notice or notices were given
under section 27, within 90 days after the day on which the information
required by the notice or notices was given.
(5) The Minister may extend the period for
the completion of reports by up to 90 days if it is not reasonably practicable
for the reports to be completed within the period.
(6) Where the Minister extends the period for
the completion of reports, the Minister is to notify the applicant of the
extension immediately.
45
Exempt information given under section 44
A person who has given particulars about
a new industrial chemical to the Director under paragraph 44(1)(a) or (c) may,
before the assessment report of the chemical is prepared under subsection
44(3), make an application in the approved form that some of the particulars
referred to in that paragraph be treated as exempt information under section 75.
46
Interim Notification Scheme
(1) Where:
(a) before the commencement of this
section, an importer or manufacturer of a new industrial chemical had notified
the chemical under the scheme known as the Interim Notification Scheme; and
(b) the chemical has been assessed
under that scheme, whether before or after the commencement of this section;
then:
(c) for the purposes of section 39:
(i) the applicant is to be
taken to have complied with the requirements of this Act regarding the
notification of the chemical; and
(ii) the chemical is to be
taken to have been assessed under this section; and
(d) the Director must give the
applicant an assessment certificate for the chemical.
(2) The assessment certificate is not to
contain any matter that was given in confidence for the purposes of the
notification and assessment.
(3) Where a person who notified a chemical
under the scheme introduces the chemical before receiving the assessment
certificate for it, the person is not guilty of an offence under subsection
21(1) because of the introduction.
Division 5—Priority Existing Chemicals
Subdivision A—Application
47
Application of Division
This Division does not apply in relation
to new industrial chemicals other than those covered by a commercial evaluation
permit or those referred to in:
(a) paragraph 21(3)(b) or (e); or
(b) subsection 21(4); or
(c) paragraph 21(6)(a) or (b).
Subdivision B—Information for decision on recommendation
48
Information about use and introduction of chemicals
(1) If the Director is considering whether to
make a recommendation (or a particular kind of recommendation) under section 50B
for the declaration of an industrial chemical as a priority existing chemical
(whether or not the Director has already identified that chemical), the
Director may publish a notice in the Chemical Gazette requiring information on
any one or more of the following matters to be given to the Director:
(a) specified information about a
particular industrial chemical;
(b) the names and quantities of
industrial chemicals used by persons for a specified purpose in a specified
period;
(c) the names of industrial chemicals
that are introduced by persons in specified quantities in a specified period.
(2) The notice must expressly be directed to
one or more of the following person or persons:
(a) a specified person or persons whom
the Director believes has or have information described in the notice;
(b) all persons who introduce
industrial chemicals for a specified purpose or in a specified quantity in a
specified period;
(c) if the notice specifies a
particular industrial chemical which is the subject of a proposed
recommendation under section 50B—all persons who introduce that chemical
during the period beginning 12 months before the date of the notice and ending
at the end of the period specified under subsection (4).
(3) The notice must require each person to
whom it is directed to give the Director information of a specified kind that
is available to the person and relevant to the recommendation.
Note: Subsection 33(3A) of the Acts
Interpretation Act 1901 allows a notice to require different kinds of
persons to give different kinds of information.
(4) The notice must specify a period of at
least 28 days for the person or persons to whom it is directed to give
information to the Director.
(5) For the purposes of subsections (1)
and (2), a notice is taken to specify a quantity if it specifies a range of
quantities (including quantities in a range that exceeds a specified quantity).
(6) If the Director knows the identity and
address of a person to whom the notice is directed (whether individually or as
a member of a group), the Director must send a copy of the notice to the
person.
(7) A person must not contravene a notice.
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
(8) Subsection (7) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (8) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
50
Exempt information supplied under section 48
The giving of information about a
chemical in compliance with a notice under section 48 may be
accompanied by an application in the approved form that some or all of the
information about the chemical be treated as exempt information under section 75.
50A
Summary of information given under section 48
(1) Within 90 days after the day on which the
last information required to be given to the Director under a notice under
section 48 is received, the Director must prepare a summary of the
information given to the Director as a result of the notice.
(2) The summary must:
(a) include any information of a kind
that is prescribed; and
(b) not contain any exempt
information.
(3) If:
(a) the Director has refused an
application under section 50 for information given as a result of the notice
under section 48 to be treated as exempt information; and
(b) the applicant applies to the
Tribunal under section 102 for review of the decision;
the Director must, in spite of subsection (1), delay
the preparation of the summary until the application for review has been
finalised.
(4) When the Director has prepared the
summary, he or she must publish in the Chemical Gazette a notice stating where
a copy of the summary can be obtained.
Subdivision C—Declaration of priority existing chemicals
50B
Recommendation of declaration of priority existing chemical
(1) The Director may recommend to the
Minister that one or more industrial chemicals be declared priority existing
chemicals.
(2) The Director may make a recommendation
only if he or she has reasonable grounds for believing that the manufacture,
handling, storage, use or disposal of each industrial chemical covered by the
recommendation gives rise, or may give rise, to a risk of adverse health
effects or adverse environmental effects.
(3) A recommendation for a declaration must:
(a) specify whether the declaration
should apply to the chemical generally or only when it is:
(i) used for one or more
specified purposes; or
(ii) manufactured, handled,
stored or used in a specified geographical area or in specified circumstances;
and
(b) identify the matters that should
be taken into account in preparing the assessment report on the chemical and
the information that should accompany any application for an assessment of the
chemical under Subdivision D.
(4) If the Director makes a single
recommendation for the declaration of 2 or more industrial chemicals as
priority existing chemicals, the Director must also recommend whether the
chemicals should be assessed together under Subdivision D.
51
Declaration of priority existing chemicals
(1) If the Director has recommended that a
chemical be declared a priority existing chemical, the Minister may declare the
chemical a priority existing chemical by notice in the Chemical Gazette.
(2) The notice must specify, in respect of
each chemical to which the notice relates:
(a) whether the declaration applies to
the chemical generally or only when it is:
(i) used for one or more
specified purposes; or
(ii) manufactured, handled,
stored or used in a specified geographical area or in specified circumstances;
and
(b) whether an assessment of the
chemical is to be:
(i) a preliminary
assessment; or
(ii) a full assessment; and
(c) which of the matters specified in subsection (3)
must be taken into account in preparing the assessment report on the chemical;
and
(d) the kind of information relating
to each chemical that must accompany an application for an assessment of the
chemical; and
(e) if the notice relates to more than
one chemical—whether the declared chemicals are to be assessed together.
(3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5),
a notice may require all or any of the following matters to be taken into
account in preparing the assessment report on a chemical:
(a) the properties of the chemical;
(b) any use to which the chemical is
intended to be, or is reasonably likely to be, put;
(c) any adverse effects on the
environment or persons which the chemical has the intrinsic capacity to cause;
(d) the extent to which the
environment, persons in a particular occupation or the public will be exposed
to the chemical;
(e) any risk to the health or safety
of persons who, because of their occupation, are engaged, or likely to be
engaged, in the manufacture, handling, storage, use or disposal of the
chemical;
(f) any risk to the health or safety
of likely consumers handling or using the chemical or any product containing
the chemical;
(g) any risk to the environment
arising from the use of the chemical or from the discharge of waste products
resulting from the manufacture or use of the chemical;
(h) the extent to which any risk
referred to in this subsection is capable of being reduced by compliance with:
(i) appropriate procedures
relating to the manufacture, handling, storage, use or disposal of the
chemical; or
(ii) special requirements
in the packaging or labelling of the chemical; or
(iii) procedures relating to
the control of, or the discharge into the environment of, the chemical or waste
products resulting from the manufacture or use of the chemical;
(i) any other relevant information
available to the Director.
(4) A notice specifying that an assessment of
a chemical is to be a preliminary assessment must require that only a matter or
matters referred to in paragraphs (3)(a) to (d) be taken into account in
preparing an assessment report on the chemical.
(5) A notice specifying that an assessment of
a chemical is to be a full assessment must require that at least one matter
referred to in paragraphs (3)(e) to (h) be taken into account in preparing
an assessment report on the chemical.
54
List of priority existing chemicals
(1) The Director must maintain a list of
priority existing chemicals.
(2) The Director must maintain a list of
chemicals that have been priority existing chemicals.
(2A) A list kept
under subsection (1) or (2) must show in relation to any chemical on the
list:
(a) whether the chemical was or is to
be assessed as a priority existing chemical with any other chemical; and
(b) any limitation specified under
paragraph 51(2)(a) on the declaration of a chemical; and
(c) whether assessment of the chemical
was or is to be a preliminary assessment or a full assessment.
(3) The Director must publish the lists in
the Chemical Gazette at least once a year.
Subdivision D—Assessment of priority existing chemicals
55
Applications for assessment of priority existing chemicals
(1) Where a chemical becomes a priority
existing chemical, a person may, within 28 days after the day on which it did
so, apply in writing in the approved form for the assessment of the chemical.
(1A) 2 or more persons may make a joint
application.
(2) Where the chemical has been a priority
existing chemical for longer than 28 days, a person may make a late application
in writing in the approved form for the assessment of the chemical.
(3) An application or late application for
assessment of a priority existing chemical must be accompanied by information
of all the kinds specified under paragraph 51(2)(d) in the notice declaring the
chemical.
56
Introduction of priority existing chemicals
(1) A person must not introduce a priority
existing chemical.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the
person has applied under section 55 for the assessment of the chemical.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (2) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
57
Assessment of priority existing chemical
(1) Where the Director receives an
application or applications for the assessment of a priority existing chemical,
he or she must cause the chemical to be assessed in accordance with section 60A
and a report of the assessment to be prepared.
(2) Where the Director does not, within 28
days after the day on which a chemical became a priority existing chemical,
receive an application for the assessment of the chemical, the Director may, at
any time within the 12 months beginning on that day, cause the assessment of
the chemical in accordance with section 60A to be commenced and a report
of the assessment to be prepared.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), an
assessment is to be made and a draft report of the assessment to be completed
under section 60C within 6 months after the day on which the last
information required for the assessment is received.
(6) The Minister may extend the period for
assessment and report by up to 6 months if it is not reasonably practicable for
the assessment to be carried out thoroughly, and the report completed, within
the period.
(7) Where the Minister extends the period for
assessment and report, the Minister is to notify each applicant for the
assessment of the extension immediately.
58
Obtaining information for assessment
(1) For the purposes of assessing a priority
existing chemical, the Director may, by notice in the Chemical Gazette, require
a person (in this section called the notifier) to whom the notice
applies under subsection (2) to provide information about the chemical in
accordance with this section.
(2) The notice may be expressed to apply to:
(a) all persons who introduce the
chemical during the period beginning 12 months before the date of the notice
and ending 12 months after that date; or
(b) all persons who introduce the
chemical during that period in circumstances specified in the notice; or
(c) specified persons who introduce
the chemical during that period; or
(d) specified persons who the Director
considers have relevant information.
(3) The notice may require all or any of the
following information about the chemical to be given to the Director in
writing:
(a) the properties of the chemical and
the tests or other ways by which those properties were determined;
(b) the quantities of the chemical
that have been, or are proposed to be, imported by the notifier;
(c) the quantities of the chemical
that have been, or are proposed to be, manufactured by the notifier;
(d) the uses or potential uses of the
chemical that are known to the notifier;
(e) a description (whether by name or
otherwise) of persons to whom the notifier has supplied or intends to supply
the chemical;
(f) the methods used, or proposed to
be used, by the notifier to carry out any of the following activities in
relation to the chemical:
(i) manufacturing;
(ii) handling;
(iii) storing;
of the chemical;
(g) any other matter specified by the
Director that is relevant to the assessment of the chemical.
(4) The notice must specify a period of not
less than 28 days for compliance.
(5) The Director may:
(a) waive the requirement of a person
to give particular information; or
(b) extend the period within which a
person is to comply with the notice.
(6) The Director must cause a copy of the
notice and, if that notice has identified the information to be supplied under
it by reference to a notice under section 51, that other notice, to be
sent to each person who is, to the Director’s knowledge, a notifier and whose
address is known to the Director.
(7) This section does not prevent the
Director seeking information about a priority existing chemical for the purpose
of assessing the chemical, being information that is additional to that
provided under this section.
(8) A notifier must not refuse or fail to
comply with the notice.
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
(9) Subsection (8) does not apply if the
notifier has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (9) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(10) For the purposes of an offence against subsection (8),
strict liability applies to the physical element, that the notifier fails as
mentioned in that subsection.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
59
Time for compliance with varied notice
A notice that varies a notice under
section 58 must extend the period for compliance specified in the varied
notice by not less than 28 days.
60
Exempt information about priority existing chemical
The giving of information about a
chemical with an application for its assessment or in compliance with a notice
under section 58 may be accompanied by an application in the approved
form that some or all of the information about the chemical be treated as
exempt information under section 75.
60A
Nature of assessment
(1) The officer preparing the report of the
preliminary assessment of a priority existing chemical must determine the
significance, for the making of a determination described in subsection (2)
in relation to that chemical, of each of the matters required to be taken into
account by the notice declaring the chemical as a priority existing chemical.
(2) The officer preparing the report of the
full assessment of a priority existing chemical must determine the risk (if
any) of adverse health effects, safety effects or adverse environmental effects
that could be caused by:
(a) importation of the chemical (if it
is proposed to import the chemical); or
(b) manufacture of the chemical (if it
is proposed to manufacture the chemical in Australia); or
(c) the use, storage, handling or
disposal of the chemical.
(3) In making a determination under subsection (1)
or (2), the officer must take into account the matters required to be taken
into account by the notice declaring the chemical as a priority existing
chemical.
60B
Contents of assessment reports
(1) An assessment report (whether it is a
draft assessment report made under section 60C or a final assessment
report made under section 60F) must include a summary of health, safety
and environmental matters considered in the assessment and such recommendations
as may reasonably be made in relation to each of the following matters:
(a) the content of a Material Safety
Data Sheet in respect of the chemical;
(b) the precautions and restrictions
to be observed during the importation, manufacture, handling, storage, use or
disposal of the chemical to protect persons exposed to the chemical;
(c) controls to limit emissions of the
chemical into the environment, including permissible concentrations in
emissions of the chemical into the air or water from a manufacturing plant or
other facility;
(d) the packaging, labelling, handling
or storage of the chemical;
(e) the measures to be employed in
emergencies involving the chemical to minimise hazard to persons and damage to
the environment;
(f) the uses of the chemical;
(g) the means of disposal of the
chemical;
(h) the circumstances (if any) in
which secondary notification of the chemical is required;
(i) any prescribed matter.
(2) The assessment report (whether draft or
final) must not contain exempt information.
60C
Draft assessment report
On completing an assessment of a
priority existing chemical, the Director must cause a draft report of the
assessment to be prepared.
60D
Checking draft assessment report for errors
(1) As soon as is reasonably practicable
after completion of the draft assessment report about a priority existing
chemical, the Director must give each applicant for assessment of the chemical:
(a) a copy of the draft report; and
(b) a notice asking the applicant to
notify the Director of any errors in the draft report within 28 days.
(2) The Director must correct any errors
notified by the applicant.
60E
Variation of draft assessment report
(1) Within 56 days of giving the draft
assessment report to each applicant, the Director must:
(a) give a copy of the draft report
with any corrections to each applicant and to any person who has provided
information for the assessment in response to a notice under section 58;
and
(b) publish a notice in the Chemical
Gazette:
(i) describing the matters
contained in the draft report; and
(ii) stating that the draft
report has been given to each applicant and person who provided information
under section 58; and
(iii) describing how a
person may obtain a copy of the draft report; and
(iv) describing how a person
may ask the Director to vary the draft report.
(2) Within 28 days of the publication of the
notice under subsection (1), a person may request the Director, in the
approved form, to vary the draft report.
(3) The Director must make a decision about
the variation within 56 days after the publication of the notice under subsection (1).
(4) The Director must decide to vary the
draft report as requested if he or she is satisfied that the report, varied as
requested, would be correct.
(5) The Director must decide to refuse to
vary the draft report as requested if he or she is not satisfied that the
report, varied as requested, would be correct.
(6) If one, or more than one, request for a
variation has been made under subsection (2), the Director must, as soon
as he or she has made a decision concerning the request or concerning each such
request:
(a) publish a notice in the Chemical
Gazette:
(i) stating that a
decision concerning the request or each request has been made; and
(ii) describing how a
person may otherwise obtain a copy of the decision or each decision; and
(b) give a copy of the decision or
each decision and a copy of the notice to:
(i) each applicant for
assessment of the chemical; and
(ii) each person who made a
request.
60F
Publication of final assessment report
(1) If, within 28 days of the publication of
the notice under subsection 60E(1), no person has asked the Director to vary
the draft report, the Director must prepare a final assessment report, and, for
that purpose, the draft assessment report, incorporating any corrections made under
subsection 60D(2), constitutes the final assessment report.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), if,
within 28 days of the publication of the notice under subsection 60E(1), the
Director has been requested to vary the draft assessment report, the Director must,
as soon as practicable after the Director has made a decision under section 60E
concerning the request or concerning each such request, prepare a final
assessment report incorporating:
(a) any corrections made under
subsection 60D(2); and
(b) any variations made in respect of
the request or requests.
(3) The Director must delay preparation of
the final assessment report under subsection (2):
(a) for 28 days after publishing under
subsection 60E(6) the notice, or the last notice, concerning a decision under
subsection 60E(5); or
(b) if a person applies to the
Tribunal under section 102 for review of such a decision before the end of
that period—until the application for review is finalised.
(7) The Director must publish the final
assessment report by:
(a) giving a copy of it to any
prescribed authorities of the Commonwealth, the States or the Territories; and
(b) giving a copy of it to such other
persons (if any) as the Minister directs; and
(c) publishing the report on the
website maintained for the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and
Assessment Scheme by the Department; and
(d) publishing a notice in the
Chemical Gazette stating that the report is available as mentioned in
paragraph (c).
(8) The Director may publish the final assessment
report in such other ways as the Director considers appropriate.
61
Prohibition of priority existing chemical until assessment complete
(1) In this section:
activity, in relation to a priority existing
chemical, means any of the following:
(a) the importation of the chemical;
(b) the manufacture of the chemical;
(c) the manufacture of the chemical in
particular circumstances;
(d) the use of the chemical;
(e) the use of the chemical for a
particular purpose;
(f) the use of the chemical in particular
circumstances;
(g) the handling of the chemical in
particular circumstances;
(h) the storage of the chemical in
particular circumstances.
particular circumstances includes a
particular geographical area.
(2) Where the Minister has reasonable grounds
for believing that an activity involving a priority existing chemical gives
rise to an unacceptable risk of adverse health effects or adverse environmental
effects, then, as soon as practicable, the Minister is, by notice in the
Chemical Gazette, to prohibit that activity while the chemical remains a
priority existing chemical.
(3) The Minister is to cause a copy of the
notice to be sent to each person who is, to the Minister’s knowledge, an
importer or manufacturer of the chemical.
(4) An importer or manufacturer of industrial
chemicals must not refuse or fail to comply with the notice.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
(4A) Subsection (4) does not apply if the
importer or manufacturer has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (4A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(5) A person, other than an importer or
manufacturer of industrial chemicals, must not refuse or fail to comply with
the notice.
Penalty: 240 penalty units.
(6) Subsection (5) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (6) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(7) For the purposes of an offence against subsection (4)
or (5), strict liability applies to the physical element, that the importer or
manufacturer, or the person, fails as mentioned in that subsection.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
62
Publication of final assessment report revokes declaration
The publication under section 60F
of a final assessment report about a priority existing chemical revokes the
declaration of the chemical under subsection 51(1).
63
Removal of priority existing chemical from Inventory
Where:
(a) a chemical has been a priority
existing chemical for at least 12 months; and
(b) an application for the assessment
of the chemical has not been received; and
(c) the Director has not caused the
chemical to be assessed under subsection 57(2);
the Director must remove the particulars of the chemical
from the Inventory.
Division 6—Secondary Notification after Assessment
64
Introducer to notify Director of certain matters
(1) Where:
(a) either or both of the following
recommends the secondary notification of the chemical in particular
circumstances:
(i) an assessment report
about a chemical;
(ii) particulars included
in respect of a chemical in the Inventory; and
(b) the
circumstances occur in relation to the introduction of the chemical by a person;
the person must, within 28
days of the occurrence, notify the Director in writing that the circumstances
have occurred.
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
(2) Where a person who introduces an
industrial chemical that has been assessed under this Act becomes aware of any
of the following circumstances, namely, that since the assessment:
(a) the function or use of the
chemical has changed, or is likely to change, significantly;
(b) the amount of the chemical being
introduced has increased, or is likely to increase, significantly;
(c) in the case of a chemical not
manufactured, or proposed to be manufactured, in Australia at the time of the
assessment—it has begun to be manufactured in Australia;
(d) the method of manufacture of the
chemical in Australia has changed, or is likely to change, in a way that may
result in an increased risk of an adverse effect of the chemical on
occupational health and safety, public health or the environment;
(e) additional information has become
available to the person as to an adverse effect of the chemical on occupational
health and safety, public health or the environment;
(f) a
prescribed event has happened;
the person must, within 28
days of becoming aware, notify the Director in writing of the circumstances of
which the person has become aware.
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
(2A) To avoid doubt, the reference in subsection (2)
to an industrial chemical that has been assessed under this Act includes a
reference to:
(a) a chemical that has been assessed
under section 33A (self‑assessment); and
(b) a chemical that has been assessed
but that is now included in the Inventory.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2),
a person is to be taken to have become aware of circumstances if, having regard
to:
(a) the person’s abilities, experience,
qualifications and other attributes; and
(b) the
nature of the circumstances;
the person ought reasonably to have become aware of the
circumstances.
(4) 2 or more persons on whom are imposed
obligations under this section in relation to an industrial chemical may comply
with those obligations by jointly notifying the Director under this section.
65
Secondary notification
(1) Where a person notifies the Director
under subsection 64(1) of circumstances in relation to an industrial chemical,
the Director may, by notice in the Chemical Gazette, require the secondary
notification of the chemical by persons to whom the notice applies.
(2) Where, in relation to an industrial
chemical assessed under this Act, the Director becomes aware, because of notification
under subsection 64(2) or otherwise, that, since the assessment, any of the
circumstances referred to in that subsection occurred, the Director may, by
notice in the Chemical Gazette, require the secondary notification of the
chemical by persons to whom the notice applies.
(3) The notice requiring secondary
notification may be expressed to apply to all persons, or specified persons,
who introduce the chemical.
(4) The notice must specify the information
about the chemical that is to be given by way of secondary notification, being
information about a matter relating to the circumstances because of which the
notification is required.
(5) The notice must specify a period of not
less than 28 days for compliance.
(6) The Director must cause a copy of the
notice to be sent to each person who is, to the Director’s knowledge, a person
to whom the notice applies and whose address is known to the Director.
(7) If the Director requires the secondary
notification of an industrial chemical by persons to whom a notice under subsection (1)
or (2) applies, 2 or more of those persons may give a secondary notification of
that chemical jointly.
(8) If 2 or more persons give a joint
secondary notification of an industrial chemical, those persons are jointly and
severally liable for the fee prescribed under paragraph 110(1)(s) to be the fee
in respect of a secondary notification.
66
Exempt information about chemicals subject to secondary notification
(1) The giving of secondary notification
about a chemical may be accompanied by an application in the approved form that
some or all of the information given in the notification be treated as exempt
information under section 75.
(2) 2 or more persons may make a joint
application.
67
Failure to comply with secondary notification requirements
(1) Where a person who is required to give
secondary notification of a chemical does not do so, the Minister may, by
written notice sent to that person:
(a) in the case of a new industrial
chemical—suspend any assessment certificate or introduction permit held by the
person for that chemical; or
(b) in any other case—prohibit the
importation and manufacture of the chemical by that person.
(2) A person must not introduce a chemical in
contravention of paragraph (1)(b).
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
(3) Where, after the Minister has given a
notice under subsection (1) to a person, the person complies with the
requirements for secondary notification, the Minister is to revoke the notice
as soon as is reasonably practicable.
68 Secondary
notification assessment of new industrial chemicals
(1) Where secondary notification of a new
industrial chemical has been given, the Director must cause the chemical to be
assessed in accordance with section 32 and a report of the assessment to
be prepared.
(2) Where the secondary notification of a new
industrial chemical is required but is not given by any person, the Director
may cause the chemical to be assessed in accordance with section 32 and a
report of the assessment to be prepared.
(3) A new industrial chemical of which
secondary notification is required may be assessed by taking into account only
such of the matters specified in subsection 32(2) as the Director considers to
be of particular significance in relation to that chemical.
(4) Sections 33 to 38 (inclusive) and 40
apply in relation to an assessment of, and report on, a new industrial chemical
required by this section but do so as if:
(a) references in them to the
applicant for the assessment certificate for the chemical were references to
each person who gave secondary notification of the chemical; and
(b) references in them to the
withdrawal of the application for the assessment certificate were omitted; and
(c) where subsection (3)
applies—the matters specified in section 33 were limited to those that are
relevant to the assessment.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), an
assessment of a new industrial chemical is to be made and the assessment report
and public report completed within 90 days after the day on which the last
information required for the assessment is received.
(6) The Minister may extend the period for
assessment and report in relation to a new industrial chemical by up to 90 days
if it is not reasonably practicable for the assessment to be carried out
thoroughly, and the report completed, within the period.
(7) Where the Minister extends the period for
assessment and report in relation to a new industrial chemical, the Minister is
to notify the applicant of the extension immediately.
68A
Assessment of existing chemicals of which secondary notification required
(1) If a secondary notification of an
existing chemical has been given, the Director must cause the chemical to be
assessed in accordance with section 60A and a report of the assessment to
be prepared.
(2) If the secondary notification of an
existing chemical is required but is not given by any person, the Director may
cause the chemical to be assessed in accordance with section 60A and a
report of the assessment to be prepared.
(3) For the purposes of subsections (1)
and (2), an assessment in accordance with section 60A is to be conducted
as if the references in section 60A to a priority existing chemical were
references to an existing chemical.
(4) Sections 60B to 60F (inclusive)
apply in relation to an assessment of, and report on, an existing chemical
required by this section but do so as if:
(a) any references in those provisions
to a priority existing chemical were references to an existing chemical; and
(b) any references in those provisions
to the applicant for the assessment of the chemical were references to each
person who gave secondary notification of the chemical; and
(c) the reference in section 60E
to a notice under section 58 were a reference to a notice under section 69.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), an
assessment of an existing chemical is to be made and a draft report of the
assessment to be completed under section 60C within 6 months after the day
on which the last information required for the assessment is received.
(6) The Minister may extend the period for
assessment and report in relation to an existing chemical by up to 6 months if
it is not reasonably practicable for the assessment to be carried out
thoroughly, and the report completed, within that period.
(7) If the Minister extends the period for
assessment and report in relation to an existing chemical, the Minister is
required to notify each applicant for the assessment of the extension
immediately.
69
Obtaining information for purposes of assessment
(1) For the purpose of assessing a new
industrial chemical under section 68, or an existing chemical under
section 68A, the Director may, by notice in the Chemical Gazette,
require:
(a) all persons who introduced the
chemical; or
(b) specified persons who introduced
the chemical; or
(c) specified persons who the Director
considers have relevant information;
but who are not required to give secondary notification of
the chemical, to provide the Director in writing the information about the
chemical that is specified in the notice, being particulars about a matter
relating to the circumstances because of which the notification is required.
(2) The notice must specify a period of not
less than 14 days for compliance.
(3) The Director must cause a copy of the
notice to be sent to each person who is, to the Director’s knowledge, a person
to whom the notice applies and whose address is known to the Director.
(4) A person to whom a notice applies must
not refuse or fail to comply with the notice.
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
(5) Subsection (4)
does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (5) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(6) For the purposes of an offence against subsection (4),
strict liability applies to the physical element, that the person fails as
mentioned in that subsection.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
70
Variation of assessment certificate on secondary notification
(1) Where:
(a) an assessment certificate for a
new industrial chemical is in force; and
(b) a public
report about the chemical is published because the secondary notification of
the chemical was required;
the Director must endorse on the certificate a statement
that such a report has been published giving the date of publication.
(2) The holder of the certificate must make
it available to the Director for the purposes of the endorsement.
71
List of chemicals requiring secondary notification
(1) The Director must maintain a list of
chemicals requiring secondary notification.
(2) The Director must maintain a list of
chemicals that required, but no longer require, secondary notification.
(3) The Director must publish the lists in
the Chemical Gazette at least once a year.
72
Revocation of requirement for secondary notification
The Director may, by notice in the Chemical Gazette,
declare that a chemical is no longer a chemical whose secondary notification is
required.
Division 7—Assessment Certificates
73
Transfer of assessment certificates
(1) Where the holder of an assessment
certificate dies, the legal personal representative of his or her estate
becomes the holder of that certificate for the purposes of this Act.
(2) Where the holder of an assessment
certificate becomes bankrupt, the person who becomes, under the Bankruptcy
Act 1966, the trustee in bankruptcy of the estate of the bankrupt becomes
the holder of the certificate for the purposes of this Act.
(3) Where a body corporate that is the holder
of an assessment certificate is being wound up, the person appointed to be the
liquidator of the body corporate becomes the holder of the certificate for the
purposes of this Act.
(4) Where:
(a) the holder of an assessment
certificate disposes of the business to which the certificate relates; and
(b) it
is a term of the agreement for the disposal of the business that the person who
acquires the business becomes the holder of the certificate;
the person who acquires the business becomes the holder of
the certificate for the purposes of this Act.
(5) Where, under this section, a person
becomes the holder of an assessment certificate, the person must, as soon as
practicable, give the Director notice in writing of becoming the holder
specifying the circumstances because of which the person became the holder.
(6) If, at any time, the Director becomes
satisfied that a person has not complied with subsection (5) in relation
to an assessment certificate, the Director may revoke the certificate.
74
Record of assessment certificates
(1) The Director must maintain a list of
industrial chemicals in respect of which an assessment certificate is in force.
(2) At least once a year, the Director must
publish in the Chemical Gazette the additions to, and deletions from, the list
that have not been published before.
Division 8—Confidentiality
75
Exempt information
(1) Subject to this section, if, on an
application under section 21AAA, 21P, 21ZB, 22O, 25, 29, 30A, 40D, 42, 45,
50, 60, 66 or 89, the Director is satisfied that:
(a) publication of the information
specified in the application could reasonably be expected to prejudice
substantially the commercial interests of the applicant; and
(b) the
prejudice outweighs the public interest in the publication of the information;
the information is to be treated as exempt information for
the purposes of this Act.
(2) The Director must not grant an
application under subsection (1) in relation to basic information about a
chemical.
(2A) The Director must not grant under
subsection (1) an application under section 21AAA in relation to
information about the chemical name of a chemical unless the application
includes a trade name of the chemical.
(3) The Director must give the applicant
written notice of the decision about the application.
(4) Where the application is rejected, the
application is not to be taken to have been finalised under this section for
the purposes of the definition of exempt information in section 5
for 28 days after the giving of the notice or, where the applicant applies
during those days to the Tribunal under section 102 for the review of the
decision, until the application to the Tribunal is finalised.
76
Confidentiality by Director etc.
Subject to section 79, an officer
who has exempt information, and has it only because of performing functions or
duties under this Act, must not make a record of, or disclose, any of the
information except:
(a) in the course of carrying out
functions and duties under this Act; or
(b) by order of a court; or
(c) with the consent of the person
because of whose application the information is exempt information.
Division 9—Access to Assessment Information
78 Material
Safety Data Sheets to be available
Where a chemical for which an assessment
certificate has been given under section 46 has been introduced, the
Director must ensure that copies of the Material Safety Data Sheet (if any) for
the chemical current on the giving of the certificate are available for
inspection by the public at the prescribed times and on payment of the
prescribed fee (if any).
79
Disclosure of exempt information in certain circumstances
The Director must disclose exempt
information about a chemical to an inquirer if:
(a) the Director:
(i) is satisfied that the
inquiry is to get information for the protection of occupational health and
safety, public health or the environment; and
(ii) is satisfied that the
public interest in disclosure outweighs any commercial interest of the person
because of whose application the information is exempt information; and
(iii) has consulted that
person; and
(iv) in the case of
information given under a notification law—has consulted the authority to whom
the information was given; and
(v) in the case of
information given under an approved foreign scheme—has consulted the government
of the foreign country to whom the information was given; or
(b) the Director:
(i) is satisfied of the
matters referred to in subparagraphs (a)(i) and (ii); and
(ii) is satisfied that
delaying the disclosure to hold the consultations referred to in subparagraphs (a)(iii),
(iv) and (v) could result in danger to a person’s health or safety or to the
environment.
80
Notice of disclosure of information
(1) Where:
(a) the Director decides to disclose
information under paragraph 79(a); and
(b) a
person, authority or government consulted under subparagraph 79(a)(iii), (iv)
or (v) did not consent to the disclosure;
the Director must:
(c) give that person, authority or
government written notice of the decision; and
(d) delay disclosing the information
for 28 days after giving the notice, or, where the person applies during those
days to the Tribunal under section 102 for the review of the decision,
until the application is finalised.
(2) Where the Director discloses information
under paragraph 79(b), he or she must, as soon as practicable, give written
notice of the disclosure to the person, and to any authority or government, who
or that would have been consulted if paragraph 79(a) had applied.
Part 3A—Registration of introducers of industrial chemicals
Division 1—Preliminary
80A
Overview of this Part
(1) The purpose of this Part is to require
every person who introduces relevant industrial chemicals during a year, or who
proposes to do so, to become registered for the year. A person who does not
become registered might commit an offence.
(2) Every person who applies to be registered
must pay a prescribed fee for the application.
(3) However, broadly speaking, only those who
introduced chemicals of at least the threshold value last financial year, or
who propose to introduce chemicals of at least that value during this financial
year, must pay a registration charge. (A person who pays the charge at the
beginning of the year but who does not in fact introduce chemicals of at least
the threshold value during the year is entitled to a refund.)
80B
Person must be registered to introduce relevant industrial chemicals
(1) A person commits an offence if:
(a) the person introduces any relevant
industrial chemicals in a registration year; and
(b) either:
(i) the person is not
registered in relation to the registration year; or
(ii) at the time the
relevant chemicals are introduced, the person’s registration in relation to the
registration year is not in force.
Penalty: 300 penalty units.
(2) Strict liability applies to paragraph (1)(b).
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of
the Criminal Code.
Division 2—The Register
80C
Establishment of Register
(1) There is established a register to be
known as the Register of Industrial Chemical Introducers.
(2) The Register is to be kept by the
Director at a place and in a form that the Director determines in writing.
(3) The Register may be kept by electronic
means.
(4) The Director must ensure that the
Register is available for inspection by the public at times prescribed for the
purposes of this subsection.
80D
Content of Register
The Register must contain, in respect of
each person registered:
(a) the name and address of the
person; and
(b) the person’s registration number;
and
(c) such other information (other than
confidential commercial information concerning that person) as is prescribed.
Division 3—Registration
80E
Applying for new registration
(1) Any person may apply to the Director to
be registered in relation to a registration year.
(2) The application may be made at any time
before or during the registration year concerned.
(3) However, if:
(a) a person’s registration stops
being in force at the end of a registration year because the person did not
apply for renewal under section 80KA during that registration year; and
(b) after the start of the next
registration year, the person applies to be registered in relation to that next
registration year;
that application must not be dealt with as a new
application under this section, but must instead be dealt with as a late
renewal application under section 80KB.
80F
Application for new registration
An application for registration, in
relation to a particular registration year, must:
(a) be in the approved form; and
(b) contain the information required
by the form including, but without being limited to, information relating to
relevant industrial chemicals (if any) introduced by the applicant during the
previous financial year; and
(c) be accompanied by the prescribed
fee under section 110 in respect of the application; and
(e) if the person is a chargeable
person in relation to that registration year—be accompanied by:
(i) a registration charge
in relation to that registration year in the amount prescribed for the purposes
of paragraph 80T(2)(b); or
(ii) the amount prescribed
for the purposes of paragraph 80T(2)(a), paid on account of any registration
charge payable in relation to that registration year.
80G
Grant of application for new registration
(1) The Director must grant an application,
in relation to a registration year, if he or she is satisfied that the
application complies with section 80F.
(2) The Director must inform the applicant of
the grant by written notice.
(4) From the time the application is made to
the Director until the Director grants that application, the applicant is taken
to be registered in relation to the registration year.
80H
Certificate of registration
Once the Director grants an application,
he or she must:
(a) allot a registration number to the
person; and
(b) enter the information mentioned in
section 80D on the Register; and
(c) issue a registration certificate
to the person in relation to the registration year to which the application
relates.
80J
Registration period
(1) Subject to subsection (2), a
person’s registration is in force for the whole of the registration year to
which it relates.
(2) Subject to the operation of subsections
80G(4), 80KA(4) and 80KB(5) and (6), if a person becomes registered in relation
to a registration year after the start of that year, the person’s registration
is in force from the day on which the person’s name is entered in the Register
until the end of that year.
80K
Applying for renewal of registration
(1) A person who is registered in relation to
a particular registration year may apply for a renewal of registration in
relation to the next registration year.
(2) A renewal application must be made as
follows:
(a) in accordance with section 80KA;
and
(b) before the start of the next
registration year.
Note: Section 80KB deals with late renewal
applications.
80KA
Renewal applications made for next year
(1) A renewal application that is made as
referred to in subsection 80K(2) must:
(a) be in the approved form; and
(b) contain the information required
by the form; and
(c) if any of the information
previously given to the Director under section 80F, this section or
section 80KB is no longer accurate—contain the accurate information; and
(d) be accompanied by the fee
prescribed under paragraph 110(1)(ub) in respect of the renewal application;
and
(e) if the person is a chargeable
person in relation to that registration year—be accompanied by:
(i) a registration charge
in relation to that registration year in the amount prescribed for the purposes
of paragraph 80T(2)(b); or
(ii) the amount prescribed
for the purposes of paragraph 80T(2)(a), paid on account of any registration
charge payable in relation to that registration year.
(2) The Director must grant the renewal
application if he or she is satisfied that the application complies with the
requirements of subsection (1) and section 80K.
(4) If the Director does not grant the
renewal application before the start of the next registration year, the
applicant is taken to be registered in relation to that next registration year
until the Director grants the renewal application.
80KB
Late renewal applications are subject to a penalty
(1) If a person referred to in subsection
80K(1) makes an application for renewal of registration (a late renewal
application) after the time specified in paragraph 80K(2)(b), in
contravention of that paragraph, the person must pay the late renewal penalty
prescribed under subsection 110A(1).
(2) A late renewal application must:
(a) comply with the requirements of
paragraphs 80KA(1)(a) to (d); and
(b) be accompanied by the late renewal
penalty mentioned in subsection (1); and
(c) if the person is a chargeable
person in relation to that registration year—be accompanied by:
(i) a registration charge
in relation to that registration year in the amount prescribed for the purposes
of paragraph 80T(2)(b); or
(ii) the amount prescribed
for the purposes of paragraph 80T(2)(a), paid on account of any registration
charge payable in relation to that registration year.
(3) The Director must grant the late renewal
application if he or she is satisfied that the application complies with the
requirements of subsection (2).
(5) In relation to the late renewal
application, the applicant is taken to be registered in relation to the
relevant registration year:
(a) from the time the application is
made until the Director grants the renewal application; and
(b) when the Director grants the
renewal application—since the start of that registration year.
(6) However, subsection (5) does not
apply for the purposes of a prosecution under section 80B:
(a) that is in relation to the
introduction of relevant industrial chemicals that occurred in the registration
year for which the late renewal application is made; and
(b) for which the charge was laid
before the late renewal application was made.
80KC
Director must give notice of renewal decision
(1) In relation to a renewal application
under section 80KA or a late renewal application under section 80KB,
the Director must, by notice in writing, inform the applicant of the grant of
the application.
80L
Withdrawal of application
(1) An applicant may withdraw his or her
application for registration or renewal of registration at any time before the
application has been granted.
(2) The withdrawal must be by written notice
to the Director.
(3) If a person withdraws an application for
registration or renewal of registration, the Director must pay to the person,
on behalf of the Commonwealth, an amount equal to the amount paid as
registration charge, or on account of registration charge, payable in relation
to that registration or renewal.
80M
Time for dealing with applications
Subject to section 80N, the
Director must deal with an application for registration, or renewal of registration,
as follows:
(a) if the application is in relation
to the registration year in which the application is made or a previous
registration year—as soon as practicable but, in any case, within 30 days after
receipt of the application; and
(b) if the application is in relation
to the next registration year—as soon as practicable but, in any case, not
later than the later of:
(i) 30 days after the
start of that next registration year; and
(ii) 30 days after receipt
of the application.
80N
Director may require further information
(1) If the Director is satisfied that, for a
proper consideration of an application for registration or renewal, further
information is required, he or she may, by notice in writing given to the
applicant, require the applicant to provide the further information within a
period specified in the notice.
(2) In working out a period of 30 days
referred to in section 80M, the period starting with the giving of that
notice and ending with the provision of:
(a) the further information; or
(b) an explanation why that further
information cannot be provided;
must be disregarded.
(3) If the applicant fails either to provide
that further information or to explain why that further information cannot be
provided within the period allowed for providing that further information, the
application is taken to have been withdrawn at the end of that period.
80P
Cancellation or endorsement of registration in certain cases
(1) The Director must cancel a person’s
registration in relation to a particular registration year if the person’s name
was entered on the Register by mistake.
(2) The Director may correct the Register if
he or she is satisfied that any particulars recorded in relation to a person
whose name was entered on the Register were recorded in error.
(3) If, at any time during or after the end
of a registration year, the Director becomes satisfied for any reason that a
person registered in relation to that year will not, or did not, during that
year, introduce chemicals of a value equal to or exceeding the threshold value,
the Director must:
(a) endorse the Register with a
notation stating that he or she is so satisfied and indicating the reason for
being so satisfied; and
(b) if the person has paid an amount
as or on account of registration charge—notify the person in writing that the
person is entitled to be repaid that amount; and
(c) unless the person is a body
corporate that has ceased to exist because of a takeover or a merger—pay to the
person, on behalf of the Commonwealth, an amount equal to the amount paid as
registration charge, or on account of registration charge, payable in relation
to the registration year.
(4) It is a condition of registration that a
person who is registered in relation to a registration year must inform the
Director in writing:
(a) as soon as possible; and
(b) in any case, before August 31 of
that registration year;
if the person considers that, for any reason, it is
unlikely that the person will seek registration in relation to the next registration
year.
(5) Compliance with the condition set out in subsection (4)
in relation to a particular registration year does not prevent a person later
seeking registration in relation to that registration year.
80Q
Certain registered persons to provide final statements concerning introduction
(1) A person who, under subparagraph
80F(e)(ii), 80KA(1)(e)(ii) or 80KB(2)(c)(ii), has paid an amount on account of
the registration charge payable in relation to a registration year must, within
2 months after the end of that registration year or such longer period as the
Director allows, give the Director a written statement in the approved form
indicating the value of the relevant industrial chemicals actually introduced
by the person in that year.
(2) A person must not refuse or fail to
comply with subsection (1).
Penalty: 30 penalty units.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (3) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(4) For the purposes of an offence against subsection (2),
strict liability applies to the physical element, that the person fails as
mentioned in that subsection.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
80QA
Assessment of registration charge by Director in respect of certain registered
persons
(1) On the basis of the statement provided
under subsection 80Q(1) by a person registered in relation to a registration
year and of any other relevant information that is available to the Director,
the Director must issue an assessment in writing setting out:
(a) if registration charge is payable
by that person in relation to that year—the amount of charge so payable; and
(b) if registration charge is not
payable by that person in relation to that year—a statement to that effect; and
(c) if registration charge is payable
by that person but the person is entitled to be repaid the charge under
subsection 80P(3)—the amount of the charge so payable and the amount of the
repayment.
(2) The assessment issued in respect of a
person and a registration year must record the amount paid on account of
registration charge in relation to that year.
(3) If registration charge is payable in
relation to a registration year, any amount paid on account of that charge is,
by force of this subsection, applied in satisfaction of that charge.
(4) If the amount of registration charge
payable by a person in relation to a registration year exceeds the amount paid
on account of that charge, the person is required to pay an amount of charge
equal to the amount of the excess.
(5) In the circumstances referred to in subsection (4):
(a) the assessment must set out a date
(which may not be earlier than 28 days after the day the assessment is given)
by which charge equal to the amount of the excess referred to in that
subsection is required to be paid by the person to whom the assessment relates;
and
(b) if that amount is not so paid
within that period—it may be recovered from that person as a debt due to the
Commonwealth.
(6) An assessment is taken to be a decision
for the purpose of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975.
(7) The production of an assessment, or of a
document purporting to be an assessment, signed by the Director or a delegate
of the Director, is conclusive evidence:
(a) of the due making of the
assessment; and
(b) except in proceedings under
section 80QC on a review or appeal relating to the assessment—that the
amounts specified in the assessment and all the particulars of the assessment
are correct.
80QB
Fresh assessments
(1) Subject to subsection (2), if the
Director is satisfied that an assessment made under section 80QA is
incorrect, the Director may make a fresh assessment under that section in substitution
for the original assessment, whether or not registration charge has been fully
paid in respect of the original assessment.
(2) A fresh assessment may:
(a) if the original assessment was
based on false or misleading information given to the Director—be made at any
time; or
(b) otherwise—be made only within 4
years from the day on which charge became payable under the original
assessment.
80QC
Reconsideration and review of assessments
(1) A person who receives an assessment made
by the Director may, by written notice given to the Director within 21 days
after the day on which the person first received the assessment or such longer
period that the Director allows, request the Director to reconsider the
assessment.
(2) The person must set out in the request
reasons for making the request.
(3) Upon receipt of the request, the Director
must reconsider the assessment and, subject to subsection (4), may confirm
or revoke the assessment or vary the assessment in any manner that he or she
thinks fit.
(4) If the Director does not confirm, revoke
or vary an assessment within 21 days after the day he or she received the
request under subsection (1) to reconsider the assessment, he or she is
taken, at the end of that period, to have confirmed the assessment under subsection (3).
(5) If the Director confirms, revokes or
varies an assessment before the end of the period referred to in subsection (4),
the Director must, by written notice given to the person making the request,
tell the person the result of the reconsideration of the assessment and the
reasons for confirming, varying or revoking the assessment, as the case may be.
(6) A failure to comply with subsection (5)
does not affect the validity of the confirmation, revocation or variation.
(7) Applications may be made to the
Administrative Appeals Tribunal for review of assessments of the Director that
have been confirmed or varied under subsection (3).
(8) If an
assessment is taken, because of subsection (4), to be confirmed, section 29
of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 applies as if the
prescribed time for making application for review of the assessment were the
period beginning on the day on which the assessment is taken to be confirmed
and ending on the 28th day after that day.
(9) If a request is made under subsection (1)
in respect of an assessment, section 41 of the Administrative Appeals
Tribunal Act 1975 applies as if the making of the request were the making
of an application to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of the
assessment.
80QD
Retention of records by certain registered persons
(1) If:
(a) a person makes an application for
registration, or renewal of registration, in relation to a registration year;
and
(b) the Director grants that
application;
the person must retain, for 5 years after the end of that
registration year, such records relating to the introduction of industrial
chemicals in that year (whether introduced before, on or after, the day of
grant of the application) as are necessary to work out whether the registration
charge is payable and any amount of registration charge payable by the person
in relation to that year under paragraph 80T(2)(a) or (b).
Penalty: 30 penalty units
(2) Subsection (1) is an offence of
strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
80R
Transfer of registration
(1) Except as set out in subsections (2),
(3) and (4), the registration of a person is not transferable.
(2) If a registered person dies, the legal
personal representative of the person’s estate becomes the registered person
for the purposes of this Act.
(3) If a registered person becomes bankrupt,
the trustee of the estate of the bankrupt becomes the registered person for the
purposes of this Act.
(4) If a body corporate that is registered is
being wound up, the person appointed to be the liquidator of the body corporate
becomes the registered person for the purposes of this Act.
(5) If a person becomes a registered person
because of the operation of subsection (2), (3) or (4), the person must,
as soon as practicable, give the Director notice in writing:
(a) that the person is registered;
and
(b) of the reason why the person
became registered;
so that the Register can be appropriately updated.
(6) If:
(a) a body corporate appearing on the
Register is taken over by another person (whether or not appearing on the
Register); and
(b) as a result of that takeover the
body corporate ceases to exist;
that other person must notify the Director of particulars
of the takeover within 7 days after the takeover takes effect.
(7) If a body corporate appearing on the
Register and another body corporate (whether or not appearing on the Register)
merge to form a new body corporate, the new body corporate must notify the
Director of the merger within 7 days of its taking effect.
Division 4—Registration charge
80S
Registration charge
A chargeable person to whom registration
is granted in relation to a particular registration year (whether by way of
original application or renewal) is liable to pay a charge on the registration
imposed:
(a) so far as it is a duty of customs
within the meaning of section 55 of the Constitution—by the Industrial
Chemicals (Registration Charge—Customs) Act 1997; and
(b) so far as it is a duty of excise within
the meaning of section 55 of the Constitution—by the Industrial
Chemicals (Registration Charge—Excise) Act 1997; and
(c) so far as it is neither a duty of
customs nor a duty of excise within the meaning of section 55 of the
Constitution—by the Industrial Chemicals (Registration Charge—General) Act
1997.
80T
Amount of charge
(1) The rate of registration charge payable
by a chargeable person in relation to a registration year is an amount worked
out in accordance with subsection (2).
(2) The registration charge payable by a
chargeable person in relation to a financial year is:
(a) if:
(i) under subparagraph
80F(e)(ii), 80KA(1)(e)(ii) or 80KB(2)(c)(ii), the chargeable person has paid an
amount on account of registration charge in relation to the registration year;
and
(ii) the value of the
chemicals introduced in that year exceeds $500,000 but is less than $5,000,000;
the amount prescribed for the
purposes of this paragraph; and
(b) if:
(i) under subparagraph
80F(e)(ii), 80KA(1)(e)(ii) or 80KB(2)(c)(ii), the chargeable person has paid an
amount on account of registration charge in relation to the registration year;
and
(ii) the value of the
chemicals introduced in that year is equal to, or exceeds, $5,000,000;
the amount prescribed for the
purposes of this paragraph; and
(c) in any other case—the amount
prescribed for the purposes of paragraph (b).
80U
Waiver or remission of charge
The regulations may make provision:
(a) for the waiver by the Director of
registration charges payable by a person; and
(b) for the remission by the Director
of the whole or a part of registration charges otherwise payable by a person;
in circumstances identified in the regulations.
Division 5—Miscellaneous
80W
Power of the Director to obtain information
(1) If:
(a) the Director reasonably believes
that a person may introduce or may have introduced a relevant industrial
chemical during a particular registration year; and
(b) the person is not or was not
registered in relation to that registration year;
the Director may, by written notice, require the person to
give the Director any information relating to the introduction during the
period specified in the notice.
(2) The Director may, by written notice,
require a registered person to give to the Director any information relating to
the introduction by that person of relevant industrial chemicals during the
period specified in the notice.
(3) A person must not refuse or fail to
comply with a notice given to the person under this section.
Penalty: 30 penalty units
(4) Subsection (3) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (4) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(5) For the purposes of an offence against subsection (3),
strict liability applies to the physical element, that the person fails as
mentioned in that subsection.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
Part 3B—Standards for cosmetics imported into, or manufactured in, Australia
81
Setting standards
(1) The Minister may, by legislative
instrument, determine standards for cosmetics imported into, or manufactured
in, Australia, having regard to Australia’s international obligations.
(2) In addition to the requirement under the Legislative
Instruments Act 2003 for the instrument to be registered, a copy of the
instrument must be published in the Chemical Gazette. However, failure to
publish a copy does not affect the validity or enforceability of the
instrument.
81A
Complying with standards
A person commits an offence if, at a
particular time:
(a) the person imports into, or
manufactures in, Australia a cosmetic; and
(b) the cosmetic is subject to a
standard set under section 81; and
(c) the cosmetic does not meet the
standard.
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
Part 4—Enforcement
Division 1—Offences, injunctions and charge recovery
82
Knowledge of chemical to which charge relates
For the purposes of this Act, a person is to be taken to
have known that a chemical in respect of whose introduction the person has been
charged with an offence was, at the time of the introduction, a chemical of the
kind to which the charge relates if, having regard to:
(a) the person’s abilities,
experience, qualifications and other attributes; and
(b) all
the circumstances surrounding the alleged offence;
the person ought reasonably to have known, at the time of
the introduction, that the chemical was a chemical of that kind.
83
Injunctions
(1) Where a person has engaged, or is proposing
to engage, in any conduct that constituted or would constitute an offence
against:
(a) this Act or the regulations; or
(b) section 6 of the Crimes
Act 1914 in relation to an offence against this Act or the regulations; or
(c) section 11.1, 11.4 or 11.5 of
the Criminal Code in relation to an offence against this Act or the
regulations;
paragraph (the Federal Court may, on the application
of the Minister or any other person, grant an injunction restraining the person
from engaging in the conduct and, if in the Court’s opinion it is desirable to
do so, requiring the person to do any act or thing.
(2) Where in the opinion of the Court it is
desirable to do so, the Court may grant an interim injunction pending
determination of an application under subsection (1).
(3) The Court may rescind or vary an
injunction granted under subsection (1) or (2).
(4) The power
of the Court to grant an injunction restraining a person from engaging in
conduct may be exercised:
(a) whether or not it appears to the
Court that the person intends to engage again, or to continue to engage, in
conduct of that kind; and
(b) whether or not the person has
previously engaged in conduct of that kind; and
(c) whether or not the conduct
constitutes a serious and immediate risk of adverse health effects or adverse
environmental effects.
(5) The power of the Court to grant an
injunction requiring a person to do an act or thing may be exercised:
(a) whether or not it appears to the
Court that the person intends to refuse or fail again, or to continue to refuse
or fail, to do that act or thing; and
(b) whether or not the person has
previously refused or failed to do that act or thing; and
(c) whether or not there is a serious
and immediate risk of adverse health effects or adverse environmental effects
if the person refuses or fails to do that act or thing.
83A
Recovery of registration charge
Registration charge that is due and
payable is a debt due to the Commonwealth and may be recovered in a court of
competent jurisdiction.
Division 2—Inspectors
84
Appointment of inspectors
(1) The Director may, in writing, appoint a
person engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 to be an inspector.
(2) Arrangements may be made under section 71
of the Public Service Act 1999 for officers of the Public Service of a
State or Territory to exercise the powers and perform the functions of
inspectors.
85
Identity cards
(1) The Director must give an inspector an
identity card in a form approved by the Director, being a card having a recent
photograph of the inspector on it.
(2) Where a person in possession of an
identity card given to the person ceases to be an inspector, the person must
return the identity card to the Director as soon as practicable.
Penalty: 1 penalty unit.
(3) Subsection (2) is an offence of
strict liability.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
86
Searches to monitor compliance with Act etc.
(1) An inspector may, to the extent that it
is reasonably necessary for the purpose of ascertaining whether this Act or the
regulations have been complied with, enter any premises with the consent of
their occupier, being premises that the inspector has reasonable cause to
believe are premises to which this section applies, and:
(a) search the premises; or
(b) take photographs, or make
sketches, of the premises or any substance or thing at the premises; or
(c) take and keep samples of any
substance at the premises; or
(d) inspect any record or document
kept at the premises; or
(e) remove, or make copies of, any
such record or document.
(2) An inspector may apply to a magistrate
for a warrant under this section in relation to premises to which this section
applies.
(3) The magistrate may issue the warrant if
he or she is satisfied, by information on oath, that it is reasonably necessary
that the inspector should have access to the premises for the purpose of
finding out whether there is compliance with the requirements of this Act or
the regulations.
(4) A warrant is to:
(a) state the name of the inspector;
and
(b) authorise him or her, with such
assistance and by such force as is necessary and reasonable, to enter the
premises and to exercise the powers set out in subsection (1); and
(c) state whether the entry is
authorised to be made at any time of the day or night or during specified hours
of the day or night; and
(d) state a day, not being more that 6
months after the issue of the warrant, on which the warrant ceases to have
effect.
(5) This section applies to premises at which
there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that:
(a) an industrial chemical or a
cosmetic is being manufactured; or
(b) an industrial chemical or a
cosmetic, whether the chemical or cosmetic is imported into Australia or
manufactured in Australia, is being stored, processed or used; or
(c) records relating to the
importation, manufacturing, handling, storage, use or disposal of an industrial
chemical or a cosmetic are kept.
87
Offence‑related searches and seizures
(1) Where an inspector has reasonable grounds
for suspecting that there may be on any premises a particular thing that may
afford evidence as to the commission of an offence against this Act, the
inspector may:
(a) with the consent of the occupier
of the premises; or
(b) under
a warrant issued under subsection (2);
enter the premises, and:
(c) search the premises for the thing;
and
(d) if the inspector finds the thing
on or in the premises—seize the thing.
(2) Where an information on oath is laid
before a magistrate alleging that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting
that there may be upon or in any premises a particular thing that may afford
evidence as to the commission of an offence against this Act and the
information sets out those grounds, the magistrate may issue a search warrant
in accordance with the prescribed form authorising an inspector named in the
warrant with assistance, and by such force, as is necessary and reasonable, to
enter the premises and exercise the powers referred to in paragraphs (1)(c)
and (d) in respect of the thing.
(3) A magistrate must not issue a warrant
under subsection (2) unless:
(a) the informant or some other person
has given to the magistrate, either orally or by affidavit, such further
information (if any) as the magistrate requires concerning the grounds on which
the issue of the warrant is being sought; and
(b) the magistrate is satisfied that
there are reasonable grounds for issuing the warrant.
(4) A warrant issued under subsection (2)
must state:
(a) the purpose for which the warrant
is issued, and the nature of the offence in relation to which the entry and
search are authorised; and
(b) whether entry is authorised to be
made at any time of the day or night or during specified hours of the day or
night; and
(c) a description of the kind of
things to be seized; and
(d) a day, not being later than one
month after the day of issue of the warrant, upon which the warrant ceases to
have effect.
(5) If, in the course of searching under a
warrant issued under this section for a particular thing in relation to a
particular offence, an inspector finds a thing that the inspector believes, on
reasonable grounds, to be:
(a) a thing that will afford evidence
as to the commission of the offence, although not the thing specified in the
warrant; or
(b) a
thing that will afford evidence as to the commission of another offence against
this Act;
and the inspector believes, on reasonable grounds, that it
is necessary to seize that thing in order to prevent its concealment, loss or
destruction, or its use in committing, continuing or repeating the offence or
the other offence, the warrant is to be taken to authorise the inspector to
seize that thing.
(6) Where an inspector seizes any thing under
subsection (1), the inspector may keep the thing for up to 60 days after
the seizure or, if proceedings for an offence against this Act in respect of
which the thing may afford evidence are instituted within that period, until
the proceedings (including any appeal to a court in relation to those
proceedings) are completed.
(7) The Minister may authorise any thing
seized under subsection (1) to be released to the owner, or to the person
from whom the thing was seized, either unconditionally or on such conditions as
the Minister thinks fit.
(8) In this section:
offence against this Act includes:
(a) an offence against the
regulations; and
(b) an offence against section 6
of the Crimes Act 1914 in relation to an offence against this Act; and
(c) an offence against section 11.1,
11.4 or 11.5 of the Criminal Code in relation to an offence against this
Act.
88
Power to require information and documents
(1) Subject to subsection (2), an
inspector who has entered premises under this Division may, to the extent that
it is reasonably necessary for the purpose of ascertaining whether this Act or
the regulations have been complied with, require a person to answer any
questions put by the inspector and to produce any records or documents
requested by the inspector.
(2) An inspector is not entitled to make a
requirement of a person under subsection (1) unless the inspector first
produces his or her identity card for inspection by the person.
(3) A person must not refuse or fail to
answer a question or produce a record or document when required to do so under subsection (1).
Penalty: 30 penalty units.
(3A) Subsection (3) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (3A) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(4) A person is excused from providing
information or producing a record or document under subsection (1) on the
ground that the information or production might tend to incriminate the person.
89
Exempt information given to inspectors
(1) Where an inspector:
(a) requires a person to supply
information under section 88; or
(b) requires a person to produce a
document under section 88; or
(c) enters
premises under section 86;
the person required or the occupier of the premises may:
(d) apply to the Director in the
approved form that some or all of:
(i) the information
supplied; or
(ii) the information in the
document; or
(iii) the
information obtained because of the entry or the exercise of powers under
section 86;
as the case may, be treated as
exempt information under section 75; and
(e) inform the inspector of the
intention to apply and identify the information to which the application will
relate.
(2) Where a person informs an inspector of an
intention to make an application under paragraph (1)(c), then, until:
(a) the application is made; or
(b) the
end of 7 days after the inspector was informed;
whichever happens first, the application is to be taken to
have been made.
Part 5—Administration
90
Director
(1) There is to be a Director, National
Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme, who is to be appointed
by the Governor‑General.
(2) The Director is to be appointed on a full‑time
basis.
91
Functions of Director
(1) The Director has the functions conferred
on him or her by this Act.
(2) The Director must manage the day to day
administration of this Act and must do so under the direction of the Secretary
of the Department.
(3) The Secretary of the Department may
require the Director to perform functions or carry out duties for the
Department in relation to chemicals to the extent to which they do not
interfere with the performance of functions referred to in subsection (1)
or (2).
92
Terms and conditions of appointment of Director
(1) The Director holds office for the period,
not exceeding 5 years, specified in the instrument of appointment.
(3) The Director holds office on such terms
and conditions (if any) in respect of matters not provided for by this Act as
are determined by the Minister in writing.
93
Remuneration of Director
(1) The Director is to be paid such
remuneration as is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal.
(2) The Director is to be paid such
allowances as are prescribed.
(3) This section has effect subject to the
Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973.
94
Leave of absence of Director
(1) The Director has such recreation leave
entitlements as are determined by the Remuneration Tribunal.
(2) The Minister may grant the Director leave
of absence, other than recreation leave, on such terms and conditions as to
remuneration or otherwise as the Minister determines.
95
Resignation of Director
The Director may resign the office of
Director by signed instrument delivered to the Governor‑General.
96
Termination of appointment of Director
(1) The Governor‑General may terminate the
appointment of the Director for misbehaviour or physical or mental incapacity.
(2) The Governor‑General may terminate the
appointment of the Director if the Director:
(a) becomes bankrupt, applies to take
the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors,
compounds with his or her creditors or makes an assignment of his or her
remuneration for their benefit; or
(b) fails, without reasonable excuse,
to comply with section 98; or
(c) is absent from duty, except on
leave of absence, for 14 consecutive days or for 28 days of any period of 12
months; or
(d) engages in paid employment outside
the duties of the office of Director without the consent of the Minister.
97
Acting Director
(1) The Minister may appoint a person to act
as the Director:
(a) during a vacancy in the office of
Director, whether or not an appointment has previously been made to that
office; or
(b) during
any period, or during all periods, when the Director is absent from duty or
from Australia or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the duties of
that office;
but a person appointed to act during a vacancy is not to
continue so to act for more than 12 months.
(2) Anything done by or in relation to a
person purporting to act under such an appointment is not invalid merely because:
(a) the occasion for the appointment
had not arisen; or
(b) there was a defect or irregularity
in connection with the appointment; or
(c) the appointment had ceased to have
effect; or
(d) the occasion to act had not arisen
or had ceased.
98 Disclosure
of interests of Director
The Director must give written notice to
the Minister of all direct or indirect pecuniary interests that the Director
has or may have in any business, or in any body corporate carrying on a
business.
99
Arrangements relating to staff of the Department
(1) The Secretary of the Department may make
the services of employees in the Department available for the purposes of
assessing chemicals under this Act or assisting in the administration of this
Act.
(2) While a person is performing services
made available under subsection (1), that person must do so in accordance
with the directions of the Director and not otherwise.
(3) The functions or duties of the Director
referred to in subsection 91(3) may be functions or duties relating to the
control of employees in the Department referred to in subsection (1) of
this section while they are performing functions and duties for the Department.
100
Arrangements relating to staff of Departments
(1) The
Secretary of the Department may arrange with an Agency Head (within the meaning
of the Public Service Act 1999) for the services of officers or
employees in the Agency to be made available for the purposes of assessing
chemicals under this Act.
(2) While a person is performing services
under an arrangement under this section, that person shall perform his or her
functions and duties in accordance with the directions of the Director and not
otherwise.
100A
Industrial Chemicals Account
(1) The Industrial Chemicals Account is
established.
(2) The Account is a Special Account for the
purposes of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
100B
Credits to Account
(1) There must be credited to the Account the
following:
(b) any amount of registration charge
or amount on account of registration charge paid under section 80F, 80KA,
80KB or 80S;
(c) any registration charge actually
paid on an assessment under section 80QA or on a reconsideration or review
of such an assessment;
(d) any fees received under subsection
110(1);
(e) amounts equal to amounts received
by the Commonwealth in connection with the performance of the Director’s
functions under this Act or the regulations;
(f) amounts equal to money received
by the Commonwealth for services provided or to be provided, by or on behalf of
the Commonwealth, using amounts standing to the credit of the Account;
(g) amounts equal to interest received
by the Commonwealth from the investment of amounts standing to the credit of
the Account;
(h) amounts
equal to money received by the Commonwealth in relation to property paid for
with amounts standing to the credit of the Account;
(i) amounts equal to amounts of any
gifts given or bequests made for the purposes of the Account;
(j) amounts equal to receipts
relating to the recovery of debts (other than debts in respect of statutory
fines and penalties) by the Commonwealth that are associated with expenditure
of amounts standing to the credit of the Account.
Note: An Appropriation Act provides for amounts to
be credited to a Special Account if any of the purposes of the Account is a
purpose that is covered by an item in the Appropriation Act.
100C
Purposes of the Account
(1) The purposes of the Account are to make
payments:
(a) to further the object of this Act
(as set out in section 3); and
(b) without limiting paragraph (a):
(i) to enable the Director
to perform functions under this Act and the regulations; and
(ii) to enable the Director
to make payments, on behalf of the Commonwealth, under Part 3A; and
(c) to enable the Commonwealth to
participate:
(i) in the international
harmonisation of regulatory controls or standards on industrial chemicals and
other related activities; and
(ii) the development of
international agreements and arrangements in relation to industrial chemicals;
and
(d) otherwise in connection with the
performance of the Director’s functions under this Act or the regulations.
(2) Without limiting paragraph (1)(d),
payments in connection with the performance of the Director’s functions under
this Act or the regulations include payments in connection with litigation,
administrative review or other proceedings in relation to the performance of
those functions.
Part 5A—Information exchange under the Rotterdam Convention
Division 1—Definitions
100D
Definitions
In this Part:
Australia’s designated national
authority means the Department, agency or person who is Australia’s designated national authority:
(a) for the purposes of Article 4 of
the Convention; and
(b) for industrial chemicals.
Convention means the Rotterdam Convention on
the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and
Pesticides in International Trade, done at Rotterdam on 10 September 1998,
as amended by any amendment of the Convention that has entered into force for Australia.
Note: The text of the Convention is set out in
Selected Documents on International Affairs Series 1998 No. 4619. In 2004
this was available in the Australian Treaties Library of the Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade, accessible through that Department’s website.
If the Convention enters into force for Australia, the text of the Convention may be set out in the Australian Treaty Series (also
available in that Library).
notified industrial chemical means an
industrial chemical that has at any time been the subject of a notification by Australia, or any other Party to the Convention, in any of the ways mentioned in paragraphs
1 and 2 of Article 5 of the Convention.
Secretariat means the Secretariat established
under Article 19 of the Convention.
Division 2—Notification of final regulatory action
100E
Notification of final regulatory action
Scope of section
(1) This section relates to Australia’s obligations under paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Convention.
Director to notify Australia’s designated national
authority
(2) The Director must notify Australia’s designated national authority in writing if the Director is satisfied that the
Commonwealth has one or more laws banning or severely restricting the use of an
industrial chemical in Australia.
(3) The Director must also notify Australia’s designated national authority in writing if the Director is satisfied that both
of the following apply:
(a) one or more of the following:
(i) a State;
(ii) the Australian Capital
Territory;
(iii) the Northern Territory;
have one or more laws banning or
severely restricting the use of an industrial chemical in their jurisdiction;
(b) the law or those laws have the
effect of banning or severely restricting the use of the industrial chemical in
Australia.
(4) A notification under subsection (2)
or (3) must:
(a) specify the industrial chemical;
and
(b) specify the relevant provisions of
the law or those laws; and
(c) contain the information set out in
Annex 1 to the Convention to the extent that it is available; and
(d) occur as soon as practicable after
the Director is so satisfied.
Australia’s designated national authority to notify
Secretariat
(5) Australia’s designated national authority
must then give the Secretariat written notice of the information set out in the
Director’s notification.
(6) Australia’s designated national authority
must do so as soon as possible, but no later than 90 days, after the first day
on which all of the relevant provisions of the law or those laws are in force.
Director to make information available in the Chemical
Gazette
(7) The Director must publish in the Chemical
Gazette a notice setting out the information referred to in paragraphs (4)(a)
and (b). The Director must do so as soon as practicable after the Director’s
notification.
(8) The Director may also publish in that
Gazette a notice setting out all or any of the information referred to in paragraph (4)(c).
Division 3—Exchange of certain information about industrial chemicals
100F
Exchange of certain information about industrial chemicals
Scope of section
(1) This section relates to Australia’s obligations under paragraph 1(a) of Article 14 of the Convention.
Director to give information to Australia’s designated national authority
(2) The Director must, as soon as practicable
after 1 February in each year, give Australia’s designated national
authority such information of the kind mentioned in paragraph 1(a) of Article
14 of the Convention, as the Director considers appropriate, about a notified
industrial chemical that was obtained during the 12 months ending on that date.
Australia’s designated national authority to give
information to Secretariat etc.
(3) Australia’s designated national authority
must then give the Secretariat the information as soon as practicable after
receiving it.
(4) Australia’s designated national authority
may also give a country that is a Party to the Convention, or the appropriate
authority of such a country, all or any of that information.
Division 4—Information gathering
100G
Director may obtain information and documents
Making of request
(1) If the Director believes on reasonable
grounds:
(a) that a person has particular
information or a particular document; and
(b) that it is necessary to obtain the
information or document to allow Australia to comply with its obligations under
the Convention;
the Director may request the person to give the
information, or produce the document, to the Director.
Form of request
(2) A request given to a person under subsection (1)
must:
(a) be made in writing; and
(b) state what information the person
must give, or what document the person must produce, to the Director; and
(c) specify the day on or before which
the person must give the information or produce the document (which must be a
day at least 14 days after the day on which the Director makes the request);
and
(d) specify how the person is to give
the information, or produce the document, to the Director; and
(e) contain a statement to the effect
that a failure to comply with the request is an offence.
Offence
(3) A person commits an offence if the person
fails to comply with a request given to the person under subsection (1).
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
100H
Self‑incrimination
(1) An individual is not excused from giving
information or producing a document under section 100G on the ground that
the information or the production of the document might tend to incriminate the
individual or expose the individual to a penalty.
(2) However:
(a) the information given or the document
produced; or
(b) giving the information or
producing the document; or
(c) any information, document or thing
obtained as a direct or indirect consequence of giving the information or
producing the document;
is not admissible in evidence against the individual in
criminal proceedings other than:
(d) proceedings for an offence against
subsection 100G(3); or
(e) proceedings for an offence against
section 137.1 or 137.2 of the Criminal Code that relates to this
Division.
100J
Copies of documents
The Director may inspect a document
produced under section 100G and may make and retain copies of, or take and
retain extracts from, such a document.
100K
Director may retain documents
(1) The Director may take, and retain for as
long as is necessary, possession of a document produced under section 100G.
(2) The person otherwise entitled to
possession of the document is entitled to be supplied, as soon as practicable,
with a copy certified by the Director to be a true copy.
(3) The certified copy must be received in
all courts and tribunals as evidence as if it were the original.
(4) Until a certified copy is supplied, the
Director must, at such times and places as the Director thinks appropriate,
permit the person otherwise entitled to possession of the document, or a person
authorised by that person, to inspect and make copies of, or take extracts
from, the document.
Part 6—Miscellaneous
101
Legal proceedings not to lie
No action or other proceeding lies
against the Commonwealth or an officer in respect of any loss incurred, or any
damage suffered, because of reliance on an assessment made or a report prepared
under this Act.
102
Application for review
(1) Subject to the Administrative Appeals
Tribunal Act 1975, an application may be made to the Tribunal for review
of:
(a) a decision by the Minister for the
purposes of subsection 30(1), (3) or (5), 31A(3), 31B(3), 44(5), 51(1), 57(6),
61(2), 67(1), 68(6) or 68A(5); or
(b) a decision by the Director for the
purposes of subsection 14(4), 17(4), 18A(2) or 19(7), 20AA(6) or 21H(1) or (2),
section 21L or subsection 21U(3), 21W(3), (4) or (6), 22F(4), 22H(5) or
(6), section 22J, subsection 24(1), (3) or (4), 27(1), (2) or (4), 28(2),
30A(3) or 30C(1), section 33C, paragraph 37(2)(b), subsection 40(6),
paragraph 40F(3)(b) or 44(1)(d) or (2)(b), subsection 58(3) or 60E(5), 65(1) or
(2), 69(1), 73(6) or 75(1), paragraph 79(a) or subsection 80Q(1), 80QA(1) or
80QC(1) or (3); or
(c) the condition of use to which a
controlled use permit is subject under subsection 22H(1); or
(d) a decision by the Director under
section 13A to include or vary particulars in the Inventory in respect of
a chemical; or
(e) a final decision by the
Director under subsection 15AA(7).
(1A) A person may not make an application for
review under paragraph (1)(d) in respect of a decision to include or vary
particulars in the Inventory in respect of a chemical if:
(a) the person could have made or did
make an application in respect of a refusal under paragraph 37(2)(b) to vary an
assessment report about the chemical; and
(b) the variation sought by the person
related to recommendations in the report that were the same as or similar to
the particulars.
Note: For example, a person applies for review of a
refusal to vary recommendations in an assessment report relating to conditions
of use for a particular chemical. Under subsection (1A), the person is not
entitled to apply for review of a decision to include the same or similar
conditions of use for the chemical in the Inventory.
(2) In subsections (1) and (1A):
decision has the same meaning as in the Administrative
Appeals Tribunal Act 1975.
103
Statement to accompany notice of decisions
(1) Where the Minister or the Director makes
a decision of a kind referred to in subsection 102(1) and gives to a person
whose interests are affected by the decision notice in writing of the decision,
that notice is to include a statement to the effect that:
(a) subject to the Administrative
Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, application may be made by or on behalf of that
person to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for review of that decision; and
(b) except where subsection 28(4) of
that Act applies, application may be made in accordance with section 28 of
that Act by or on behalf of that person for a statement in writing setting out
the findings on material questions of fact, referring to the evidence or other
material on which those findings were based and giving the reasons for the
decision.
(2) Any contravention of subsection (1)
in relation to a decision does not affect the validity of the decision.
104
Delegation by Minister
The Minister may by signed instrument
delegate to:
(a) the holder of an office
established by an Act; or
(b) the person holding or performing
the duties of the office of Secretary of the Department; or
(c) an SES employee, or acting SES
employee, in the Department;
all or any of the Minister’s functions or powers under
this Act, other than those under sections 30, 41 and 43, subsections 61(2)
and 67(1) and sections 83 and 105.
104A
Delegation by Director
The Director may, by signed instrument,
delegate to a person:
(a) whose classification level appears
in Group 7 or 8 of Schedule 1 to the Classification Rules under the Public
Service Act 1999; or
(b) who is acting in a position
usually occupied by a person with a classification level of the kind mentioned
in paragraph (a);
all or any of the Director’s functions or powers under
this Act, other than those under subsection 14(4), 17(4) or 19(6) or (7),
section 15AA, 15AB, 24 or 30A, subsection 37(2), section 38, 44, 50B,
60E or 60F or this section.
105
Variation of Schedule
(1) The Minister may, by instrument published
in the Chemical Gazette, declare that the Schedule is to be taken to be amended
in a manner specified in the instrument, and that declaration has effect
accordingly.
(2) The instrument is a disallowable
instrument for the purposes of section 46A of the Acts Interpretation
Act 1901.
(3) For the purposes of section 8 of the
Acts Interpretation Act 1901, a declaration under subsection (1)
that is taken to amend the Schedule by way of repealing part of it is to be
taken to be an Act that repeals that part.
(4) The Minister is to cause all necessary
action to be taken to ensure that, where the Schedule is taken to be amended by
a declaration in force under subsection (1), a copy of the Schedule as
taken to be amended is available for inspection by the public at the prescribed
places at the prescribed times, and on payment of the prescribed fee (if any).
106
International agreements or arrangements on movements of industrial chemicals
into or out of Australia
(1) If an industrial chemical:
(a) is the subject of a prescribed
international agreement to which Australia is a party; or
(b) is the subject of a prescribed
international arrangement that provides for countries to ban, restrict or
otherwise regulate the introduction or export of the chemical for the purposes
of protecting the environment, public health or occupational health and safety;
the regulations may prohibit the introduction or export of
the chemical, either absolutely or subject to such conditions or restrictions
as are prescribed.
(2) A regulation for the purposes of subsection (1)
must not be made unless:
(a) the Director has published in the
Chemical Gazette a notice:
(i) identifying the
agreement or arrangement; and
(ii) listing the name or
names by which the chemical is known to the public; and
(iii) requiring all persons
who introduce the chemical into, or export the chemical from, Australia to give to the Director information in the approved form about movements of the
chemical into or out of Australia; and
(b) a period of 30 days has elapsed
since the notice was published.
(3) The Minister may inform a country, the
appropriate authority of a country or a relevant international organisation
regarding movements into or out of Australia of a chemical specified in
regulations made for the purposes of subsection (1).
(4) The Minister may give information under subsection (3)
in such terms and on such conditions as the Minister thinks fit, having regard
to:
(a) the requirements of the relevant
international agreement or arrangement; and
(b) the interest of any person in
maintaining confidentiality in relation to movements of the chemical.
(5) A person who introduces or exports an
industrial chemical in contravention of a regulation made for the purposes of subsection (1)
or of a condition or restriction prescribed by such a regulation, is guilty of
an offence punishable on conviction by a fine not exceeding 300 penalty units.
(6) Subsection (5) does not apply if the
person has a reasonable excuse.
Note: A defendant bears an evidential burden in
relation to the matter in subsection (6) (see subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal
Code).
(7) For the purposes of an offence against subsection (5),
strict liability applies to the physical element, that the introduction or
exportation of the industrial chemical is in contravention of a regulation or
condition as mentioned in that subsection.
Note: For strict liability, see
section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.
107
Chemical Gazette
The Director must take all necessary
action to ensure that a copy of each Chemical Gazette that contains a notice
under this Act is available for inspection by the public at the prescribed
places at the prescribed times.
108
Annual report
(1) The Director must, as soon as practicable
after the end of each financial year, prepare and submit to the Minister a
report on the operation of this Act during that year.
(2) The Minister is to cause a copy of the
report to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of
that House after its receipt by the Minister.
(3) If this Act does not commence at the
beginning of a financial year, this section has effect in relation to the
period beginning at the commencement of this Act and ending on the next 30 June
as if:
(a) if the period is less than 6
months—the period were included in the next financial year; or
(b) in any other case—the period were
a financial year.
109
Conduct by servants or agents
(3) Where it is necessary to establish, for
the purposes of this Act or the regulations, the state of mind of a person
other than a body corporate in relation to particular conduct, it is sufficient
to show:
(a) that the conduct was engaged in by
a servant or agent of the person within the scope of his or her actual or
apparent authority; and
(b) that the servant or agent had the
state of mind.
(4) Any conduct engaged in on behalf of a
person other than a body corporate by a servant or agent of the person within
the scope of his or her apparent authority is to be taken, for the purposes of
this Act and the regulations, to have been engaged in also by the first‑mentioned
person unless the first‑mentioned person establishes that the first‑mentioned
person took reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to avoid the
conduct.
(5) Where:
(a) a person other than a body
corporate is convicted of an offence; and
(b) the
person would not have been convicted of the offence if subsections (3) and
(4) had not been enacted;
the person is not liable to be punished by imprisonment
for that offence.
(6) A reference in subsection (3) to the
state of mind of a person includes a reference to:
(a) the knowledge, intention, opinion,
belief or purpose of the person; and
(b) the person’s reasons for the
intention, opinion, belief or purpose.
(8) A reference in this section to engaging
in conduct includes a reference to failing or refusing to engage in conduct.
110
Fees
(1) Regulations may prescribe fees, or a
method of calculating fees to be paid to the Commonwealth in respect of each of
the following:
(aa) an application under section 13B
that is made after 28 days of the giving of an assessment certificate;
(a) an application under subsection
14(3);
(b) an application under subsection
17(3) to be the holder of a confidence;
(c) an application under subsection
18A(1);
(caaa) a statement under subsection 19(4);
(ca) an application under section 21B
for a commercial evaluation permit;
(cb) an application under section 21B
for a renewal of a commercial evaluation permit;
(cc) an application under section 21R
for a low volume permit;
(cd) an application under section 21R
for a renewal of a low volume permit;
(ce) an application under section 22B
for a controlled use permit;
(cf) an application under section 22B
for a renewal of a controlled use permit;
(e) an application under section 23
for an assessment certificate, not being an application to which paragraph
41(3)(d) or subsection 44(1) applies;
(ea) an application under section 23A
for a self‑assessed assessment certificate;
(f) an application under section 24
to vary the requirements of section 23;
(fa) an application under
section 21AAA that information be treated as exempt information;
(g) an application under section 21P,
21ZB, 22O, 25, 29, 30A, 40D, 42, 45, 50, 60, 66 or 89 that information be
treated as exempt information;
(h) an application under section 30
for an introduction permit;
(ha) an application under section 30A
for an early introduction permit;
(j) an application under section 37
for the variation of a recommendation;
(k) an application under section 40
for the variation of a recommendation;
(ka) an application under section 40A
for extension of an original assessment certificate;
(m) an application for an assessment
certificate, being an application to which paragraph 41(3)(d) applies;
(n) a nomination under subsection
43(3) of a foreign scheme;
(p) an application for an assessment
certificate, being an application to which subsection 44(1) applies;
(s) secondary notification required
by section 65;
(u) an inquiry under section 79;
(ua) an application for registration
under section 80F;
(ub) an application for renewal of
registration under subsection 80KA(1) or 80KB(2).
(1A) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(ea),
the regulations may prescribe different fees or different methods of
calculating fees for an application under section 23A in respect of
different chemicals or different classes of chemicals.
(2) Fees are due and payable in such manner
and at such time or times as are prescribed.
(3) Where a fee that is required to be paid
at the time of making an application or inquiry is not so paid, the application
or inquiry is to be taken not to have been duly made.
(4) Where a fee that is required to be paid
by a particular date after the making of an application or inquiry is not paid
by that date, the application or inquiry is to be taken to have been withdrawn
at that date, but the withdrawal of the application or inquiry does not affect
any liability for the payment of any fee in respect of work done in respect of
the application or inquiry before it is taken to have been so withdrawn.
(5) The regulations may prescribe
circumstances in which the Director may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, wholly
or partly waive or remit fees that would otherwise be payable under this
section.
(6) A prescribed fee is not to be such as to
amount to taxation.
110A
Late renewal penalties
(1) Regulations may prescribe late renewal
penalties, or a method of calculating late renewal penalties, to be paid to the
Commonwealth under section 80KB in respect of late renewal applications.
(2) A late renewal penalty is due and payable
in the manner prescribed.
(3) If a late renewal penalty is not paid at
the time the late renewal application is made, the application is to be taken
not to have been duly made.
(4) The regulations may prescribe
circumstances in which the Director may, on behalf of the Commonwealth, wholly
or partly waive or remit late renewal penalties that would otherwise be payable
under this section.
110B
Approved forms may be electronic
A form approved by the Director for the
purposes of this Act may be an electronic form.
110C
Chemical Gazette to be publicly available
The Director must ensure that the
Chemical Gazette is made publicly available.
111
Regulations
The Governor‑General may make
regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing matters:
(a) required or permitted by this Act
to be prescribed; or
(b) necessary
or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act;
and, in particular:
(c) declaring that a specified new
industrial chemical may be introduced even though the person introducing it
does not hold an assessment certificate in force in relation to it, if the
chemical is:
(i) a new industrial
chemical that is similar to a listed industrial chemical or to an industrial
chemical that has been assessed under Part 3; or
(ii) a substance or mixture
of substances of a kind referred to in paragraph (f) of the definition of agricultural
chemical in subsection 7(2); or
(iii) a substance or mixture
of substances of a kind that is declared by regulations made under the Agricultural
and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1988 not to be a veterinary chemical product
for the purposes of that Act; and
(d) prescribing the matters to be
included in arrangements under section 41; and
(e) prescribing penalties not
exceeding, in the case of a natural person, a fine of 10 penalty units and, in
the case of a body corporate, a fine of 50 penalty units for offences under the
regulations.