Hazardous waste reform program

The Department is working on reform of the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 and associated regulations to ensure that Australia effectively and efficiently meets its international obligations and national policy objectives for managing hazardous waste.

There are five elements to the reform program:

  • Amending the Act – to update compliance and enforcement provisions, improve administrative processes and permit assessment criteria and update cost recovery arrangements
  • Improving the provision and quality of public information on hazardous waste infrastructure and capacity
  • Developing options in consultation with the States and Territories for nationally consistent arrangements on hazardous waste data collection and reporting
  • Developing options in consultation with the States and Territories for a nationally consistent system for tracking movements of hazardous waste
  • Harmonising hazardous waste and related regulatory arrangements where possible.

Commissioned studies

The Department has commissioned a number of studies to inform the reform program.