Environmental Risk Management of Industrial Chemicals Background - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Environmental Risk Management of Industrial Chemicals

Background

In scope

• Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Chemical

Reforms to establish a National Standard for Environmental Risk Management of Industrial Chemicals

Out of scope

• Reforms to the National Industrial Chemicals

Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS)

• The Australian Government Department of Industry,

Innovation and Science’s review of Commonwealth chemicals assessment functions

Reforms relating to industrial chemicals

• 2006 COAG chemicals & plastics a ‘regulatory hotspot’
• 2008 Productivity Commission’s Research Report on Chemicals & Plastics

Regulation a. current regimes effective in managing risks to health & safety b. management of environmental risks from industrial chemicals across jurisdictions fragmented, inefficient, & ineffective c. infrequent and inconsistent uptake of risk management measures based on NICNAS recommendations d. no institutional mechanism/ national body to i. consider NICNAS environmental risk management recommendations ii. consult with state and territory environment agencies iii. develop risk management decisions iv. coordinate implementation by the states & territories

Background to Reforms to Environmental Risk Management

• 2008 COAG agreed to commission’s recommendations &

tasked environment ministers with implementing reforms

• 2013 Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) led

to proposal to develop a National Standard

• 2015 Decision RIS canvassed in detail.

a. Three options for implementation: b. Preferred (2): i. cooperative approach ii. National Standard and decision-making powers established under Commonwealth legislation iii. automatically adopted under jurisdictions’ legislation

Background to Reforms to Environmental Risk Management

• 1. To achieve better protection of the environment

through improved management of the environmental risks posed by industrial chemicals.

• 2. To provide a nationally consistent, transparent,

predictable and streamlined approach to environmental risk management of industrial chemicals for governments, industry & the community.

Objectives of the Reforms to Environmental Risk Management

Overview of Timeline for Implementation

• Improving confidence that potentially harmful, high risk chemicals

are subject to appropriate & consistent environmental measures across the nation

• Making it simpler & more cost-effective for industry to fulfil its
• bligations by streamlining current systems, reducing

fragmentation, and improving harmonisation, transparency, simplicity & consistency

• Improved outcomes through improving understanding of chemicals

and their effect on the environment to inform choices about chemicals & identify areas needing greater attention

• Help meet international obligations for sound management of

chemicals, for example under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Benefits of a National Standard

The draft National Standard

The National Standard concept

The proposed schedules

Concern Category Schedule High Concern Schedule 8 - Prohibited High Concern Schedule 7 - Restricted Intermediate Concern Schedule 6 - Substances with a potentially significant and long lasting impact on the environment Intermediate Concern Schedule 5 - Substances with a potentially significant impact on the environment Intermediate Concern Schedule 4 - Hazardous, higher risk substances Intermediate Concern Schedule 3 - Hazardous, moderate risk substances Low Concern Schedule 2 - Hazardous, low risk substances Low Concern Schedule 1 - Not hazardous and low hazard substances

Proposed criteria for scheduling

Please refer to page 27 in Discussion Paper

Proposed criteria for scheduling

Please refer to page 28 in Discussion Paper

General process for scheduling

Please refer to page 15 in Discussion Paper

Risk Management Measures

• Each Schedule under the National Standard will have a set
• f defined risk management measures.
• Risk management measures refer to the directive controls

that will be scheduled under the National Standard.

• As the Schedules increase, the concern a substance poses

to the environment increases.

• The greater the concern to the environment, the more

stringent the risk management measures need to be to prevent harm to the environment.

• Risk management measures will be developed in

consultation with governments, industry & the community

• ver the coming months

Risk management measures

Risk management measures should:

• aim to prevent harm to the environment
• be implementable
• be enforceable
• be appropriate
• be proportionate
• not result in unintended negative effects beyond the

intended use of a chemical & resulting exposure

• aim to complement existing controls undertaken by

businesses, where appropriate

Risk management measures

Principles

• The following general measures are proposed for

all industrial chemicals:

a. Take reasonable measures to avoid unnecessary intentional release of a chemical substance directly to the environment b. In industrial settings, ensure good housekeeping measures prevent release of chemicals into the environment c. Avoid implementing measures that will result in adverse effects on the environment that are not directly related to the identified hazards of a chemical substance

Risk management measures

General Use

• Schedule 1 chemicals are those for which it is determined

there is low concern and they are not hazardous or are substances with low hazard characteristics

• No additional risk management measures beyond the

general use measures will apply

• Schedule 2 chemicals are hazardous to the environment,

but are used in volumes and such that the concentration in the environment will be much less than the concentration likely to cause harm to the environment. An example of a proposed risk management measures include:

• Neutralise chemical substance prior to release to the

environment

Risk management measures

Low Concern (Schedules 1 & 2)

• Schedule 3 chemicals are hazardous to the environment,

but are used in volumes and in a way that the concentration in the environment will be less than the concentration likely to cause harm to the environment

• Schedule 3 chemical substances may also have unknown

effects arising from characteristics such as being a nanomaterial or persistent with potential but unknown long- term effects.

• The proposed risk management measures aim to limit

release of a chemical into the environment (air, water, soil)

Risk management measures

Intermediate Concern (Schedule 3)

• Schedules 4 to 6 include chemicals for which the quantity

released to the environment has the potential to have adverse effects on the environment, or for which risk is not quantified but the chemicals are

• perfluorinated or
• bioaccumulative or
• have endocrine-disrupting potential
• Proposed risk management measures are more stringent

than Schedule 3 chemicals and aim to prevent release of a chemical into the environment (air, water, soil). This may be through stricter disposal & release measures than for Schedule 3.

Risk management measures

Intermediate Concern (Schedules 4 to 6)

• Schedule 7 – Restricted Substances
• Schedule 8 – Prohibited Substances
• All chemicals that are determined to be High Concern will

be reviewed by the Advisory Committee

Risk management measures

High Concern Chemicals (Schedule 7 & 8)