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Commonwealth act
This Act controls the movement of hazardous waste (toxic, dangerous or environmentally harmful materials) into, out of, and through Australia. Think of it as Australia's border control system specifically for dangerous rubbish.
1. Permit System You cannot import, export, or transit (pass through Australia) hazardous waste without a government permit. There are different permit types depending on whether you're bringing waste in, sending it out, or just passing it through.
2. Serious Penalties for Violations
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Direct links to the current provisions in Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989.
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View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
3. International Treaty Obligations The Act gives effect to the Basel Convention — a major international treaty that prevents wealthy countries from dumping hazardous waste on developing nations. Australia cannot issue permits to export hazardous waste to countries that haven't signed this treaty.
4. Antarctica Is Off-Limits No permits can be granted if hazardous waste could end up in Antarctica.
5. Public Transparency All permit applications and decisions are published on the government's website, and the public can comment on applications.
6. Ministerial Powers The Minister can:
7. Special Arrangements with Specific Countries Special permit pathways exist for trade with OECD countries (wealthy, developed nations like the UK, USA, and Japan) under separate bilateral or multilateral agreements.
Without this law, Australia could become a dumping ground for the world's most dangerous waste, or Australian companies could cheaply dump toxic materials in countries with weaker protections. This Act prevents that by requiring proper oversight, international consent, and environmentally responsible handling of all hazardous waste crossing Australia's borders.