Ozone

Licences and reporting requirements

Equivalent carbon price for synthetic greenhouse gases
From 1 July 2012, an equivalent carbon price will be applied to certain synthetic greenhouse gases - hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons (excluding gases produced from aluminium smelting) and sulfur hexafluoride (including equipment or products which contain these gases).

Import, export and manufacture of ODSs and SGGs

Licences

Pre-charged equipment

Forms

Online licensing system

ALL licence applications and quarterly reports should now be submitted ONLINE. Old paper forms will NOT be accepted.

About licences and reporting

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (the Act) controls the manufacture, import and export of a range of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) and synthetic greenhouse gases (SGGs) in Australia.

The specific ODSs controlled are: chlorofluorocarbon (CFC); halon 1211, 1301 and 2402; CCl4(Carbon tetrachloride); CH3CCl3 (Methyl chloroform); hydrobromofluorocarbon (HBFC); hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC); Methyl bromide; and bromochlormethane (BCM). Two SGGs are controlled, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and perfluorocarbon (PFC).

The import, export and manufacture of these 'controlled substances', and the import and manufacture of certain products containing or designed to contain some of these substances, is prohibited in Australia unless the correct licence or exemption is held. The Act also prohibits the import and manufacture of products that contain or rely upon chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), including foams blown with CFCs.

All licences to import or export ozone depleting substances carry a condition that the licensee must only import or export the substance from a country that has ratified the Montreal Protocol and relevant subsequent Amendments.

There are four types of licences and one exemption.

  1. Pre-charged equipment licences: used to import airconditioning and refrigeration equipment that contain a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) or hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC).
  2. Controlled substances licences: used to import (in bulk), export and manufacture hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), known as SGGs (synthetic greenhouse gases), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and methyl bromide.
  3. Essential uses licences: Since 1996 the Act has prohibited the import, export and manufacture of CFCs, halons, CH3CCl3(Methyl chloroform), CCl4(Carbon tetrachloride), and BCMs without an essential uses licence. Such licences are only granted for a strictly limited range of essential uses approved by the parties to the Montreal Protocol.
  4. Used substance licences: Since 1996 the Act has prohibited the import and export of used or recycled HCFCs, Methyl bromide, BCMs, CFCs, halon, CCl4(Carbon tetrachloride) and CH3CCl3(Methyl chloroform) without a used substance licence.
  5. Section 40 Exemptions: The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (the Act) prohibits the import or manufacture of products listed in Schedule 4 of the Act that contain or use a specified ozone depleting substance unless an exemption under section 40 of the Act has been approved.

Licensees are required to report the type and amount of ODS & SGG manufactured, including in pre-charged equipment exported and imported to the department every 3 months.

Reports may be lodged at any time before the 15th day following the end of each reporting period (including at any time during the relevant reporting period).

If no imports or exports were made during a reporting period, a 'nil' report is still required.

Reporting Period Reports Due
1 January – 31 March 15 April
1 April – 30 June 15 July
1 July – 30 September 15 October
1 October – 31 December 15 January

If you imported a scheduled substance for use as a feedstock or purchased CFCs or HCFCs in Australia with the intention of exporting it for use on board ships or aircraft you are also required to provide quarterly reports to the department. Contact the reporting officer at ozonereporting@environment.gov.au to lodge a report. It is an offence to fail to comply with this requirement, in respect of which substantial penalties apply.

If you have any questions about reporting you may contact the Reporting Officer on 02 6274 1740.

More information

For more information please contact the Ozone and Synthetic Gas Team, on:
Phone: +61 2 6274 1373 or +61 2 6274 1740
email: ozone@environment.gov.au

For translating and interpretation assistance telephone 131 450

For translating and interpretation assistance telephone 131 450

Licences & reporting

Import, export and manufacture of ODS and SGG

Licences

Application & reporting

Guidelines

Clean Energy Future

Carbon price
Under the Australian Government's Clean Energy Future Plan, synthetic greenhouse gases listed under the UNFCCC and thr Kyoto Protocol will have an equivalent carbon price applied through the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management legislation.