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Hazardous waste

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts administers and implements the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 ('the Act'). The Act was developed to enable Australia to comply with specific obligations under the Basel Convention (Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal), a Convention set up to control the international movements of hazardous wastes. More about the Hazardous Waste Act

What's new

Exports to Non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Countries - August 2005
Used Lead Acid Batteries - August 2005
Hazwaste snapshot newsletter - March 2005
Criteria for the export and import of used electronic equipment - March 2005

What we do

The main functions performed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts in relation to hazardous waste include:

Processing of export, import and transit permit applications under the Act;
Ensuring compliance and enforcement with the Act;
Preparing, implementing and amending legislation relating to the international movements of hazardous waste to, from or through Australia;
Formulating and implementing policies relating to the international movements of hazardous waste to, from or through Australia;
Providing administrative assistance to the Hazardous Waste Technical Group which has been established to provide guidance to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on hazardous waste management;
Participating in International forums such as the Basel Convention and OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) which deal with the international movements of hazardous waste; and
Consulting, preparing and providing information to stakeholders on the Act and the permit process.

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is the official competent authority for Australia under the Basel Convention and this function is administered by the Hazardous Waste Section.

Who do I contact?

For further information in relation to the international movement of hazardous waste please contact the Hazardous Waste Section as follows:

Hazardous Waste Section
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia

Phone: 02 6274 1411
Fax: 02 6274 1164
Email: hwa@environment.gov.au

You can call in and see us by appointment.