National and international regulatory frameworks
National chemical management schemes and international agreements support the framework for regulating potentially harmful chemicals in NSW.
National chemical management schemes and regulators
National frameworks exist to consistently manage chemicals with an industrial use, as well as chemicals used in food, human and veterinary medicines and pesticides.
Industrial chemicals
The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) assess the health and environmental risks of the use of new and existing industrial chemicals in Australia. The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water undertakes the environmental risk assessment of industrial chemicals for AICIS.
The Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) establishes nationally consistent standards for managing environmental risks arising from the import, manufacture, export, use and disposal of industrial chemicals throughout their lifecycle. The national IChEMS register applies in NSW under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act) administered by the NSW EPA.
Food additives
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) assess food additives for their safety and appropriate consumption levels, and administers the Food Standards Code to regulate the use of additives and other chemicals used in (or with) food. Food standards are enforced by the states and territories.
Human medicines
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates therapeutic products (medicines and medical devices) throughout their lifecycle through risk assessment, post-market monitoring and enforcement of standards. Depending on their level of risk, medicines must be registered or listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods before they can be supplied in or exported from Australia.
Pesticides and veterinary chemicals
The National Registration Scheme for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (NRS) is administered by a partnership of Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). The APVMA regulates agricultural chemicals (including pesticides) and veterinary medicines - collectively known as agvet chemicals - up to and including the point of retail sale. State and territory agencies are responsible for regulating the use of agvet chemicals after the point of sale.
International chemicals agreements
Australia is a signatory to several international agreements which require stringent approaches to managing hazardous chemicals. These include:
- the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), a policy framework for international action on chemical hazards
- the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) - including PCBs, certain organochlorine compounds such as DDT, and dioxins. The Convention is implemented in Australia under the National Implementation Plan. In NSW, most POPs are managed under chemical control orders (CCOs), as well as via the IChEMS register.
- the Minamata Convention on Mercury – a multilateral environmental agreement that addresses the adverse effects of mercury. Australia signed the Minamata Convention on 10 October 2013 and became a full party to the convention on 7 March 2022.
More information on Australia's participation in international chemical agreements is available on the AICIS website.