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Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989
In force
Administered by
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
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C2024C00489 (C21)
14 October 2024
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Part 1—Preliminary
Division 1—Introductory
1 Short title
2 Commencement
3 Object and aims
Division 2—Interpretation
4 Interpretation—defined terms
4A Exports and transits to foreign countries—extended meaning of hazardous waste
4B Transit proposals
4C Article 11 arrangements
4D Treatment of colonies etc.
4E Environmentally sound management of hazardous waste
4F Article 11 arrangements—substances taken to be hazardous waste
4G Article 11 arrangements—substances not classified as hazardous waste
7 Failure to comply with permit condition when required is breach of condition
Division 3—Operation of Act
9 Extension to external Territories
9A Extraterritorial operation
9B Geographical application of offences
10 Act binds Crown
10A Application of the Criminal Code
11 Relationship between Act and other Commonwealth laws
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Part 2—Import permits, export permits and transit permits
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Division 1—Applications for permits
12 Applications for import permits
13 Applications for export permits
13A Applications for transit permits
13B Basel permit or special permit
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Division 2—Special permits under a set of Article 11 regulations
13C Regulations may give effect to Article 11 arrangements
13D Contents of a set of Article 11 regulations
13E Special permit may be granted under a set of Article 11 regulations only if corresponding requirements of other sets of Article 11 regulations have been met
13F Special permit—waste not to be brought into Antarctica
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Division 3—Grant of Basel permits
14 Variation of applications for Basel permits
15 Minister may request further information about an application
15A Acknowledgment and notification
16 Period for making decision on application for Basel permit—default period
16A Period for making decision on application for Basel permit—extensions for Basel export permits
16B Period for making decision on application for Basel permit—extensions for Basel permits
16C Period for making decision on application for Basel permit—referrals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
16D Period for making decision on application for Basel permit—extension agreed with applicant
17 Grant of Basel import permits and Basel export permits
17A Grant of transit permits
18 Determination of whether applicant has appropriate insurance
18A Export permits for final disposal may be granted only in exceptional circumstances
18B Basel permit may be granted only if the corresponding requirements of Article 11 regulations have been met
19 Applicants to be notified of decisions
19A Foreign countries to be notified of decision about grant of import permit
20 Matters to be specified in Basel import permits
21 Matters to be specified in Basel export permits
21A Matters to be specified in Basel transit permits
22 Basel permits may be granted subject to conditions
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Division 4—Revocation, surrender and variation of Basel permits
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Subdivision A—Revoking Basel permits
24 Revoking Basel permits—grounds
24A Revoking Basel permits—notice of proposed revocation
24B Notice of revocation
24C Exhaustive statement of natural justice hearing rule
Subdivision B—Surrendering Basel permits
25 Surrender of Basel permits
Subdivision C—Varying Basel permits: on application
26 Varying Basel permits on application
26A Minister may request further information about an application
26B Period for making a decision on an application—default period
26C Period for making a decision on an application—extensions for Basel export permits
26D Period for making a decision on an application—extensions for Basel permits
26E Period for making a decision on an application—referrals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
26F Period for making a decision on an application—extension agreed with applicant
26G Notice of variation
Subdivision D—Varying Basel permits: on Minister’s initiative
26H Varying Basel permits on Minister’s initiative—grounds
26J Varying Basel permits—notice of proposed variation
26K Notice of variation
26L Exhaustive statement of natural justice hearing rule
Division 5—Miscellaneous
32 Applications and notices to be accompanied by fees
32A Applications to be accompanied by levy
33 Publication of certain particulars on Department’s website
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Part 2A—Regulation of import, export, transit and sale of hazardous waste
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Division 1—Regulation of import of hazardous waste
33A Import of hazardous waste—basic contravention
33B Import of hazardous waste—injury or damage to human beings or the environment
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Division 2—Regulation of export of hazardous waste
33C Export of hazardous waste—basic contravention
33D Export of hazardous waste—injury or damage to human beings or the environment
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Division 3—Regulation of transit of hazardous waste
33E Transit of hazardous waste—basic contravention
33F Transit of hazardous waste—injury or damage to human beings or the environment
33G Notice that transit permit not required
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Division 4—Regulation of sale of hazardous waste
33H Regulation of sale of hazardous waste
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Part 3—Ministerial orders in relation to hazardous waste
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Division 1—Ministerial orders
34 Orders relating to import of hazardous waste
35 Orders relating to export of hazardous waste
35A Orders relating to transit of hazardous waste
36 Orders to remedy or mitigate damage
38 Orders authorising import of exported hazardous waste where it cannot be dealt with as intended
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Division 2—Contravention of orders
38A Orders to remedy or mitigate damage if order under section 34, 35, 35A or 38 not complied with
38B Minister may take action and recover costs if order under section 34, 35, 35A, 36, 38 or 38A not complied with
38C Failure to deal with waste in contravention of order under section 34, 35 or 35A—basic contravention
38D Failure to deal with waste in contravention of order under section 34, 35 or 35A—injury or damage to human beings or the environment
38E Failure to deal with waste in contravention of order under section 36 or 38A
38F Failure to deal with waste in contravention of order under section 38—basic contravention
38G Failure to deal with waste in contravention of order under section 38—injury or damage to human beings or the environment
38H Failure to give information in contravention of order under this Part
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Part 4A—Transportation of waste substances through transit countries where an export permit under this Act is not required
41A Transporting substance through transit country without approval
41B Approval of transportation of substances through transit countries
41C Notifiable substances in relation to transit countries
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Part 4B—Record keeping, information and confidentiality
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Division 1—Record keeping and information gathering
41D Requirement to make and retain records
41E Requirement to give information or produce documents
41F Self incrimination
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Division 2—Authorised uses and disclosures of relevant information
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Subdivision A—Authorised uses and disclosures by Minister
41G Disclosure of relevant information to Commonwealth entities
41H Disclosure of relevant information to State or Territory government body
41J Disclosure for the purposes of law enforcement
41K Disclosure to reduce serious risk to human health
41L Disclosure to reduce serious risk to the environment
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Subdivision B—Authorised uses and disclosures by entrusted person
41M Disclosure for the purposes of an Act
41N Publicly available information
41P Person to whom information relates
41Q Disclosure with consent
41R Person who provided information
41S Summaries or statistics
41T Disclosure to a court, tribunal etc.
41U Use for the purposes of disclosure
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Subdivision C—Offences
41V Unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information—entrusted person
41W Unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information—official of Commonwealth entity
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Part 5—Compliance powers
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Division 1—Inspectors
42 Appointment of inspectors
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Division 2—Powers of inspectors
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Subdivision A—Monitoring and investigation powers
43 Monitoring powers
44 Modifications of monitoring powers
45 Investigation powers
46 Modifications of investigation powers
47 Additional monitoring and investigation powers—control movement of vessels and aircraft etc.
48 Additional monitoring and investigation powers—production of permits and orders for import or export
49 Additional monitoring and investigation powers—production of transit permits
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Subdivision B—Audit powers
50 Audits
51 Single audit or program of audits may be required
52 Relevant person for an audit
53 Conduct of audit
54 Relevant person for an audit must provide assistance
55 Powers of auditors
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Part 5AA—Enforcement powers
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Division 1—Civil penalty provisions
56AA Civil penalty provisions
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Division 2—Infringement notices
56AB Infringement notices
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Division 3—Enforceable undertakings
56AC Enforceable undertakings
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Division 4—Injunctions
56AD Injunctions
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Part 5A—Arrangements by Minister
56A Arrangements by Minister
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Part 6—Miscellaneous
57 Review of decisions
58 Statement to accompany notification of decision
58A Extended standing of individuals and organisations to seek judicial review
58B Evidentiary certificate—classification of hazardous waste
58C Evidentiary certificate—environmentally sound management of hazardous waste
58D Regulations defining hazardous waste—Minister must consult
58F Contravening an offence provision or a civil penalty provision
59 Conduct of directors, employees and agents
59A Nomination of address for service of documents
59B Service of summons or process on foreign corporations—criminal proceedings
60 Delegation by Minister
60A Delegation by Secretary
61 Annual report
62 Regulations
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Endnotes
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history