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1.
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Notifying
Member: AUSTRALIA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and
7.2):
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2.
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Agency
responsible:
Department
of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and
website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle
comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from
above:
Australian
WTO TBT Enquiry Point
Office of
Global Trade Negotiations
Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Canberra ACT
0221
tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au
+61
2 6261 1111
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3.
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Notified
under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ],
other:
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4.
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Products
covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS
numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
·_
Benzene,
hexachloro- (Hexachlorobenzene)
·_
1,1'-Biphenyl,
chloro derivatives (Polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs)
·_
Polychlorinated
terphenyls (PCTs)
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5.
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Title,
number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposed management standards for high-risk industrial chemicals:
·_
Proposed
decision – Hexachlorobenzene (1 2 page(s), in English)
·_
Proposed
decision – Polychlorinated biphenyls (13 page(s), in English)
·_
Proposed
decision – Polychlorinated terphenyls (16 page(s), in English)
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6.
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Description
of content: The Industrial
Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) has been developed by
all Australian governments to efficiently and effectively manage the risks of
industrial chemicals to the environment, while providing consistent
requirements for businesses across Australia. The IChEMS Register records
standards for the environmental management of chemicals, including risk
management measures for specific industrial uses. In turn, the Australian
federal government and each state and territory government will enact
legislation to implement the standards in their jurisdictions.
The proposed
decisions will assign the following chemicals, and mixtures and articles
containing the chemicals, to Schedule 7 of the Register. This will prohibit
their import, manufacture, use and export in Australia, with exceptions for
unintentional trace contamination, research, environmentally sound disposal,
and for articles in use prior to the standards' date of entry into force.
·_
Benzene,
hexachloro- (Hexachlorobenzene)
·_
1,1'-Biphenyl,
chloro derivatives (Polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs)
·_
Polychlorinated
terphenyls (PCTs)
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7.
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Objective
and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: The proposed standards aim to:
·_
Allow Australia
to fulfil its obligations for Stockholm Convention listed persistent organic
pollutants (POPs) that have industrial uses.
·_
Achieve better
protection of the environment through improved management of the
environmental risks posed by industrial chemicals.
·_
Provide a nationally
consistent, transparent, predictable and streamlined approach to
environmental risk management of industrial chemicals for governments,
industry and the community.
<;
Protection of the environment
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8.
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Relevant
documents:
Relevant documents:
·_
Proposed
decision – Hexachlorobenzene
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Proposed
decision – Polychlorinated biphenyls
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Proposed
decision – Polychlorinated terphenyls
·_
Further
supporting documents are available at: Consultation hub | Public comments on
IChEMS proposed decisions - Climate Change (dcceew.gov.au)
·_
Further
information on IChEMS is available at: Industrial Chemicals Environmental
Management Standard - IChEMS - DCCEEW
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9.
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Proposed
date of adoption: 31 December 2024
Proposed date of entry into force: 1 July 2025
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10.
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Final
date for comments: 25 October 2024
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11.
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Texts available from: National enquiry
point [ ] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website
addresses, if available, of other body:
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/AUS/24_06329_00_e.pdf
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/AUS/24_06329_01_e.pdf
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/AUS/24_06329_02_e.pdf
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