Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT 1997 - SECT 3C

    (1)     The objects of this Act are to—

        (a)     protect and enhance the quality of the environment; and

        (b)     prevent environmental degradation and risk of harm to human health by promoting the following:

              (i)     pollution prevention;

              (ii)     clean production technology;

              (iii)     reuse and recycling of materials;

              (iv)     waste minimisation programs; and

        (c)     require people engaging in polluting activities to make progressive environmental improvements; and

        (d)     achieve effective integration of environmental, economic, social and cultural considerations in decision-making processes; and

        (e)     facilitate the implementation of national environment protection measures under national scheme laws; and

        (f)     provide for the monitoring and reporting of environmental quality on a regular basis; and

        (g)     ensure that contaminated land is managed having regard to human health and the environment; and

        (h)     coordinate activities needed to protect, restore or improve the ACT environment; and

              (i)     establish a process for investigating and, where appropriate, remediating land areas where contamination is causing or is likely to cause a significant risk—

              (i)     of harm to human health; or

              (ii)     of material environmental harm or serious environmental harm.

    (2)     In this section:

"national scheme law" means—

        (a)     the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994

(Cwlth); and

        (b)     the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994

.