POLLUTION AND WASTE: OZONE DEPLETION

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (Cth) covers the global environmental problem of the thinning of the ozone layer caused by the use of various human-made chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons. This Commonwealth law gives effect to Australia’s international treaty obligations under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol.

Under the Act, the Commonwealth has provided for a system of licences and tradeable quotas for import and export of scheduled substances and controls their manufacture, use and disposal so as to limit their emission.

Scheduled substances include CFCs and halons as set out in schedule 1 of the Act.