Environment Protection Act 1997

The objects of this Act are to—

protect and enhance the quality of the environment; and

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

pollution prevention;

clean production technology;

reuse and recycling of materials;

waste minimisation programs; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

of harm to human health; or

of material environmental harm or serious environmental harm.

In this section:

national scheme law means—

the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 (Cwlth); and

the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994.