Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981

A person commits an offence against this section if, otherwise than in accordance with a permit, the person:

loads controlled material on a vessel, aircraft or platform in Australia or Australian waters:

knowing that it will be dumped into the sea or incinerated at sea; or

reckless as to whether it will be dumped into the sea or incinerated at sea; or

loads controlled material on any Australian vessel or Australian aircraft:

knowing that it will be dumped into the sea or incinerated at sea; or

reckless as to whether it will be dumped into the sea or incinerated at sea.

An offence against this section is punishable, on conviction, as follows:

if it is proved that any of the offending material is seriously harmful material—imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine up to 2,000 penalty units, or both;

if it is proved that any of the offending material is not within Annex 1 to the Protocol—imprisonment for up to 2 years or a fine up to 500 penalty units, or both;

in any other case—imprisonment for up to 1 year or a fine up to 250 penalty units, or both.