Environment Protection Act 1997. Country/Territory Australia Territorial subdivision Australian Capital Territory Document type Legislation Date 1997 (2017) Source FAO, FAOLEX Long titleAn Act to provide for the protection of the environment, and for related purposes. Subject Environment gen., Water Keyword Framework law Institution Environmental audit Environmental planning Dispute settlement Court/tribunal Registration Enforcement/compliance Authorization/permit Offences/penalties Policy/planning Freshwater resources management Sustainable development Geographical area Asia and the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Indian Ocean, Oceania, South Pacific Abstract The particular objects of this Act are: to protect and enhance the quality of the environment; to prevent environmental degradation and adverse risks to human health and the health of ecosystems by promoting pollution prevention, clean production technology, reuse and recycling of materials and waste minimisation programs; to require people engaging in polluting activities to make progressive environmental improvements, including reductions of pollution at the source as such improvements become practical through technological and economic development; to achieve effective integration of environmental, economic and social considerations in decision-making processes; to promote the concept of a shared responsibility for the environment by acknowledging environmental needs in economic and social decision-making; and through public education about and public involvement in decisions about protection, restoration and enhancement of the environment; to promote the principles of ecologically sustainable development; to regulate, reduce or eliminate the discharge of pollutants and hazardous substances into the air, land or water consistent with maintaining environmental quality; to allocate the costs of environmental protection and restoration equitably and in a way that encourages responsible use of, and reduces harm to, the environment with polluters bearing the appropriate share of the costs that arise from their activities; to provide for the monitoring and reporting of the environmental quality on a regular basis in conjunction with the commissioner for the environment; to control the generation, storage, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste with a view to reducing, minimising and, where practical, eliminating harm to the environment; to adopt a precautionary approach when assessing environmental risk to ensure that all aspects of environmental quality, including ecosystem sustainability and integrity and beneficial use of the environment, are considered in assessing, and making decisions in relation to, the environment; to ensure that contaminated land is managed having regard to human health and the environment; and to 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 a significant risk of material environmental harm or serious environmental harm. Full text English Website www.austlii.edu.au References - Legislation Implemented by Environment Protection Regulation 2005. Legislation | Australia | 2005 (2017) Keyword: Institution, Environmental audit, Environmental planning, Dispute settlement, Court/tribunal, Registration, Enforcement/compliance, Authorization/permit, Offences/penalties, Policy/planning, Freshwater pollution, Sustainable development, Sustainable use, Ecosystem preservation, Pollution control Source: FAO, FAOLEX