Western Australian Consolidated Acts

[Index] [Table] [Search] [Search this Act] [Notes] [Noteup] [Download] [Help]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1986 - NOTES

Notes

1 This is a compilation of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and includes the amendments made by the other written laws referred to in the following table 1a. The table also contains information about any reprint.

Compilation table

Short title

Number and year

Assent

Commencement

Environmental Protection Act 1986

87 of 1986

10 Dec 1986

s. 1 and 2: 10 Dec 1986;
Act other than s. 1 and 2: 20 Feb 1987 (see s. 2 and Gazette 20 Feb 1987 p. 440)

Acts Amendment (Public Service) Act 1987 s. 32

113 of 1987

31 Dec 1987

16 Mar 1988 (see s. 2 and Gazette 16 Mar 1988 p. 813)

Financial Administration Legislation Amendment Act 1993 s. 11

6 of 1993

27 Aug 1993

1 Jul 1993 (see s. 2(1))

Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1993 5

34 of 1993

16 Dec 1993

s. 1 and 2: 16 Dec 1993;
Act other than s. 1 and 2: 14 Jan 1994 (see s. 2 and Gazette 14 Jan 1994 p. 69)

Acts Amendment (Public Sector Management) Act 1994 s. 19

32 of 1994

29 Jun 1994

1 Oct 1994 (see s. 2 and Gazette 30 Sep 1994 p. 4948)

Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 1994 s. 4

73 of 1994

9 Dec 1994

9 Dec 1994 (see s. 2)

Planning Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1994 s. 46(1) and (6)

84 of 1994

13 Jan 1995

1 Mar 1995 (see s. 2 and Gazette 21 Feb 1995 p. 567)

Water Agencies Restructure (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 1995 s. 188

73 of 1995

27 Dec 1995

1 Jan 1996 (see s. 2(2) and Gazette 29 Dec 1995 p. 6291)

Reprint of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 7 Mar 1996
(includes amendments listed above)

Local Government (Consequential Amendments) Act 1996 s. 4

14 of 1996

28 Jun 1996

1 Jul 1996 (see s. 2)

Planning Legislation Amendment Act 1996 Pt. 3

23 of 1996

11 Jul 1996

4 Aug 1996 (see s. 2 and Gazette 2 Aug 1996 p. 3615)

Financial Legislation Amendment Act 1996 s. 64

49 of 1996

25 Oct 1996

25 Oct 1996 (see s. 2(1))

Acts Amendment (Assemblies and Noise) Act 1996 Pt. 3

50 of 1996

31 Oct 1996

4 Dec 1996 (see s. 2 and Gazette 3 Dec 1996 p. 6695)

Transfer of Land Amendment Act 1996 s. 153(1)

81 of 1996

14 Nov 1996

14 Nov 1996 (see s. 2(1))

Acts Amendment (Land Administration) Act 1997 Pt. 25

31 of 1997

3 Oct 1997

30 Mar 1998 (see s. 2 and Gazette 27 Mar 1998 p. 1765)

Statutes (Repeals and Minor Amendments) Act 1997 s. 54

57 of 1997

15 Dec 1997

15 Dec 1997 (see s. 2(1))

Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1998 6

14 of 1998

21 May 1998

s. 1-3, 21, 26, 27, 29, 32-34, 36 and 37: 21 May 1998 (see s. 2(1));
s. 20: 1 Jul 1998 (see s. 2(2) and Gazette 26 Jun 1998 p. 3369);
s. 4, 6-9, 11, 12 and 14 (to the extent that it inserts Pt. VIA heading, Div. 3 and 4 headings and s. 99Q-99X and 99Z-99ZB), 15-19, 22-25, 28, 30, 31 and 35: 1 Jul 1998 (see s. 2(3) and Gazette 26 Jun 1998 p. 3369);
s. 10, 13 and 14 (to the extent that it inserts Div. 1 and 2 headings and s. 99A-99P and 99Y): 8 Jan 1999 (see s. 2 and Gazette 8 Jan 1999 p. 35);
s. 5: 10 Sep 2005 (see s. 2 and Gazette 9 Sep 2005 p. 4155)

Reprint of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 16 Apr 1999 (includes amendments listed above except those in the Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1998 s. 5)

Midland Redevelopment Act 1999 s. 71

38 of 1999

11 Nov 1999

1 Jan 2000 (see s. 2 and Gazette 31 Dec 1999 p. 7059)

Reprint of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 7 Jul 2000 (includes amendments listed above except those in the Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1998 s. 5)

Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Act 2000 s. 84

49 of 2000

28 Nov 2000

10 Jan 2001 (see s. 2 and Gazette 10 Jan 2001 p. 163)

Criminal Property Confiscation (Consequential Provisions) Act 2000 s. 13(1) 7

69 of 2000

6 Dec 2000

1 Jan 2001 (see s. 2 and Gazette 29 Dec 2000 p. 7903)

Hope Valley-Wattleup Redevelopment Act 2000 s. 37

77 of 2000

7 Dec 2000

1 Jan 2001 (see s. 2 and Gazette 29 Dec 2000 p. 7904)

Corporations (Consequential Amendments) Act 2001 Pt. 23

10 of 2001

28 Jun 2001

15 Jul 2001 (see s. 2 and Gazette 29 Jun 2001 p. 3257 and Cwlth Gazette 13 Jul 2001 No. S285)

Armadale Redevelopment Act 2001 s. 69

25 of 2001

26 Nov 2001

23 Mar 2002 (see s. 2 and Gazette 22 Mar 2002 p. 1651)

Reprint of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 11 Jan 2002 (includes amendments listed above except those in the Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1998 s. 5 and the Armadale Redevelopment Act 2001)

Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2003 8-12

54 of 2003 (as amended by No. 8 of 2009 s. 54)

20 Oct 2003

s. 1 and 2: 20 Oct 2003;
Act other than s. 1, 2, 37, 54(2), 55, 72(2) and (4), 75(3) and (4) and Pt. 9: 19 Nov 2003 (see s. 2 and Gazette 18 Nov 2003 p. 4723);
s. 37, 54(2), 55, 72(2) and (4), 75(3) and (4) and Pt. 9: 8 Jul 2004 (see s. 2 and Gazette 30 Jun 2004 p. 2581)

Contaminated Sites Act 2003 s. 100

60 of 2003
(as amended by No. 40 of 2005 s. 13)

7 Nov 2003

1 Dec 2006 (see s. 2 and Gazette 8 Aug 2006 p. 2899)

Courts Legislation Amendment and Repeal Act 2004 s. 141

59 of 2004

23 Nov 2004

1 May 2005 (see s. 2 and Gazette 31 Dec 2004 p. 7128)

Criminal Procedure and Appeals (Consequential and Other Provisions) Act 2004 s. 80 and 82

84 of 2004

16 Dec 2004

2 May 2005 (see s. 2 and Gazette 31 Dec 2004 p. 7129 (correction in Gazette 7 Jan 2005 p. 53))

Reprint 5: The Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 16 Sep 2005 (includes amendments listed above except those in the Contaminated Sites Act 2003)

Planning and Development (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005 s. 15

38 of 2005

12 Dec 2005

9 Apr 2006 (see s. 2 and Gazette 21 Mar 2006 p. 1078)

Machinery of Government (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2006 Pt. 7 Div. 2

28 of 2006

26 Jun 2006

1 Jul 2006 (see s. 2 and Gazette 27 Jun 2006 p. 2347)

Financial Legislation Amendment and Repeal Act 2006 s. 4 and Sch. 1 cl. 59

77 of 2006

21 Dec 2006

1 Feb 2007 (see s. 2(1) and Gazette 19 Jan 2007 p. 137)

Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 s. 100 (Sch. 4 cl. 2(1), (2), (4) and (5)) 13, 14

36 of 2007

21 Dec 2007

Sch. 4 cl. 2(1), (2) and (4):
9 Jan 2008 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 8 Jan 2008 p. 33);
Sch. 4 cl. 2(5): 1 Jul 2008 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 20 Jun 2008 p. 2705)

Water Resources Legislation Amendment Act 2007 s. 194 

38 of 2007

21 Dec 2007

1 Feb 2008 (see s. 2(2) and Gazette 31 Jan 2008 p. 251)

Reprint 6: The Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 11 Apr 2008 (includes amendments listed above, except those in the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 Sch. 4 cl. 2(5))

Statutes (Repeals and Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2009 s. 53

8 of 2009

21 May 2009

22 May 2009 (see s. 2(b))

Acts Amendment (Bankruptcy) Act 2009 s. 35

18 of 2009

16 Sep 2009

17 Sep 2009 (see s. 2(b))

Bush Fires Amendment Act 2009 s. 20

25 of 2009

17 Nov 2009

1 Dec 2009 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 1 Dec 2009 p. 4829)

Approvals and Related Reforms (No. 3) (Crown Land) Act 2010 Pt. 4

8 of 2010

3 Jun 2010

18 Sep 2010 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 17 Sep 2010 p. 4757)

Standardisation of Formatting Act 2010 s. 4

19 of 2010

28 Jun 2010

11 Sep 2010 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 10 Sep 2010 p. 4341)

Approvals and Related Reforms (No. 4) (Planning) Act 2010 Pt. 2 Div. 2 Subdiv. 1

28 of 2010

19 Aug 2010

22 Nov 2010 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 19 Nov 2010 p. 5709)

Public Sector Reform Act 2010 s. 89

39 of 2010

1 Oct 2010

1 Dec 2010 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 5 Nov 2010 p. 5563)

Approvals and Related Reforms (No. 1) (Environment) Act 2010

40 of 2010

28 Oct 2010

Pt. 1 other than s. 3: 28 Oct 2010 (see s. 2(a));
Act other than Pt. 1 heading, s. 1 and 2: 26 Nov 2010 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 23 Nov 2010 p. 5851)

Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2010

48 of 2010

24 Nov 2010

s. 1 and 2: 24 Nov 2010 (see s. 2(a));
Act other than s. 1 and 2: 25 Nov 2010 (see s. 2(b))

Reprint 7: The Environmental Protection Act 1986 as at 11 Feb 2011 (includes amendments listed above)

Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011 s. 137

45 of 2011

12 Oct 2011

31 Dec 2011 (see s. 2(b) and Gazette 30 Dec 2011 p. 5573)

Agricultural Practices (Disputes) Repeal Act 2011 s. 4

54 of 2011

9 Nov 2011

7 Dec 2011 (see note under s. 1)

1a On the date as at which this compilation was prepared, provisions referred to in the following table had not come into operation and were therefore not included in this compilation. For the text of the provisions see the endnotes referred to in the table.

Provisions that have not come into operation

Short title

Number and year

Assent

Commencement

Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 s. 100 (Sch. 4 cl. 2(3)) 13

36 of 2007

21 Dec 2007

To be proclaimed (see s. 2(b))

Road Traffic Legislation Amendment Act 2012 Pt. 4 Div. 20 15

8 of 2012

21 May 2012

Operative on commencement of the Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 (see s. 2(d))

2 Repealed by the Acts Amendment and Repeal (Environmental Protection) Act 1986.

3 Act No. 77 of 1986.

4 Repealed by the Acts Amendment (Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare) Act 1987.

5 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1993 s. 5(2), (3) and (4) are transitional provisions that are of no further effect.

6 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 1998 Pt. 3 Div. 3 reads as follows:


Division 3 — Recovery of certain costs

26. Interpretation

In this Division —

agreement means an agreement —

(a) made between the State and another party in respect of disposal of waste at the Mt Walton East waste facility before the coming into operation of this section; and

(b) declared by the Minister, by notice published in the Gazette, to be an agreement to which this Division applies,

and includes —

(c) that agreement as varied from time to time in accordance with its provisions; and

(d) any annexure to that agreement;

Mt Walton East waste facility means the intractable waste disposal facility at Mt Walton East, Shire of Coolgardie in Western Australia situated on reserve number 42001 (Jaurdi Location 73).

27. Recovery of costs from other party

(1) The State may recover directly from the other party to an agreement costs (within the meaning of the agreement) incurred by the State in conducting the Works (within the meaning of the agreement).

(2) The power of the State under subsection (1) is to be exercised subject to, and in accordance with, the terms of the relevant agreement.


7 The Criminal Property Confiscation (Consequential Provisions) Act 2000 s. 13(2) reads as follows:


(2) Despite the amendment effected by subsection (1), section 99U(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as in force before the commencement of this Act continues to apply to any exercise under this Act of the court’s powers under the Crimes (Confiscation of Profits) Act 1988.


8 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2003 s. 45(4) reads as follows:


(4) A pollution abatement notice served before the coming into operation of this section is taken to be an environmental protection notice within the meaning of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as amended by this Act.


9 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2003 s. 51(6) reads as follows:


(6) A direction given under section 73 before the coming into operation of this section is taken to be a prevention notice within the meaning of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as amended by this Act.


10 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2003 s. 97(4) and (5) read as follows:


(4) The amendments to approved policies effected by this section have effect as though the provisions were enacted as part of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 on and from the day on which this section comes into operation.

(5) Nothing in this section affects the operation of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 with respect to amendments to the approved policies as amended by this section and revocation of approval of the approved policies as amended by this section.


11 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2003 s. 110(2)-(4) are transitional provisions that are of no further effect.

12 The Environmental Protection Amendment Act 2003 s. 111(2)-(5) (as amended by the Statutes (Repeals and Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2009 s. 54(2) and (3)) read as follows:


(2) In subsections (3) to (5) —

CEO has the same meaning as it has in the EP Act;

EP Act means the Environmental Protection Act 1986 as amended by this Act;

transitional period means the period beginning on 26 June 2002 and ending on the day before the day on which this section comes into operation;

unlawful clearing means anything within the meaning of clearing in Part V Division 2 of the EP Act that —

(a) constituted, at the time when the thing was done, a contravention of —

(i) section 28 or 35 of the Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945;

(ii) the Soil and Land Conservation (Clearing Control) Regulations 1991 or regulation 4 or 5 of the Soil and Land Conservation Regulations 1992;

(iii) section 109, 110, 111 or 267(2)(c) or (f) of the Land Administration Act 1997; or

(iv) section 12B of the Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947;

or

(b) would have constituted a contravention of section 41A of the EP Act if that section had been inserted into the EP Act before the thing was done,

but does not include clearing of a kind set out in Schedule 6 to the EP Act.

(3) If the CEO suspects on reasonable grounds that unlawful clearing has taken place on any land during the transitional period, the CEO may cause a notice to be given under this subsection in respect of the land.

[(4) deleted]

(5) Sections 70(3) to (11) and 74A, Part VA and sections 89 and 103 of the EP Act apply in relation to a notice given under subsection (3) as if it were a vegetation conservation notice given under section 70(2)(b) of the EP Act.

[Section 111 amended by No. 8 of 2009 s. 54(2) and (3).]


13 On the date as at which this compilation was prepared, the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 Sch. 4 cl. 2(3) had not come into operation. It reads as follows:


Schedule 4 — Amendments and repeals

[s. 100]

2. Environmental Protection Act 1986 amended

(3) Part VIIA is repealed.


14 The Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Regulations 2008 r. 24 reads as follows:


24. Transitional provision — Waste Management and Recycling Fund

The Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 Schedule 5 clause 6 prevails to the extent that there is an inconsistency between that provision and Part VIIA Division 2 of the EP Act.


15 On the date as at which this compilation was prepared, the Road Traffic Legislation Amendment Act 2012 Pt. 4 Div. 20 had not come into operation. It reads as follows:


Division 20 — Environmental Protection Act 1986 amended

99. Act amended

This Division amends the Environmental Protection Act 1986.

100. Section 3 amended

(1) In section 3(1) in the definition of driver paragraph (a) delete “within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act 1974, has the meaning given by that Act; or” and insert:


as defined in the Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 section 4, has the meaning given by that section; or


(2) In section 3(1) in the definition of motor vehicle delete “Road Traffic Act 1974;” and insert:


Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 section 4;


(3) In section 3(1) in the definition of owner paragraph (a) delete “within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act 1974, has the meaning given by that Act; or” and insert:


as defined in the Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 section 4, has the meaning given by section 5 of that Act; or


(4) In section 3(1) in the definition of road delete “Road Traffic Act 1974;” and insert:


Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 section 4;




Defined Terms

[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]

Defined Term Provision(s)
Account 110A
agreement to reserve 51D(1)
amended EP Act 133(1)
amending Act 129
analysis 3(1)
analyst 3(1)
appeals committee 3(1)
Appeals Convenor 3(1)
applicant 3(1)
approved 88(6)
approved policy 3(1)
area permit 51A, 51E(7)(c)
assessed scheme 3(1)
assessment report 44(1)
authorisation 50D(1), 68A(1), 86A, Sch. 2 it. 2A
authorised person 3(1)
Authority 3(1)
Authority member 3(1)
beneficial use 3(1)
bilateral agreement 3(1)
books 3(1)
CEO 3(1)
Chairman 3(1)
clearing 3(1), 51A
clearing injunction 51S(2)
clearing matter 51O(1)
clearing permit 3(1)
clearing principles 51A
closure notice 3(1), 68A(2)
Commissioner 51D(1)
committee of inquiry 3(1)
condition 3(1)
condition 48H(1)
conduct affecting the environment 50D(1)
confidential information 40(5)
conservation area Sch. 5 cl. 2
conservation covenant 51D(1)
contaminated 3(1)
contaminated sites auditor 3(1)
contravention 51S(1)
convicted 99T
corporation 51R(7), 55(3), 58(4)
court 51S(1)
damage costs 3A(3)
decision 51O(1)
decision-making authority 3(1)
delegate 18(1), 19(1), 20(1)
Department 3(1)
Deputy Chairman 3(1)
designated area 57(5)
designated person 99H
detrimental action 111A(3)
discharge 3(1)
draft policy 3(1), 31
driver 3(1)
ecosystem health condition 3(1)
emission 3(1)
environment 3(1)
environmental harm 3(1), 3A(2)
environmental protection notice 3(1), 65(1)
environmental value 3(1)
environmentally sensitive area 51A
equipment 3(1)
establish 51I(4)
existing authorisation 61(3)
final approval 3(1)
financial assurance requirement 86A
first notice 28(1), 32(1)
former EP Act 130(1), 131(1), 132(1)
fuel burning equipment 3(1)
implementation agreement or decision 3(1)
implementation conditions 3(1)
improper conduct 51S(1)
improvement scheme 3(1)
industrial plant 3(1)
infringement notice offence 99H
inspector 3(1)
interest 51N(1)
involvement in a contravention 51S(1)
levy 110A
licence 3(1)
licensee 3(1)
local planning scheme 3(1)
material environmental harm 3(1), 3A(2)
materials 3(1)
Minister (Water Resources) 57(5)
Minister for Lands 121A(1)
misbehaviour Sch. 7 cl. 3(3)
monetary benefits 99Z(2)
monitoring programme 3(1)
motor vehicle 3(1)
native vegetation 3(1), 51A
NEPM 3(1)
new occupier 61(1)
new owner 51N(1)
noise 3(1)
notice 73B(1)
occupier 3(1), 51A
owner 3(1), 51A
period of public review 3(1)
person 3(1)
place 49A(1)
planning instrument 51O(1)
plantation 3(1)
pollution 3(1), 3A(1)
practicable 3(1)
practicable means 3(1)
premises 3(1), 61(1)
prescribed premises 3(1)
prevention notice 3(1), 73A(1)
previous office Sch. 7 cl. 4(1)
principal offence 99S
proponent 3(1)
proposal 3(1)
proposal under an assessed scheme 3(1)
protection 3(1)
public authority 3(1)
public place 3(1)
public review 48C(7)
purpose permit 51A, 51E(8)(c)
rare flora Sch. 5 cl. 2
recorded 100(1a)
referred proposal 39B(1)
region planning scheme 3(1)
Registrar of Deeds and Transfers 66(5)
Registrar of Titles 66(5)
regulations 3(1)
relevant Act Sch. 4 it. 23
relevant day 61(2)
relevant NEPM 72(5)
relevant premises 55(1), 68A(1)
repealed Act 3(1)
reserve 3(1)
responsible authority 3(1)
responsible Minister 3(1)
responsible person 86A
road 3(1)
scheme 3(1)
scheme Act 3(1)
section 39B declaration 45A(1)
sell 3(1)
serious environmental harm 3(1), 3A(2)
significant proposal 37B(1)
SLC Act 51D(1)
soil conservation notice 51D(1)
specified 6(10), 51I(4), 62A(4), 65(8), 68A(1), 70(1), 71(6), Sch. 2 it. 1
strategic proposal 37B(1), 37B(2), 39B(3)
subdivision 3(2a)
subsidiary 51R(7), 55(3), 58(4)
threatened ecological community Sch. 5 cl. 2
threshold amount 3A(3)
Tier 1 offence 3(1)
Tier 2 offence 3(1)
Tier 3 offence 3(1)
trade 3(1)
unlawful clearing 70(1)
unreasonable emission 49(1)
unreasonable noise 3(1)
vegetation conservation notice 3(1), 70(2)
vehicle 3(1)
vessel 3(1)
waste 3(1)
watercourse Sch. 5 cl. 2
waters 3(1)
Western Australian Planning Commission 3(1)
wetland Sch. 5 cl. 2
works approval 3(1)



AustLII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback