Waste Management and Resource Recovery
Sustaining the quality of the Territory environment is dependent on adopting acceptable and sustainable waste management practices and thereby minimising the risk of pollution and degradation of the environment.
Waste and Pollution Management assists the Government to achieve its commitment to encourage and promote environmentally sound development throughout the NT, and to protect and enhance the Territory lifestyle.
Services provided by Environmental Management
- providing advice to decision-makers on the safeguards and controls which are necessary to protect the environment
- developing and implementing Government policies and legislation for managing wastes which are hazardous to the environment
- developing environmental guidelines, codes of practice and providing technical support and education programs in consultation with industry, other government agencies, local government bodies and non-government organisations
- developing waste management plans and strategies in consultation with local government bodies
- licensing and approvals for the following activities: landfills, listed waste handlers, wastewater discharge and LNG/methanol manufacturing
- monitoring the aquatic environment
- advising developers on environmental best practice and cleaner production mechanisms for minimising environmental impact
- operating a 24-hour community Pollution Hotline. This provides some capacity for controlling environmental pollution incidents, predominantly environmental nuisance issues dealing with illegal waste disposal and neighbourhood noise
- assisting the Environmental Assessment group in undertaking assessments under the Environmental Assessment Act of public and private sector development proposals
- assessing and advising on environmental monitoring programs for major Government development projects
- providing information to assist community awareness and understanding of the Government’s environmental protection strategies
- providing advice and assistance on oil spill contingency planning and developing guidelines for the prevention of coastal and marine pollution. Developing and maintaining the NT portion of the Australian Coastal Atlas database is an important part of this function
- coordinating NT input on national and international environmental issues through two Ministerial councils, and
- participating in national waste forums, eg providing NT input on national and international chemical usage and hazardous waste trade issues through the Commonwealths Department of Environment & Heritage.
