Australia's Public Consultation on Proposed IChEMS Standards for Six Industrial Chemical Groups

The Australian Government, through the Minister for the Environment under Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), is inviting public submissions on proposed environmental management standards under the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) for six chemical groups from April 04, 2025. These include Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), mercury and its compounds, 1,2-dibromoethane, methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT), 1,2-dichloroethane, and aryl sulfonate hydrotropes. These standards focus solely on environmental impacts from industrial uses and exclude human health and agricultural or medical applications. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit feedback via the provided online survey by 5pm on Friday, 9 May 2025. The IChEMS initiative aims to establish nationally consistent regulations for the use, handling, and disposal of industrial chemicals, supporting safer practices and facilitating the transition to environmentally safer alternatives. Submissions will shape the final standards, which will be recorded in the IChEMS Register. Supporting documents may include non-exhaustive chemical lists with CAS Registry Numbers to aid in identifying affected substances.