Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Regulations 1983

Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Regulations 1983

Statutory Rules No. 8, 1983

made under the

Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981

Compilation No. 4

Compilation date: 1 July 2026

Includes amendments: F2026L00826

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Regulations 1983 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 1 July 2026 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au).

Application, saving and transitional provisions

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Presentational changes

The Legislation Act 2003 provides for First Parliamentary Counsel to make presentational changes to a compilation. Presentational changes are applied to give a more consistent look and feel to legislation published on the Register, and enable the user to more easily navigate those documents.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. Any modifications affecting the law are accessible on the Register.

Self‑repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary

1 Name of Regulations

2 Interpretation

Part 2—Prescribed matters

3 Reports of relevant conduct—prescribed information

4 Prescribed courts

4A Disclosure of information—prescribed agencies, bodies and persons

5 Fees for applications

5B Fees—time for payment

6 Service of notices

Schedule 1—Prescribed courts

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Part 1—Preliminary

1  Name of Regulations

  These Regulations are the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Regulations 1983.

2  Interpretation

Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:

(a) CEO;

(b) controlled material;

(c) holder;

(d) owner;

(e) permit;

(f) person in charge;

(g) platform.

  In these Regulations, the Act means the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981.

Part 2—Prescribed matters

3  Reports of relevant conduct—prescribed information

  For paragraph 15(3)(d) of the Act, the prescribed information for a report of relevant conduct is the following:

 (a) the name and address of the person giving the report;

 (b) the date of the relevant conduct and the time at which it took place (in Eastern Standard Time);

 (c) the depth of water where the relevant conduct took place;

 (d) the co‑ordinates of the site where the relevant conduct took place (specified in degrees, minutes and seconds of latitude and longitude) as determined by reference to the Geocentric Datum of Australia, worked out as accurately as possible in the particular case;

 (e) the name (if any) and the registration or other identifying mark or marking of the vessel, aircraft or platform from or on which the relevant conduct took place;

 (f) the name of the owner and of the person in charge of the aircraft, vessel or platform from or on which the relevant conduct took place;

 (g) the name of the person or persons whose conduct facilitated, caused or constituted the relevant conduct;

 (h) a description of the method used in carrying out the relevant conduct;

 (i) the reason for the relevant conduct;

 (j) if controlled material (other than a vessel, aircraft or platform) was dumped into the sea, incinerated at sea, loaded for dumping or incineration, or placed as part of an artificial reef placement—the following information about the controlled material (worked out as accurately as possible in the particular case):

 (i) a general description;

 (ii) its chemical composition;

 (iii) its form;

 (iv) its volume or mass;

 (v) the method of packaging or containment (if any);

 (k) if a vessel, aircraft or platform was dumped into the sea, incinerated at sea, loaded for dumping or incineration, or placed as part of an artificial reef placement—the following information about the vessel, aircraft or platform:

 (i) whether it was a vessel, an aircraft or a platform;

 (ii) its name (if any) and its registration or other identifying mark or marking;

 (iii) its dimensions (including mass), worked out as accurately as possible in the particular case;

 (iv) the method of packaging or containment (if any).

4  Prescribed courts

  The court specified in Column 1 of Schedule 1 opposite to the State or Territory specified in Column 2 of Schedule 1 is declared to be a prescribed court in relation to that State or Territory for the purposes of section 33 of the Act.

4A  Disclosure of information—prescribed agencies, bodies and persons

  For the purposes of paragraph 39A(1)(b) of the Act, the following are prescribed:

 (a) the Australian Border Force (within the meaning of the Australian Border Force Act 2015);

 (b) the Australian Fisheries Management Authority;

 (c) ARPANSA (the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency);

 (d) the Australian Institute of Marine Science;

 (e) the Australian Maritime Safety Authority;

 (f) the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation;

 (g) the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation;

 (h) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024;

 (i) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Fisheries Management Act 1991;

 (j) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Defence Force Discipline Act 1982;

 (k) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1967;

 (l) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Australian Border Force Act 2015;

 (m) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006;

 (n) the Department administered by the Minister administering the Shipping Registration Act 1981;

 (o) Geoscience Australia;

 (p) the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority;

 (q) the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority;

 (r) the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator.

5  Fees for applications

 (1) For subsection 40(1) of the Act, this regulation prescribes the fees to be paid for an application for a permit or for any other application under the Act.

 (2) For an application for a permit to dump dredged or excavated material into any part of the sea, the following fees are prescribed:

 (a) if the volume of the material exceeds 100 000 m3—$23 500;

 (b) if the volume of the material does not exceed 100 000 m3—$10 000.

 (3) For an application for a permit described in this subregulation, the following fees are prescribed:

 (a) a permit to dump a vessel into any part of the sea—$12 700;

 (b) a permit to dump a platform into any part of the sea—$12 700;

 (c) an artificial reef permit—$10 000;

 (d) a permit to dump into any part of the sea any controlled material for which a fee is not prescribed under this regulation—$5 000;

 (e) a permit to bury a person at sea—$1 675.

 (4) For an application to the CEO to vary a permit granted under the Act, the prescribed fee is $860.

Note: For applications made before the commencement of regulation 5, as substituted by the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment Regulations 2009 (No. 1), see regulation 4 of those Regulations.

5B  Fees—time for payment

  For subsection 40(2) of the Act, the time for payment of the fee for an application mentioned in regulation 5 is a time not later than 30 days after the application is made but before the permit or variation is granted.

6  Service of notices

  A notice to an applicant for a permit under subsection 18(3) of the Act or to the holder of a permit under subsection 20(1) or 21(2) of the Act shall be served by being sent by post to the person concerned at the address shown on his application for the permit or, if he has, in relation to that application or permit, notified the CEO in writing of another address for service of such notices, at that other address.

Schedule 1—Prescribed courts

(regulation 4)

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section 15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history