THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT

Australian industry is one of the most regulated in the world and paint is no exception. If a chemical is not already listed on the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances it has to be cleared through the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme. The Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons regulates the use of certain chemicals and prescribes various warning and safety instructions which must appear on paint can labels. The Trade Measurements Act regulates the use of measurements where such information must appear on the label and what ullage is permissible. Labels must also comply with the dangerous goods legislation of each State and the Agricultural and Veterinary chemicals legislation is the case of anti-fouling paints. Then, of course, all products are subject to duty of care provisions of the Trade Practices Act.

Paints are manufactured in premises that have to comply not only with all the normal rules regulating manufacturing operations but with the particularly onerous Dangerous Goods Storage and Handling Regulations of each State. The cans in which flammable paints are filled, the shrink wrapping, palletisation loading and transport of these products is also very closely regulated. Products sold into the workplace must be accompanied by a material safety data sheet prepared in accordance with the Worksafe Australia guide. Liquid and solid wastes emanating from manufacturing operations are subject to very tight controls enforced by State Water Boards, Environmental Protection Authorities and local Councils. The list is not exhaustive, merely a general indication of the overall regulatory framework.

In spite of this mass of regulation the Australian paint industry is not faced with some of the draconian regulations which apply in other countries. For example, we do not yet hae the VOC and clean-up regulations of North America, nor the same anti-graffiti restrictions which apply in some cities overseas banning or severely restricting the sale of aerosol paints.

We enjoy very good relations with all regulatory authorities and have a long track record of managing the issues rather than addressing them only when draft legislation is tabled in Parliament. On this basis the Australian paint industry can look forward with confidence to next decade.