Contaminated Land

NEPM Amendment

The Standing Council on Environment and Water has approved an amendment to the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (also known as the NEPM).

ASBG is holding a series of conferences on the latest regulatory and policy perspective on contaminated land.

·       16 May 2013 in Sydney

·       23 May 2013 in Melbourne

·       30 May 2013 in Brisbane

The conference has been prepared for landowners and practitioners. It will focus on the amendment to the Assessment of Contaminated Site NEPM, other current regulatory changes and technical aspects of contaminated land management.

The NEPM establishes a nationally-consistent approach to the assessment of site contamination to ensure sound environmental management practices by the community which includes regulators, site assessors, contaminated land auditors, land owners, developers and industry.

The NEPM contains two schedules:

·       Schedule A, which is included in the NEPM, identifies the recommended process for the Assessment of Site Contamination.

·       Schedule B of the NEPM comprises 10 general guidelines for the Assessment of Site Contamination. (Schedules B(1) – (10) can be downloaded from the Environment Protection and Heritage Council.) 

A review of the NEPM commenced in 2004. In June 2007, NEPC agreed to initiate a process to vary the NEPM based on recommendations made in the NEPM review.  The amendment was finally approved by the Standing Council on Environment and Water on 11 April 2013.

The variation will ensure that the NEPM remains the premier document for the assessment of site contamination in Australia by drawing on the latest methodologies for assessing human and ecological risk from site contamination and updating guidance on site assessment methods in line with technological changes in Australia and overseas.

The recent amendment ensures it will remain the premier document for the assessment of site contamination in Australia, used by regulators, site assessors, consultants, environmental auditors, landowners, developers and industry.

The measure incorporates updated methodologies for assessing human and ecological risks and site assessment methods now in line with advances in Australia and overseas.

State Ministers have recognised the contributions from all stakeholders, including the National Health and Medical Research Council, in the development of the updated measure.