Environmental Contaminants Act 1978.

This Act makes provision for the prevention and abatement of environmental contaminants. Environmental contaminant means: (a) any substance whether liquid, solid, gaseous or radio-active, or any form of electromagnetic or thermal energy which, when discharged, emitted or deposited into the environment, causes or may cause, by reason of its properties, characteristics, the volume, amount and weight and point of its discharge, or other circumstances, a present or future alteration of the environment so as to affect adversely its beneficial use; and (b) any substance, material or matter prescribed to be an environmental contaminant or a hazardous environmental contaminant (sect. 2). The Departmental Head of the Department responsible for environment and conservation matters (“Director”) may appoint environmental inspectors; analysts, and environmental officers pursuant to section 4. The Environmental Contaminants Advisory Council is established under section 9. The function of the Council is to advise the Minister. Sections 16 to 31 concern licensing of discharge of environmental contaminants, whereas sections 32 to 46 deal with importation, sale, manufacture or distribution of hazardous environmental contaminants. The Minister shall establish and keep a Register of hazardous environmental contaminants. Other provisions of this Act regulate the exportation of hazardous environmental contaminants, prescribe pollution offences and corresponding penalties and provide for matters of miscellaneous nature.