Hazardous Substances
Public Health South works to ensure the social and physical environment improves, promotes and protects public health by reducing the adverse health effects of hazardous substances on people and communities.
The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (the HSNO Act) 1996 provides a comprehensive health, safety and environmental package covering explosives, flammable, oxidising and corrosive substances, as well as those that are toxic to people and the environment. Public Health South is concerned with those classes of hazardous substances and those settings that may present a risk to the public’s health.
Under the HSNO Act, Public Health South focuses on relevant public health outcomes, such as the prevention of injuries from exposures to hazardous substances. Designated HSNO Enforcement Officers enforce the HSNO Act in respect of class 6 and 8 substances in public places by:
- Processing vertebrate toxic agent (VTA) applications and audit of all aerial 1080 operations
- Inspecting of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) holding facilities
- Responding to Spray Drift Incidents
- Providing asbestos testing of materials in homes
- Providing free paint testing for lead based paints for domestic homes
- Ensuring management of identified contaminated sites.
Public Health South also provides public health advice on hazardous substances to other agencies through its membership of the Hazardous Substances Technical Liaison Committee and provides advice on all classes of hazardous substances where they may present a risk to public health.