Chemicals subject to the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions

Each of the Regulations requires a person to lodge a written application for activities requiring permission (or permits), as indicated below. An application for permission under the Agvet Regulations must include information about the applicant and specific information on the activity. In certain circumstances additional information may be required (see notice in Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Gazette 1 June 2004) or further information sought to allow the application to be processed.

Applications for permission to import or export chemicals that are controlled under the Agvet Regulations or the Customs Regulations should be made using the secure online permit application system. When a permit has been granted, a copy is sent to the applicant by fax and/or email and the original is posted in the mail.

The import of chemicals controlled under the Stockholm Convention is prohibited, except with written permission from an authorised officer in the following circumstances:

• for environmentally sound disposal
• for use as reference standards or of quantities to be used in laboratory-scale research.

The import of chemicals listed under the Rotterdam Convention is controlled by domestic legislation administered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). More information can be found on Importing Agricultural Chemicals or Veterinary Medicines from the APVMA website.

The manufacture and use of chemicals subject to the Stockholm Convention are absolutely prohibited except as allowed under specific exemptions or acceptable purposes under the convention.

No specific manufacture or use controls are applicable for chemicals subject to the Rotterdam Convention, as this convention controls only import and export.

The export of chemicals that are listed in the Stockholm Convention is prohibited, except with written permission in the following circumstances: 

• for environmentally sound disposal 
• for use as reference standards or of quantities to be used in laboratory-scale research.

The export of chemicals that are listed in the Rotterdam Convention require written permission. Permission will be granted if the export meets the requirements of the importing party and the following requirements are met:

• the importing country is a party to the convention or
• the chemical is controlled under the convention as a severely hazardous pesticide formulation, but the formulation to be exported is at a lower concentration.

If the chemical is/was subject of notification of final regulatory action by Australia (asterix in the table below), additional information will be required from the applicant. This information will be provided to the importing country prior to the granting of permission to export.

The permission to export to a party to the convention may require the exporter to fulfill certain conditions as specified in the permit.

For those chemicals that are subject to both the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions, the controls imposed are those under the Stockholm Convention as these are more stringent than those imposed under the Rotterdam Convention.

Note: Methoxychlor and Oxychlordane are also listed on Schedule 9 of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 – written permission is required for import. These chemicals are not controlled because of an obligation under any international agreement.

*Australian notification. 

At the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (COP-5) in April 2011, parties agreed to list endosulfan in Annex A to the Convention, with specific exemptions. This will mean a global phase out and ban on the import, export, production and use of the chemical for those countries that agree to the decision. Australia will need to ratify this decision before being bound by the obligations. Further information about the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) cancelled the registration of endosulfan as an active constituent on 12 October 2010, which also included cancelling product registrations, consistent with section 44 of the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994.This means that endosulfan products can no longer be manufactured or imported into Australia. However, the sale and use of existing stocks will be allowed until 12 October 2012. Further information is available from the AVPMA Gazette No​. 19, 12 October 2010 (page 19).

Under the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992 a person must not import, manufacture, use or export an active constituent for a proposed or existing chemical product or a chemical product in contravention of a condition or restriction prescribed by a regulation. A penalty of 300 penalty units may apply.

Granting permission under the Customs or Agvet Regulations does not replace any requirement for permission under any other legislation, including from the APVMA.

• National Interest Analysis on Rotterdam Convention and Stockholm Convention
• For information on industrial chemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention, contact the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) on telephone 02 8577 8855 or email NICNAS
• List of Parties to the Rotterdam Convention
• List of Parties to the Stockholm Convention
• Information on the import and export requirements for Parties to the Rotterdam Convention

Applications for permission to import or export chemicals that are controlled under the Agvet Regulations or the Customs Regulations should be made using the online permit application system. Other inquiries can be directed to:

Authorised Officer
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Section
Livestock Industries and Agvet Chemicals Branch
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources​
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Fax: 02 6272 3025
Email: Controlled Chemicals