About the NPI
Australia 's National Pollutant Inventory was established to satisfy increasing community demand to know about pollutant emissions to the environment. It is based on similar international inventories.
Work and consultation on the NPI started substantially in 1995, and in 1996 the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) implemented the NPI by developing an NPI National Environment Protection Measure ( NPI NEPM). A project team with members from the Commonwealth, states and territories was formed to draft the NEPM and impact statement.
A non-government organisation advisory group was also established to ensure industry, environment and community concerns were considered by the Council. Membership included environment, industry and union groups.
An independent Technical Advisory Panel was formed to determine a methodology for evaluating substances to be included on the NPI reporting list and, subsequently, to develop the reporting list. The Panel produced a draft report which was the subject of national consultation in June 1997, along with the draft NEPM and impact statement. Public meetings and workshops were held around Australia over a two month period.
Based on comments received during this national consultation process, the NPI NEPM was revised. This revision was sent to key stakeholders and further comments sought. The NEPM for the NPI was made on 27 February 1998 by NEPC. When making the NPI NEPM the NEPC took into account all the submissions received and the impact statement.
The NPI NEPM, impact statement and summary response document were tabled in the Commonwealth Parliament on 10 March 1998. They passed through the disallowable period by 10 May 1998 and came into effect on 1 July 1998.
Trials of the process for compiling and presenting the NPI data were carried out in south east Queensland and in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The south-east Queensland trial was a joint initiative of Environment Australia and the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency. The Kalgoorlie trial was an initiative of Environment Australia, the Western Australian Department of Environmental Protection and Western Mining Corporation.
Outcomes of the trials were essential elements in implementing the NPI on a national basis.
Earlier NPI trials were run in 1995 by the Victorian Environment Protection Authority in Dandenong, Port Pirie, Newcastle, and Launceston. These trials collected data on emissions to air.