G/TBT/N/AUS/197

23 March 2026

(26-2302)

Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade

Original: English

2.

Agency responsible:

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], Other:

4.

Products covered (HS codes or national tariff lines. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):

• Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) and related substances

• Perfluorononanesulfonic acid (PFNS), perfluorodecanesulfonic acid (PFDS) and related substances

• 2,4,6-Tri-tert-butylphenol

5.

Details of notified document(s) (title, number of pages and languages, means of access):

• Proposed scheduling decision - Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) and related substances (PDF 250KB)

• Proposed scheduling decision - Perfluorononanesulfonic acid (PFNS), perfluorodecanesulfonic acid (PFDS) and related substances (PDF 249KB)

• Proposed scheduling decision - 2,4,6-Tri-tert-butylphenol (PDF 254KB)

(3 page(s), in English), (6 page(s), in English), (7 page(s), in English)

Link to notified document(s) and/or contact details for agency or authority which can provide copies upon request:

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/AUS/26_01615_00_e.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/AUS/26_01615_01_e.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/AUS/26_01615_02_e.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/AUS/26_01615_03_e.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/AUS/26_01615_04_e.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/TBT/AUS/26_01615_05_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: The Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) has been developed by all Australian governments to efficiently and effectively manage the risks of industrial chemicals to the environment, while providing consistent requirements for businesses across Australia. The IChEMS Register records standards for the environmental management of chemicals, including risk management measures for specific industrial uses. In turn, the Australian federal government and each state and territory government will enact legislation to implement the standards in their jurisdictions.

The proposed standards will assign the following chemicals, and mixtures and articles containing the chemicals, to Schedule 7 of the IChEMS Register. This will prohibit their import, manufacture, use and export in Australia, with exceptions for unintentional trace contamination, research, environmentally sound disposal, articles in use prior to the standards' date of entry into force, and for the presence of 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol in hydrocarbon fuels at a level below or equal to 50 mg/kg.

• Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) and related substances

• Perfluorononanesulfonic acid (PFNS), perfluorodecanesulfonic acid (PFDS) and related substances

• 2,4,6-Tri-tert-butylphenol

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:

• Achieve better protection of the environment through improved management of the environmental risks posed by industrial chemicals.

• Provide a nationally consistent, transparent, predictable and streamlined approach to environmental risk management of industrial chemicals for governments, industry and the community.

Protection of the environment

8.

Relevant documents:

• Chemical profile – PFHpS and related substances [PDF 226KB]

• Chemical profile – PFNS, PFDS and related substances [PDF 225KB]

• Chemical profile – 2,4,6-Tri-tert-butylphenol [PDF 220KB]

• Further supporting documents are available at: Consultation hub | Public comments on IChEMS proposed decisions - Climate Change (dcceew.gov.au)

• Further information on the IChEMS is available at: Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard - IChEMS - DCCEEW

9.

Proposed date of adoption: 30 June 2026

Proposed date of entry into force:

PFHpS and related substances and PFNS, PFDS and related substances: 1 January 2027

2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol: 1 July 2027

10.

Provision of comments

Final date for comments: 24 April 2026 UTC 7:00AM

[ ] 60 days from notification

Contact details of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification:

WTO TBT Enquiry Point

Office of Global Trade Negotiations

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Canberra

Tel: +(61) 2 6261 1111

Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au

Website: https://www.dfat.gov.au/