Certain environmental risks require a higher standard of scrutiny than can be normally provided by an environmental consultant. In these cases it may be required to have an environmental audit undertaken by an approved qualified person.
An environmental audit is defined under section 47 of the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 as an evaluation of any of the following:
- the ability of management systems to manage waste or prevent, reduce, control, rectify or clean up pollution or environmental harm resulting from pollution
- the extent to which actions required to be taken, or results required to be achieved, for waste management or the prevention, reduction, control, rectification or clean up of pollution or environmental harm resulting from pollution have been taken or achieved
- the extent, nature and source of wastes generated by an activity, premises or process
- the likelihood of waste management problems or pollution resulting in environmental harm occurring and the adequacy of safeguards in place to prevent their occurrence or limit their impact on the environment
- the extent to which compliance with the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998, the Water Act 1992 or a code of practice has been achieved
- the types, amount, distribution or mobility of contaminants or waste present in the environment.
The NT EPA may require a person holding an environment protection approval, environment protection licence or waste discharge licence to conduct an audit as a condition of the approval or licence.
An environmental audit is also required where contaminated land poses or threatens to pose serious or material environmental harm. See investigating contaminated land page for more information on the NT EPAs expectations regarding environmental audits for contaminated land.
Audits may also be required when there is a change of land use to a more sensitive use; and/or sensitive use subdivision and there is evidence of current and/or historical potentially contaminating activities. See regulation of contaminated land page for further information.
The results of all environmental audits are available on the public register.