Department of Environment and Energy Austral : Applications now open for Australian product emissions standards

Why do we need emissions standards?

Product emissions standards help protect our air quality.

Emissions from certain products can be a significant source of air pollution, particularly in urban areas. By setting noxious emissions standards and stopping dirty products from entering Australia, pollutants in our air are reduced. This protects human health and the environment.

Noxious emissions standards are made under the Product Emissions Standards Act 2017(link is external).

How does the Product Emissions Standards Act work?

The Act commenced on 15 September 2017. The Act establishes a national framework to enable Australia to address the adverse impacts of air pollution from certain products on human and environmental health.

The Act allows the Minister for the Environment and Energy to prescribe emissions-controlled products and make Rules relating to those products. Under the Act, offences relate to the import or supply of emissions-controlled products in Australia if they have not been certified as meeting a standard, or are not marked in accordance with the relevant standard.

What products do the standards apply too?

The first emissions-controlled products are outdoor power equipment and marine engines. These products include:

• spark ignition engines with a maximum power of 19 kilowatts. These can be used in household and commercial operations, and include lawn mowers, ride-on mowers, mulchers, leaf blowers, generators, pumps, chain saws, and other small handheld or pushed/pulled equipment.
• spark ignition engines used in marine vessels including: outboard engines, personal watercraft and stern-drive engines.

The noxious emissions standards apply to new products. They will not apply to engines and equipment people already own, or to second-hand engines and equipment.

The Government may consider noxious emissions standards for other products in the future. The Department will make information available on this page about any new proposals.

What is the Department's role?

We administer the Product Emissions Standards Act and any emissions standards made under the Act.

Contact us

For more information, please contact the Air Quality section on: [e-mail].