Responsibilities
Staff at all levels within The University of Queensland (UQ) have responsibilities for minimising environmental harm.
These responsibilities are principally based on the Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) and related legislation. The University's Sustainability Policy, Environmental Management Policy and Water Management Policy further reinforce these responsibilities.
Executive Officers
The EP Act includes an Executive Officer Liability (section 493).
UQ’s executive must ensure UQ complies with the Act and all subordinate legislation. If the corporation commits an offence, the executive officers are deemed to have committed the same offense (maximum penalty – up to 6250 penalty units or five years imprisonment). In practice, this means a supervisor must ensure that the staff (or contractors) they are responsible for are able to undertake their duties without breaching the EP Act.
Defences to the Executive Officer Liability are:
- the executive took all reasonable steps to ensure compliance, or
- the executive was not in a position to influence the conduct of the corporation.
Taking “reasonable steps” to ensure compliance includes:
- being familiar with all environmental aspects of UQ’s operations,
- identifying members on staff with responsibility for environmental management,
- preparing, implementing and supporting an Environmental Management System that addresses all regulatory requirements and risks,
- keeping abreast of changes and developments in policy and legal requirements,
- demonstrating and communicating responsibility to employees and the public,
- ensuring staff are adequately trained and resourced to undertake their duties,
- exercising control over the actions of contractors, and
- keeping adequate records to demonstrate compliance.
To assist executives meet their responsibilities, UQ currently has:
- Sustainability Policy
- Environmental Management Policy
- Water Management Policy
- annual risk assessment of environmental aspects
- Environmental Management System (EMS) including, but not limited to, procedures for waste management and disposal (including hazardous wastes and recycling), energy, noise and water management, training, reporting and responsibilities.
In practice, the UQ executive must:
- ensure their managers are adequately trained and resourced to undertake their duties, minimising the risk of environmental harm,
- ensure their managers are aware of the EMS and the applicable procedures,
- consider environmental issues in making operational decisions, and
- assist and support the University central administration with National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting.
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Scheme
UQ is required to annually report the University’s energy consumption, energy production and greenhouse gas emissions to the Australian Government under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. Data to fulfil NGER reporting obligations is sought from relevant data custodians on an ongoing basis and is to be provided in a timely manner to enable an accurate and complete report submission by the reporting deadline (31 October or following business day) each year.
Heads of Schools and Organisational Units
Heads of Schools and Organisational Units, Managers and Supervisors are to implement and maintain, within the School/Organisational/Operational Unit, an effective system of environmental management consistent with the EP Act and other legislative requirements.
To assist, UQ currently has:
- Sustainability Policy
- Environmental Management Policy
- Water Management Policy
- annual risk assessment of environmental aspects
- Environmental Management System (EMS) including, but not limited to, procedures for waste management and disposal (including hazardous wastes and recycling), energy, noise and water management, training, reporting and responsibilities.
These require Heads of Schools and Organisational Units, Managers and Supervisors to:
- implement the UQ Sustainability Policy, Environmental Management Policy, Water Management Policy and Environmental Management System (EMS) within the Organisational/Operational Unit, and
- ensure the provision of induction and refresher training, and that staff are trained in their environmental responsibilities as applicable to their work.
Identifying and Managing Environmental Impacts
All UQ Faculties, Schools, Centres and Administrative Units are asked to assess activities in their area that may impact on the environment. To date, we have identified activities such as air quality, energy consumption, construction, noise, waste management and water usage.
If you become aware of an item that requires attention, you should notify the Sustainability Office, Property and Facilities immediately.
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Scheme
UQ is required to annually report the University’s energy consumption, energy production and greenhouse gas emissions to the Australian Government under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. Data to fulfil NGER reporting obligations is sought from relevant data custodians on an ongoing basis and is to be provided in a timely manner to enable an accurate and complete report submission by the reporting deadline (31 October or following business day) each year.
Individual Staff and Students
All staff and students have a responsibility to comply with environmental legislation as well as environmental policy and procedures developed by the University, School or Organisational Unit.
Notwithstanding the responsibilities below, numerous UQ staff and students will carry other responsibilities, namely:
- Executive
- Heads of Schools and Organisational Units, Managers and Supervisors
- Property and Facilities Division (P&F) Staff
- Sustainability Office, P&F Staff.
General Environmental Duty
Under the EP Act, everyone has a general environmental duty (section 319). You must be aware of the activities you undertake that may impact on the environment. For example, you must know how to correctly dispose of hazardous materials.
Duty to notify
If you become aware of environmental harm being caused (or possibly being caused), you have a duty to report that harm under the EP Act (section 320). If you fail to report environmental harm it is an offence and you can be prosecuted.
General environmental duty and duty to notify of environmental harm
Staff and students should:
- comply with the UQ Sustainability Policy
- comply with the UQ Environmental Management Policy
- comply with the UQ Water Management Policy
- follow the UQ Environmental Management System, and
- provide feedback on new and/or existing activities that require improvements to existing procedures or development of new procedures to better address risk.
Online Sustainability Training covers UQ's environmental policies and procedures as well as workers' individual responsibilities. There are also a number of sustainability programs for staff and students at UQ.
- Sustainability General Training
- Sustainability Laboratory Training
- Staff Development Courses
- Green Office Program
- Green Labs Program
- Green Residents Program
- Green the Team
- Green Ambassador Program
IF SOMETHING DOES GO WRONG and there is an environmental incident:
- contact PF Assist during business hours on 336 52222, Security anytime on 336 51234 for general/non-urgent matters or 336 53333 for emergencies and/or, Program Manager Environment & Sustainability (PMES) during business hours on 336 51587,
- follow all instructions from PF Assist/Security
- try to minimise harm if safe to do so, and
- after the incident contact PMES, P&F Sustainability Office to complete the incident investigation process on 336 51587 or email sustainability@uq.edu.au
Note: Some Schools/Centres may appoint a specific person that staff and students can report environmental incidents to. This person should then contact Security on 336 51234 and/or PMES on 336 51587.
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Scheme
UQ is required to annually report the University’s energy consumption, energy production and greenhouse gas emissions to the Australian Government under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007. Data to fulfil NGER reporting obligations is sought from relevant data custodians on an ongoing basis and is to be provided in a timely manner to enable an accurate and complete report submission by the reporting deadline (31 October or following business day) each year.
P&F Sustainability Office
Sustainability Office, Property and Facilities Division (P&F):
- manages the University's central environmental responsibilities, including the Environmental Management System,
- provides a range of support, and advisory services to the University community to assist meeting their individual and corporate environmental responsibilities,
- promotes best environmental practice at UQ, and
- manages the environmental risk of P&F.
Key activities include:
Environmental Legal Management
For central or corporate University operations and P&F operations, Sustainability Office undertakes:
- identification of environmental regulatory requirements and university operations requiring controls,
- application for legal permits, approvals and other legal requirements,
- management of licences, permits, approvals and/or other legal requirements,
- management of legal breaches,
- reviews/audits of approval/permit conditions,
- Water Efficiency Management Plans,
- National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting.
Environmental Management Systems
Within the existing structure of the UQ EMS, the Sustainability Office undertakes:
- annual review of environmental impacts and risk assessment,
- identification and monitoring of objectives and targets,
- development and maintenance of policies, procedures and guides to manage environmental impacts:
- air quality, biodiversity, emergencies, energy and emissions, noise, purchasing, recycling and waste, transport, water,
- establishment of training and awareness programs:
- monitoring, audits and reporting on:
- EMS compliance and performance,
- technical performance – compliance, energy efficiency, solid waste, water quality and water efficiency,
- statutory notifications, and
- Sustainability Action Plan.
Environmental Audit Program
The operation of the Environmental Management System is regularly checked through audits. EMS Audits are conducted in UQ areas that primarily work with hazardous materials to assess whether UQ environmental procedures are being followed.
An EMS Audit Report is produced and presented to the area audited. Areas audited are asked to complete the EMS Audit form detailing how they will address any issues that were identified in the audit.
Environmental Consultancy for the University
The Sustainability Office will assist the University Community to meet their environmental responsibilities through:
- advice regarding the application of UQ environmental policies and procedures,
- conducting environmental audits,
- undertaking, or requiring feasibility studies,
- developing policy,
- managing centrally developed and delivered environmental projects,
- design review of capital projects, and
- technical advice and general consultancy reports on referred issues, practices and procedures.
Property and Facilities Division
Property and Facilities Division is responsible for delivering comprehensive facilities management services to support UQ’s sustainability goals, Environmental Management System and legislative requirements. This includes:
- incorporating sustainable design into construction, refurbishment and maintenance works,
- sustainable operations (e.g. energy efficiency, sustainable cleaning, sustainable products and purchasing)
- providing recycling and waste management facilities,
- maintaining gardens, lakes and landscaped areas,
- weed and pest control, and
- environmental emergency response.
Attaining and managing development approvals and other environmental licences for central operational issues as required under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (Qld).