Page 6192 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 2010
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Planning—new buildings
(Question No 1217)
Ms Le Couteur asked the Minister for Planning, upon notice, on 28 October 2010:
(1) What rules apply in the ACT, in the construction of new buildings, that regulate the use of
(a) adhesives, including for flooring and wallpaper, in terms of the maximum level of volatile organic compounds permitted,
(b) architectural and protective coatings, in terms of (i) the maximum level of volatile organic compounds permitted and (ii) which glycol ethers, heavy metals and carcinogenic substances are restricted,
(c) building insulation material, in terms of (i) content of recycled material required, (ii) any restrictions on where raw materials used in the insulation is obtained from, for example, cannot come from national parks and (iii) prohibited and restricted substances, such as formaldehyde, foam products and flame retardants,
(d) carpets, in terms of (i) any restrictions on where raw materials used in the product is obtained from, for example, from manufacturers that do not use chemical bleach, (ii) prohibited and restricted substances, for example flame retardants and (iii) requirements to meet water, energy and emissions standards in production,
(e) floor coverings, in terms of (i) glues and preservatives restricted or prohibited and (ii) restrictions or prohibitions on the use of timbers or other natural materials,
(f) panel boards, in terms of (i) restrictions or prohibitions on the use of timbers or other natural materials, (ii) restrictions on how timber in panel boards are treated, for example, with insecticides, (iii) content of recycled, or resource efficient material required, (iv) the maximum level of volatile organic compounds permitted, (v) prohibited and restricted substances, for example, fluorine and carcinogens, (vi) level of recyclability of the product and
(g) refrigerants, in terms of (i) the maximum level of ozone depletion potential permitted and (ii) the global warming potential permitted.
(2) What rules apply to the above materials in relation to renovations.
Mr Barr: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
There are over 20 parts in the series of questions and although a large number of topics might be included under all-embracing areas such as sustainability or the environment, the questions encompass a number of discrete issues not all of which are covered by my portfolio. These include:
- maximum limits for volatile organic compounds in a variety of building materials;
- prohibition or other limitations on certain chemicals and other elements in architectural materials and finishes;
- restrictions on resources used in or as building materials on conservation grounds;
- requirements for use of recycled content in building materials;
- requirements for recyclable content in certain building products;
- requirements for manufacturing processes for building materials to meet “resource efficiencies”;
- restriction of use of building products in the ACT depending on the origin of materials;
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