South Africa
Hazardous Substances Act, 1973
Act 15 of 1973
- Published in Government Gazette 3834 on 4 April 1973
- Assented to on 26 March 1973
- There are multiple commencements
- [This is the version of this document from 24 February 2000.]
- [Please note that the research on this work is ongoing. Amendment, commencement and repeal information may be missing.]
Provisions | Status |
---|---|
Section 1–33 |
commenced on 24 December 1976
by Government Notice R272 of 1976.
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group III hazardous substances |
Unknown provisions |
commenced on 25 March 1977
by Proclamation R51 of 1977.
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group I hazardous substances |
Section 12(3) | commenced on 11 March 1981. |
Unknown provisions |
commenced on 21 December 1984.
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group II hazardous substances |
Section 3(1A), section 3A, section 4(1), 4(2), 4(3), 4(4), 4(5), 4(6), 4(7), section 7(1), 7(2), 7(3), 7(4), 7(5), 7(6), section 9A, section 9B, section 16(4), section 19(1)(d), 19(1)(e), section 29(1)(v), 29(2)(a), 29(2)(b) | commenced on 6 May 1992. |
Unknown provisions |
commenced on 1 March 1993
by Proclamation 87 of 1992.
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group IV hazardous substances |
- [Amended by Hazardous Substances Amendment Act, 1976 (Act 16 of 1976) on 31 March 1976]
- [Amended by Hazardous Substances Amendment Act, 1981 (Act 31 of 1981) on 11 March 1981]
- [Amended by Transfer of Powers and Duties of the State President Act, 1986 (Act 97 of 1986) on 3 October 1986]
- [Amended by Hazardous Substances Amendment Act, 1992 (Act 53 of 1992) on 6 May 1992]
- [Amended by Nuclear Energy Act, 1993 (Act 131 of 1993) on 1 March 1994]
- [Amended by Nuclear Energy Act, 1999 (Act 46 of 1999) on 24 February 2000]
1. Definitions
In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates—“advertisement”, in relation to any grouped hazardous substance, means any written, pictorial, visual or other descriptive matter or verbal statement, communication, representation or reference—(a)appearing in a newspaper or other publication;(b)distributed to members of the public; or(c)brought to the notice of members of the public in any manner,and which is intended to promote the sale or encourage the use of such a substance; and "advertise" has a corresponding meaning;“analyst” means a person appointed as such under section 10(1);“appliance” means the whole or any part of any implement, machine, instrument, apparatus or other object used or capable of being used for, in or in connection with the manufacture, treatment, packing, labelling, storage, conveyance, preparation, serving or administering of any grouped hazardous substance;“describe” includes advertise or label;"Director-General" means the Director-General: National Health and Population Development;[definition of "Director-General" inserted by section 1(a) of Act 31 of 1981 and substituted by section 1(a) of Act 53 of 1992]“dump”, in relation to a grouped hazardous substance, means deposit, discharge, spill, release or cause or permit to be deposited, discharged, spilled or released (whether or not the substance in question is enclosed in a container), in such a place, under such circumstances or for such a period that the person depositing, discharging, spilling, or releasing or causing or permitting it to be deposited, discharged, spilled, or released, may reasonably be assumed to have abandoned it; and “dumping” has a corresponding meaning;“electronic product” means—(a)any manufactured product which, when in operation, contains or acts as part of an electronic circuit, and—(i)emits (or in the absence of effective shielding or other controls would emit) electronic product radiation; or(ii)would, as a result of the failure or breakdown of any built-in safety measure or shielding, pose an electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological, ergonomic or other hazard, or cause excessive temperature, excessive pressure or ignition of flammable material, which may cause injury, ill-health or death to human beings; or(b)any manufactured article which is intended for use as a component, part or accessory of a product described in paragraph (a) and which, when in operation—(i)emits (or in the absence of effective shielding or other controls would emit) such radiation; or(ii)would, as a result of the failure or breakdown of any built-in safety measures or shielding, pose an electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological, ergonomic or other hazard, or cause excessive temperature, excessive pressure or ignition of flammable material, which may cause injury, ill-health or death to human beings;[definition of "electronic product" amended by section 1(a) and (b) of Act 16 of 1976 and substituted by section 1(b) of Act 53 of 1992]“electronic product radiation” means—(a)any ionizing or non-ionizing electro-magnetic or particulate radiation; or(b)any sonic, infrasonic or ultrasonic wave which is emitted from an electronic product as the result of the operation of an electric circuit in such product;“grouped hazardous substance” means any Group IV hazardous substance and any substance, mixture of substances, product or material declared in terms of section 2(1) to be a hazardous substance of any kind;[definition of “grouped hazardous substance” substituted by section 1(c) of Act 53 of 1992]“Group I, Group II or Group III hazardous substance” means a substance, mixture of substances, product or material declared in terms of section 2(1) to be a Group I, Group II or Group III hazardous substance, respectively;[definition of “Group I, Group II or Group III hazardous substance”, previously “Group I, Group II, Group III or Group IV hazardous substance", substituted by section 1(d) of Act 53 of 1992]“Group IV hazardous substance” means radioactive material which is outside a nuclear installation as defined in the Nuclear Energy Act, 1999, and is not a material which forms part of or is used or intended to be used in the nuclear fuel cycle, and—(a)has an activity concentration of more than 100 becquerels per gram and a total activity of more than 4 000 becquerels; or(b)has an activity concentration of 100 becquerels or less per gram or a total activity of 4 000 becquerels or less and which the Minister has by notice in the Gazette declared to be a Group IV hazardous substance,and which is used or intended to be used for medical, scientific, agricultural, commercial or industrial purposes, and any radioactive waste arising from such radioactive material;[definition of “Group IV hazardous substance” inserted by section 1(e) of Act 53 of 1992, substituted by section 84 of Act 131 of 1993 and amended by section 58 of Act 46 of 1999]“import” means import into the Republic by any means; and “importation” has a corresponding meaning;“importer” includes any person who, whether as owner, consignor, consignee, agent or broker, is in possession of or in any way entitled to the custody or control of any grouped hazardous substance imported;“import harbour” [definition of “import harbour” deleted by section 1(b) of Act 31 of 1981]“inspector” means a person appointed as such under section 8(1), and includes any person who may, in terms of section 8 (3), exercise or perform the powers, duties and functions of such an inspector;“label”, when used as a noun, means any brand or mark or any written, pictorial or other descriptive matter appearing on or attached to or packed with any grouped hazardous substance or its package, and referring to such substance, and, when used as a verb, means brand or mark or attach or provide in any other manner with, any written, pictorial or other descriptive matter;“licence” means any licence issued in terms of section 4;[definition of “licence” inserted by section 1(f) of Act 53 of 1992]“local authority” means a municipal institution and includes an institution or body with functions similar to those of a municipal institution;[definition of “local authority” substituted by section 1(g) of Act 53 of 1992]“manufacture”, when used as a noun, includes assembly, production, preparation, processing, repair or any other manufacturing or maintenance process and, when used as a verb, has a corresponding meaning;[definition of “manufacture” substituted by section 1(c) of Act 16 of 1976 and by section 1(h) of Act 53 of 1992]“Minister” means the Minister of National Health;[definition of “Minister” substituted by section 1(c) of Act 31 of 1981 and by section 1(i) of Act 53 of 1992]“package” means anything by or in which any substance is covered, enclosed, contained or packed;"premises" means land or any building or other structure and includes any train, boat, ship, aircraft or other vehicle;“prescribed” means prescribed by regulation;“radio-active material” [definition of “radio-active material” deleted by section 1(j) of Act 53 of 1992]“regulation” means a regulation made under this Act;“sealed package” means an unopened package which cannot be opened without breaking or damaging such package or any seal, adhesive label or other part of or attachment to such package;“Secretary” [definition of “Secretary” deleted by section 1(d) of Act 31 of 1981]“sell” includes offer, advertise, keep, display, transmit, consign, convey or deliver for sale, or exchange, or dispose of to any person in any manner, whether for a consideration or otherwise, or manufacture or import for use in the Republic; and “selling” and “sale” have a corresponding meaning;“this Act” includes any regulation.2. Declaration of grouped hazardous substances
3. Sale of Group I and Group III, and letting, use, operation, application and installation of Group III, hazardous substances
3A. Production, acquisition, disposal, and importation and exportation, of Group IV hazardous substances
4. Licensing
5. Period of validity and renewal of licences
A licence under section 4 shall be valid for an indefinite or the prescribed period, but may on application in the prescribed manner and before the prescribed time or such later time as the Director-General may allow and on payment of the prescribed fee (if any) be renewed.[section 5 substituted by section 4 of Act 16 of 1976 and by section 6 of Act 53 of 1992]6. Appeals to Minister against decisions of, and conditions imposed by, Director-General
7. Suspension and cancellation of licences
8. Inspectors
9. Powers of inspectors
9A. Embargo
9B. Seizure
10. Analysts
11. Further analysis or examination of samples
12. Examination, control and disposal of imported substances
13. Liability in regard to substance sold in a sealed package
14. Special defences
No person shall be convicted on a charge of selling or importing a Group I or Group II hazardous substance in contravention of any provision of this Act, if he proves—15. Warranties
16. Liability of employer or principal
17. Preservation of secrecy
18. Offences
Any person who—19. Penalties
20. Jurisdiction
A magistrate’s court shall have jurisdiction to impose any penalty provided for by this Act.21. Forfeiture and disposal of goods
22. Time limits and other requirements in connection with prosecution
23. Proof and presumptions
In any prosecution under this Act—24. Administration of Act by authorized local authority
25. Right to prosecute
26. Delegation of powers
The Director-General may in writing authorize any officer of the Department of Health, Welfare and Pensions to exercise or perform in general or in a particular case or in cases of a particular nature, any power, duty or function conferred or imposed on the Director-General by or in terms of this Act.[section 26 amended by section 6 of Act 31 of 1981]27. Defects in form
A defect in the form of a notice, order, certificate, report or other document issued, made or furnished in terms of this Act shall not invalidate any administrative proceedings to which such notice, order, certificate, report or other document relates or be a ground for exception in legal proceedings, provided the requirements for such a notice, order, certificate, report or other document are substantially complied with and its meaning is clear.28. Restriction of liability
No person, including the State, shall be liable in respect of anything done in good faith in the exercise or performance of a power or duty conferred or imposed by or under this Act.29. Regulations
30. Application of Act to grouped hazardous substances in transit
The Minister may, at the request of the government or administration of a state or territory which is not part of the Republic, by notice in the Gazette apply any provision of this Act to any grouped hazardous substance which arrives at or is imported through an import harbour or other place in the Republic and which is addressed to or intended for transmission to a place in such state or territory, and may at any time withdraw or amend such notice by notice in the Gazette.[section 30 amended by sections 46 and 47 of Act 97 of 1986]31. Operation of Act in relation to other laws
The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in substitution for any other law which is not in conflict with or inconsistent with this Act.32. Repeal of section 133A of Act 36 of 1919, and Act 42 of 1971
33. Short title and commencement
History of this document
24 February 2000 this version
Amended by
Nuclear Energy Act, 1999
01 March 1994
Amended by
Nuclear Energy Act, 1993
Read this version
01 March 1993
Commenced by
Hazardous Substances Amendment Act, 1992: Commencement of provisions relating to Group IV hazardous substances
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group IV hazardous substances
06 May 1992
03 October 1986
21 December 1984
Commenced
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group II hazardous substances
11 March 1981
25 March 1977
Commenced by
Hazardous Substances Act, 1973: Commencement of provisions relating to Group I hazardous substances
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group I hazardous substances
24 December 1976
Commenced by
Hazardous Substances Act, 1973: Commencement of provisions relating to Group III hazardous substances
Note: Date of commencement of provisions relating to Group III hazardous substances
31 March 1976
04 April 1973
Published in Government Gazette 3834
Read this version
26 March 1973
Assented to
Cited documents 3
Act 3
1. | Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 | 12681 citations |
2. | Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 | 4112 citations |
3. | Customs and Excise Act, 1964 | 1096 citations |
Documents citing this one 359
Gazette 325
By-law 18
Act 10
1. | National Environmental Management Act, 1998 | 2420 citations |
2. | Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, 1965 | 742 citations |
3. | National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 | 460 citations |
4. | Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 | 245 citations |
5. | Chiropractors, Homeopaths and Allied Health Service Professions Act, 1982 | 156 citations |
6. | Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act, 2004 | 138 citations |
7. | National Nuclear Regulator Act, 1999 | 136 citations |
8. | Nuclear Energy Act, 1999 | 70 citations |
9. | Western Cape Health Care Waste Management Act | 12 citations |
10. | National Health Insurance Act, 2023 | 1 citation |
Judgment 5
Government Notice 1
1. | Exemption Regarding the Sale of Electronically Controlled Ventilators |
Subsidiary legislation
Title
|
||
---|---|---|
Exemption Regarding the Sale of Electronically Controlled Ventilators
Health and Food Safety
|
Government Notice R722 of 2020 |
Health and Food Safety
|