Regulations for the Department

(1) The Minister may, after consultation with the Department, make regulations for– (a) recognising one or more laboratories or institutes as laboratories to carry out the functions entrusted to a laboratory under this Act or any regulations made thereunder; (b) specifying the procedure for the submission to the said laboratory of samples of air, water, soil, or other substances for analysis or tests, the form of the laboratory report thereon and the fees payable for such report; (c) specifying quality standards for the (d) specifying the standards in excess of which pollutants discharged into the environment shall not be discharged or emitted; (e) formulating environmental codes of practices specifying procedures, practices or release limits for environmental control relating to works, undertakings and activities during any 20 phase of their development and operation, including the location, design, construction, start-up, closure, dismantling and clean-up phases and any subsequent monitoring activities; (f) formulating environmental quality guide lines specifying recommendations in quantitative or qualitative terms to support and maintain particular uses of the environment; (g) prescribing all matters which by this Act are required or permitted to be prescribed or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for the better carrying out of or giving effect to the provisions of this Act; (h) the protection of the ozone layer; (i) the prevention and reduction of pollution of the air and water including streams and rivers; (j) the control of noise; (k) protecting the coastal and marine resources of Belize; (1) preserving and protecting the barrier reef and prohibiting the dumping of wastes in the marine environment; (m) controlling and minimising the trans-boundary movement of toxic and hazardous wastes; and (n) any other matter relating to the prevention and control of environmental pollution. (2) In carrying out any of the responsibilities mentioned in sub-section (1), the Minister may21 (a) consult with any Government department or agency, non-governmental organisation, or any person interested in the quality of the environment or the control or abatement of environmental pollution; and (b) organize conferences of representatives of industry, labour and municipal authorities and any interested persons described in paragraph (a).