Plan to relax Australian rules for chemicals and pesticides attacked by environment groups

Panel recommends many household chemicals and pesticides be exempt from scrutiny and agricultural chemicals' approvals be fast-tracked

Environment and health groups have fiercely criticised proposals to relax the regulation of chemicals and pesticides in Australia, saying they are totally at odds" with public health and safety expectations.

A first principles" review by a panel of experts has recommended to the agriculture minister, David Littleproud, that many household chemicals and pesticides should be exempt from scrutiny by authorities, and that approvals for agricultural chemicals should be fast-tracked if they have been licensed by similar authorities overseas.