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Global chemical policies

There is a long history of international collaboration on chemical issues. This has resulted in binding conventions (e.g. the Stockholm Convention), voluntary schemes (e.g. GHS Classification and Labeling standards), capacity building schemes and global chemicals institutions.

A number of these global chemicals initiatives are driven by a desire to meet the objective agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 1992:

"aiming to achieve by 2020 that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment".

This page starts by outlining some of the key conventions and voluntary agreements, specifically:

• Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management [link]
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants [link]
• Rotterdam and Basel Conventions [link]
• Globally Harmonised System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals [link]

For a summary & links relevant International Institutions, see the International Institutions page.

• A short presentation on Global chemicals management is available.
• For a comprehensive analysis, and history, of global chemicals management, see the "Global Pursuit of the Sound Management of Chemicals" report (downloadable in 2 sections - pp1-67 and pp68-83) written in 2004 by John Buccini, chair of UNEP’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

As can be seen from the rest of the page, there are quite a number of different international institutions and agreements covering chemicals. It was therefore decided at the UNEP governing council in 2002 that there was a need create a more strategic approach to the management of chemicals at international level.

A number of preparatory meetings and consultation meetings have taken place, with the aim of adopting the new "Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management" at a conference in Dubai in February 2006.

Key links:

• The UNEP Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) web site
• Reports from regional consultations are available here.
• The documents for the September 2005 preparatory meeting are available on the UNEP web site.
• Position papers on SAICM from the International POPS Elimination Network.
• Position papers on SAICM from the International Council of Chemical Associations.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

The Stockholm Convention, also known as the “POPs Treaty”, is a global treaty aimed at protecting human health from persistent organic pollutants, or POPs: toxic compounds that persist in the environment and accumulate in human and animal fat cells. The Convention calls for ratifying governments to take steps to reduce or eliminate the release of 12 specific POPS, provides for technical and financial support for developing countries for its implementation as well as mechanisms for addition of new POPs.

• The 12 priority POPs are: Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Dieldrin, Dioxins, Endrin, Furans, Heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene, Mirex, Toxaphene and PCBs

More than 50 governments have ratified the convention, including the European Union; however, the US has signed the treaty but has not ratified it.

• For more information see the Stockholm Convention Web site and the UNEP POPs progamme.
• The WWF POPs site gives more information on the POPs convention & has fact sheets about the specific POPs, there is more information on the IPEN web site.
• For more information  about the US implementation debate, see the CIEL web site; the US EPA also has a POPs page.
• For more information about EU implementation, see their POPS page.

Rotterdam and Basel Conventions

The 1998 Rotterdam Convention creates a system for informing countries that import hazardous materials about the hazards in these materials. It also provides for the importing country to require prior informed consent ('PIC') before trade can be completed.  This procedure is legally binding for countries that have ratified the convention (the US has not yet ratified, the EU has).

• For more information see the Rotterdam Convention web site.

The related Basel Convention controls the international trade in toxic waste - see the UNEP Basel convention web site for more details; for an NGO view, see the Basel Action Network site.

Globally Harmonised System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)

The Globally Harmonised System for the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, usually abbreviated to GHS, creates a new, internationally standardized, way of classifying and communicating the hazards of chemicals. It aims to ensure that information on physical hazards and toxicity from chemicals is available, in order to enhance the protection of human health and the environment during the handling, transport and use of these chemicals.

For more information, and a briefing on GHS, see our GHS web page.