Chemicals Management

Increased use of chemicals frequently accompanies economic development and chemicals can play an important role in the improvement of living standards, including in relation to disease eradication, safe drinking water and the alleviation of hunger. At the same time, the sound management of chemicals is essential for environmental sustainability, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for sustainable development as a whole. There is increasing recognition of the importance of the sound management of chemicals in meeting the internationally agreed goals of the Millennium Declaration and of the potential for exposure to toxic substances to undermine development, health and poverty alleviation investments (UNEP/GCSS.IX/9/Add.2).

Adopted in 2006, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework for international action on chemical hazards. In 2007, SAICM will be addressed at the 24th GC / GMEF, as well as other chemicals management issues such as lead, cadmium and UNEP mercury programme.

UNEP Chemicals Branch

Background documents from GC24

• Chemicals management: Report of the Executive Director:UNEP/GC/24/7
  [عربي]  [中文版]  [English] [Español]  [Français]  [Русский]
  
• Chemicals management: Report of the Executive Director:UNEP/GC/24/7/Corr.1
  [عربي]
• Initial activities and planning in support of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management: Note by the Executive Director:UNEP/GC/24/INF/15
  [English]
• Interim reviews of scientific information on lead and cadmium: Note by the Executive Director:UNEP/GC/24/INF/16
  [English]
• Status report on partnerships as one approach to reducing the risks to human health and the environment from the release of mercury and its compounds into the environment and report on supply, trade and demand information on mercury: Note by the Executive Director: UNEP/GC/24/INF/17
  [English]
• Outcome of regional meetings on implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management: Note by the Executive Director:UNEP/GC/24/INF/21
  [English]

Background documents from GCSS.IX
Policy issues: chemicals management - UNEP/GCSS.IX/6 [عربي]  [中文版]  [English] [Español] [Français]  [Русский]

Background papers for the ministerial-level consultations on energy and environment for development, chemicals management as well as tourism and the environment - UNEP/GCSS.IX/9 [عربي]  [中文版]  English [Español]  [Français]  [Русский]

Background paper on Chemicals management - Addendum - UNEP/GCSS.IX/9/Add.2
[عربي]  [中文版]  [English] [Español]  [Français]  [Русский]

Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
Adopted by the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) on 6 February 2006 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework for international action on chemical hazards.

• SAICM newsletter, June 2006
• SAICM newsletter, August 2006
• Summary of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, February 2006
  
  Presentation on SAICM

Lead and Cadmium (More)
The UNEP Governing Council, during its last regular session in February 2005, mandated UNEP to undertake a number of activities relating to lead and cadmium.

• Review of scientific information on lead and cadmium
• Publications from the partnership for clean fuels and vehicles

Mercury programme (More)
The UNEP Governing Council concluded, at its 22nd session in February 2003, after considering the key findings of the Global Mercury Assessment report, that there is sufficient evidence of significant global adverse impacts from mercury to warrant further international action to reduce the risks to humans and wildlife from the release of mercury to the environment. The Governing Council decided that national, regional and global actions should be initiated as soon as possible and urged all countries to adopt goals and take actions, as appropriate, to identify populations at risk and to reduce human-generated releases.

In response to this request, UNEP has established a mercury programme within UNEP Chemicals, which was strengthened by the Governing Council at its 23rd session.   

Global Mercury Assessment report English, Français and Español

Presentation on mercury and heavy metals

Conventions and inter-governmental initiatives

• Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
• International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS)
• Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)
• Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH)
• Norway step by step guide substitution of hazardous chemicals

Training and guidance

• Information Exchange Network on Capacity Building for the Sound Management of Chemicals
• Training and guidance from IPCS
• Introduction to mercury
• Toolkit for identification and quantification of mercury releases
• Handbook on POPs
  

More from major groups

• NGO Mercury Proposal for UNEP Governing Council Meeting
• Chemicals publications, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Chemicals publications
• Background paper to the 7th GCSF, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
• Basel Action Network (BAN)
• Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
• Greenpeace Toxics Campaign
• International Council of Chemicals Associations (ICCA)
• International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN)
• Mercury Pollution, Mercury Policy Project
• Pesticide Action Network (PAN)
• WWF Toxics Campaign