Strengthening the national institutional capacity for chemicals and waste management in Palau
Project Story
Palau puts the environment first through sound chemicals and waste management
Project Summary
As a small island developing State, Palau does not have a chemical manufacturing industry. It imports chemicals for use in several sectors including health, agriculture, and pest control. In the absence of mechanisms to control the importation and use of chemicals, it is possible that increasing complex and dangerous chemicals are being imported and used without the appropriate safeguards thus increasing risks to human health and the environment. This project seeks to strengthen Palau’s capacity to implement sound chemicals and waste management in accordance with its obligations towards the Basel, Stockholm and Minamata Conventions. It involves establishing sound policies and comprehensive regulations, strengthening interagency collaboration and data collection and management. The project will be implemented by the Environmental Quality Protection Board (EQPB), with strategic oversight provided by a National Chemicals Taskforce.
Project Objectives
The project will undertake the following measures:
- Strengthen national and state legislative frameworks to provide comprehensive coverage of all chemicals and hazardous waste management matters;
- Develop a centralised data management system for chemicals and waste data to ultimately improve reporting to the Conventions;
- Strengthen human technical capacity to implement sound management of chemicals and waste by establishing vocational training programs at the Education and Outreach Programs Division of EQPB and by providing training to Convention Focal Points, Customs, and other key stakeholders;
- Establish a certification system for preparers of Environmental Assessments (EAs) under Palau’s environmental impact statement (EIS) process to improve the standard of EAs and strengthen capacity of EA assessors.
Project Details
- Party: Basel, Stockholm, Minamata
- Country Classification: Small island developing State
- Special Programme Trust Fund: USD 275,000
- Cofinancing Total: USD 107,000
- Project duration: July 2019 – June 2022
