Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management

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Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management
12th World Congress on Public Health Istanbul Apr
il 29, 2009
Peter Orris, MD, MPH Professor and
Director Global Chemicals Policy
Project University of Illinois School of Public
Health Great Lakes Centers A WHO Collaborating
Center
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International Environmental Health
Global Environmental Concerns Warming Sustaina
ble Development Chemicals
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International Environmental Health
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
The United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development, Rio de Janeiro June 1992,
Reaffirms United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment Stockholm June 1972 protect the
integrity of the global environmental and
developmental system
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PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

• Rio 1992
• Where there are threats of serious or
  irreversible damage, lack of full scientific
  certainty
• shall not
• be used as a reason for postponing
• cost-effective measures to prevent environmental
  degradation

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International Environmental Health
Agenda 21
1992 United Nations Rio Conference agreed that
the protection of the environment and SOCIAL
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT are fundamental to
sustainable development
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International Environmental Health
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
the Ozone Layer                                 
                             The Montreal
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer was negotiated and signed by 24 countries
and by the European Economic Community in
September 1987. The Protocol called for the
Parties to phase down the use of CFCs, halons and
other man-made ODCs.
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.
Adopted in 1989
Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed
Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals
and Pesticides in International Trade. Adopted in
1998
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs). Adopted in 2001, the Stockholm
Convention bans or severely restricts production,
trade, and use of twelve POPs known as the dirty
dozen.
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management

• The Problem
• The 1.6 trillion global chemicals industry
• Produces tens of thousands of substances
• Over 100,000 chemicals are registered for use in
  the OECD
• For the vast majority of chemicals - little or no
  data about
• how they are used
• their toxicity
• hazard characteristics
• the extent of exposure

Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management

• Concerns
• Mismanagement is also a recurring problem in the
  Global North
• Industrial interests that operate in or near
  economically disadvantaged and minority
  communities.
• The constant low-level chemical exposures people
  receive from ordinary foods and everyday products
  
• Bio monitoring has allowed us
• to identify industrial chemicals
• in both adults and children
• without direct identifiable
• Exposure at work or home.

Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
The World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg 2002 formally endorsed the target 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.
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Environment ministers, health ministers and
other delegates from over 100 governments
together with representatives of civil society
and the private sector declared in Dubai,
February 6, 2006 fundamental changes are
needed in the way that societies manage
chemicals,...and that the environment worldwide
continues to suffer from air, water and land
contamination, impairing the health and welfare
of millions. They adopted the Strategic
Approach to International Chemicals Management
(SAICM),
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management

• Intergovernmental Organizations Involved in
  Implementation
• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• United Nations Industrial Development
  Organization (UNIDO)
• United Nations Institute for Training and
  Research (UNITAR)
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
  Development (OECD)
• World Bank
• Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM) SAICM is intended to ensure
that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced
safely throughout the world. Achieving this
ambitious goal will require the involvement and
support of many sectors of government and civil
society. Thus, the SAICM is a multi-sectoral,
multi-stakeholder process in which all
participantsgovernments, IGOs, NGOs, industry,
trade unions, indigenous organizations, etc.have
enjoyed similar participatory rights.
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM)

• Educational Material
• The Committee also agreed to develop
  complementary campaign educational materials
• Chemicals and Health
• Legislative and Regulatory Reform
• Pesticides
• Toxic Metals
• POPs
• Chemicals and Wastes and
• Asbestos etc.

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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Civil Society Stakeholders NGOs Greenpeace WWF
(formerly the World Wildlife Fund) International
POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) Pesticide Action
Network (PAN) Global Alliance for Incinerator
Alternatives (GAIA) Health Care Without
Harm. World Federation of Public Health
Associations
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Civil Society Stakeholders Industry Dow Dupont
Bayer BASF Syngenta Monsanto International
Council of Chemicals Associations (ICCA) CropLife
International.
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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International Environmental Health
International Chemicals Management
Civil Society Stakeholders Labor International
Conference of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) Global
Union Federations Education International
(EI)International Federation of Chemical Energy,
Mine General Workers' Unions (ICEM)Internationa
l Federation of Journalists (IFJ)International
Textile, Garment Leather Workers' Federation
(ITGLWF)Public Service International
(PSI)International Transport Workers' Federation
(ITF)Building and Wood Workers International
(BWI)International Metalworkers' Federation
(IMF)International Union of Food Agric. Hotel
Rest.Cater.Tobac. Allied Work. Assoc.
(IUF)Union Network International (UNI)
Glenn Wiser, Center for International
Environmental Law, UNEP Forum, Sept. 2005
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Thank You