MEDIA REPORTS
CHEMICALS
MANAGEMENT
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on: 01/13/10
2009
Chemicals Management Media Reports Archives:
2010;
2008;
2007;
2006;
2005;
2004;
2003;
2002
DECEMBER 2009
SIMULTANEOUS
EXCOP TO THE BASEL, ROTTERDAM AND STOCKHOLM CONVENTIONS, ADVISORY
COMMITTEE REPORT RELEASED
The report of the second meeting of the
Advisory Committee for the Simultaneous Extraordinary Meetings of the
Conferences of the Parties (ExCOP) to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm
Conventions has been released. The meeting took place in Bangkok,
Thailand, on 24 October 2009, and discussed the issues to be considered
by the ExCOP, the consultative process on financing options for
chemicals and wastes, and the voluntary trust fund budget. The Advisory
committee concluded that matters related to the consultative process on
financing options for chemicals and wastes would be considered by the UN
Environment Programme Governing Council Special Session, as opposed to
the ExCOP.
Link to further information
ExCOP Advisory Committee report
BASEL CONVENTION
RELEASES REPORT ON REGIONAL CENTRES
The Secretariat of the Basel Convention has
released a report entitled "Review of the Operation of the Basel
Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres." The report, called for in
decision IX/4 includes: a draft work plan for the strengthening of the
Basel Convention Regional and Coordinating Centres (BCRCs); a detailed
list of the necessary elements for the performance of the core functions
of BCRCs; a draft strategic framework for the financial sustainability
of the centres; and a set of indicators to measure performance and
impediments in relation to the functions and impacts of the BCRCs. The
document will be considered by the seventh session of the Open-Ended
Working Group, scheduled to convene in Geneva from 10-14 May 2010.
Link to further information
Basel Convention website
OCTOBER 2009
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR VISITS TOXIC DUMPS IN
KYRGYZSTAN
The UN Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement
and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment
of human rights, Okechukwu Ibeanu, visited toxic dumps in an 11-day
visit to Kyrgyzstan. According to Ibeanu, Kyrgyzstan has made progress
in addressing the significant problems of radioactive and toxic waste
dumps, as well as in raising international awareness of the serious
trans-boundary threats of contamination of groundwater and rivers, but
much more remains to be done. Ibeanu noted that the social and economic
impact of uranium tailings sites and other hazardous toxic waste dump
sites on the local population need to be addressed.
Link to further information
UN News service, 9 October 2009
UNEP AND FAO LAUNCH WEBSITE FOR BASEL, ROTTERDAM AND
STOCKHOLM SIMULTANEOUS EXCOP
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) have launched a dedicated website for the
Simultaneous Extraordinary Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to
the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, scheduled to convene
from 22-26 February 2010, in Bali, Indonesia. The website includes new
information about the Advisory Committee on the ExCOPs and the
Consultative Process on Options for Financing Chemicals and Wastes.
Link to further information
ExCOP website
STOCKHOLM CONVENTION LAUNCHES SMALL GRANT PROGRAMME
The Stockholm Convention Secretariat has launched a small grant
programme designed to channel bilateral donor funds for implementing the
Convention through Stockholm Convention regional and sub-regional
Centres for capacity-building and the transfer of technology. The
initial funding, provided by the Government of Norway for 2009, is
US$100,000, with the possibility of annual replenishment and expansion
of the Programme.
Two proposals will be
selected from among those submitted by the regional centres. Interested
centres are invited to submit their project proposals to the Secretariat
before 31 October 2009.
Link to further information
Stockholm Convention website
SEPTEMBER 2009
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR RELEASES REPORT ON CÔTE
D'IVOIRE DUMPING
The UN Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement
and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment
of human rights, Okechukwu Ibeanu, has released his assessment of the
2006 incident involving the dumping of waste from the vessel Probo Koala
in Côte d'Ivoire. Ibeanu visited Côte d'Ivoire and the Netherlands as
part of his investigation. He noted that, in the Netherlands, improved
measures have been taken to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents
and recommended that the Netherlands should continue to provide support
to the Government of Côte d'Ivoire to allow the latter to monitor and
address effectively the long-term human health and environmental effects
of the incident. In Côte d'Ivoire, the Special Rapporteur identified an
urgent need to tackle outstanding issues, in particular with regard to
decontamination, health care and compensation. He encouraged the Ivorian
authorities to take further action to protect the right to life, the
right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical
and mental health and the right to a healthy environment of all affected
victims and their families.
Link to
further information
Report of the UN Special Rapporteur, 3 September 2009
SAICM SECRETARIAT ISSUES UPDATE ON EMERGING POLICY
ISSUES
The SAICM Secretariat has released an update on current activities
related to SAICM's agreed emerging policy issues: nanotechnologies and
manufactured nanomaterials; hazardous substances within the life cycle
of electrical and electronic products; chemicals in products; and lead
in paint. In each case, governments, intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, including the private sector, are tasked
to carry-out actions.
Link to
further information
Update on SAICM implementation – emerging policy issues, 2 September
2009
AMENDMENTS TO THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION
DEPOSITED
The amendments to the Stockholm Convention, agreed by parties to the
Convention at the Fourth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP
4) in May 2009, have been deposited. The adoption of the amendment to
Annexes A, B and C of the Stockholm Convention was communicated by the
Depository on 26 August 2009. Accordingly, the amendments shall enter
into force on 26 August 2010 for all parties that have not submitted a
notification in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3(b) of
Article 22.
Link to
further information
Stockholm Convention website
EU DISCUSSING ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SHIP
DISMANTLING
Under the Swedish Presidency of the European Union (EU), discussions are
being held to establish what measures the EU may take to improve the
situation of environmentally hazardous ship dismantling. According to
the European Commission (EC), in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, where
most of the dismantling industry is located, hundreds of workers are
killed or injured. The condemned ships also contain large amounts of
hazardous waste including asbestos, PCBs and oil sludge, which is
released into the environment.
In 2008, the EC
presented a proposal calling for increased cooperation between
authorities in the EU member states, improved control and lists on
environmentally friendly ship dismantling facilities and condemned
vessels. Negotiations over the position of the Council of Ministers will
commence on 21 October 2009. The EC will then present EU legislation
proposals, based on the Council's viewpoints.
An EU ban on
exporting environmentally hazardous materials already exists, but
compliance with the ban is poor, especially regarding ships, due to the
difficulty in establishing exactly when a ship should be demolished. The
overarching objective of the Commission's strategy is to ensure that the
dismantling of ships sailing under EU flags will be safe and
environmentally friendly by the year 2015.
Link to
further information
Swedish Presidency of the EU website
JULY 2009
BASEL CONVENTION
WORKS WITH WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION TO ADDRESS HAZARDOUS WASTE
A joint global Customs initiative, titled "Operation Demeter,"
implemented across Europe, the Asia and Pacific region and Africa,
netted more than 30,000 tons and 1,500 pieces of illegal hazardous waste
in 57 seizures, between March and May 2009. The initiative was supported
by national environmental agencies, the Secretariat of the Basel
Convention, the EU Network for Implementation and Enforcement of
Environmental Law, and the seven World Customs Organization Regional
Intelligence Liaison Offices, located in the participating regions. The
majority of seizures took place in European countries, including the
Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, before the waste could be shipped. Iron
scrap destined for Asia topped the list in terms of quantities seized.
Africa remained the "destination of choice" for household waste such as
used refrigerators containing chlorofluorocarbons and old television
screens.
Link to further information
World Customs Organization press release
PROTOCOL TO THE
ARHUS CONVENTION TO ENTER INTO FORCE
The Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the UN
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Aarhus Convention is set to enter
into force on 8 October 2009, after France's ratification was deposited
with the UN Secretary-General on 10 July 2009. Pollutant release and
transfer registers are inventories of pollutants from industrial sites,
but also smaller, widespread sources such as traffic, agriculture and
small and medium-sized enterprises. Under the Protocol, facilities will
be required to report annually on the amounts of certain pollutants they
release to the environment or transfer to other facilities. The Protocol
on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers will help identify the
biggest polluters in communities across Europe. The Protocol also covers
facilities releasing large quantities of greenhouse gases known to
contribute to global warming and thus offers a new tool to countries
battling climate change. The European Union's 27 Member States are
expected to release their first annual reports on the release and
transfer of the Protocol's list of pollutants on 30 September 2009.
Link to further information
UNECE press release
JUNE 2009
POPRC POCKET GUIDE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT
The Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention has released a draft version
of the pocket guide to the Persistent Organic Pollutant Review Committee
(POPRC), based on the handbook for effective participation in the POPRC.
Parties and observers are invited to submit comments on the guide to the
Secretariat by 29 July 2009.
Link to
further information
Stockholm Convention website
JULY 2009
ROTTERDAM
RELEASES PIC CIRCULAR
The Rotterdam Convention Secretariat has released the June 2009
(Prior Informed Consent) PIC Circular, to provide all parties through
their designated national authorities with the information required to
be circulated by the Secretariat, in line with articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 10,
11, 13 and 14. The PIC Circular is published every six months, in June
and December. This 408-page Circular contains information related to the
period from 31 October 2008-30 April 2009, including details of parties'
new import responses to chemicals. The PIC Circular is available in
English, French and Spanish.
Link to further information
June 2009 PIC Circular
UNEP MERCURY
PROGRAMME SUPPORTS COUNTRY EFFORTS
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Mercury Programme has announced
that available funding from the UNEP Mercury Trust Fund will be used to
support partnerships, projects and activities aiming to assist
developing countries and countries with economies in transition in
understanding the nature and magnitude of the mercury problem, and in
developing tools and strategies to mitigate mercury pollution. The
maximum amount per project is US$100,000, however projects under
US$50,000 may be given preference, as may also be the case for projects
with an element of co-funding from other sources and/or substantial
in-kind contributions.
Link to further information
UNEP Mercury Programme website
MAY 2009
UN AGENCIES LAUNCH GLOBAL EFFORT TO ERADICATE MALARIA
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Health Organization, in
partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), have announced a
rejuvenated international effort to combat malaria with an incremental
reduction of reliance on the synthetic pesticide DDT. The global
programme, entitled "Demonstrating and Scaling-up of Sustainable
Alternatives to DDT in Vector Management," involves 40 countries in
Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia. Under the programme,
these countries are set to test non-chemical methods ranging from
eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites and securing homes with
mesh screens to deploying mosquito-repellent trees and fish that eat
mosquito larvae. DDT is being phased out under the Stockholm Convention
on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
Links to
further information
UN News Centre, 6 May 2009
MERCURY STORAGE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS
LAUNCHED
Norway is funding two mercury projects addressing environmentally-sound
storage and waste management of mercury. Both projects are being
implemented by UNEP Chemicals, which held initial workshops in early
March 2009, in Bangkok, Thailand, and Siem Ream, Cambodia.
The storage
project workshop was jointly conducted with the Zero Mercury Working
Group. Management options include the US above ground facility/warehouse
and the EU below ground facility, using salt mines. Participants from 19
Asian countries agreed to complete options analysis as the basis for
countries' decision. The waste management project includes five
countries – Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chile, Pakistan, and the
Philippines. It aims to increase the technical capacity in assessing,
managing and reducing risks posed by mercury-containing waste. It is
planned to develop sector-specific guidance and analyze selected human
and environmental matrices for total and organic mercury.
Links to
further information
Chair's summary from Bangkok workshop, March 2009
Mercury waste project
Mercury storage project
APRIL 2009
STOCKHOLM PARTIES SUBMIT IMPLEMENTATION PLANS IN
LEAD-UP TO COP4
Several parties to the Stockholm Convention have transmitted their
National Implementation Plans (NIPs), pursuant to Article 7 of the
Convention, to the Secretariat prior to the fourth Conference of the
Parties (COP4). These parties include the Republic of Korea, United Arab
Emirates, the Gambia, the Syrian Arab Republic, Croatia, Tuvalu, Oman,
Belgium, Panama and Uganda. Under Article 7, parties are required to
develop and endeavour to implement a plan for the implementation of its
obligations under this Convention and transmit its NIP to the COP within
two years of the date on which this Convention enters into force for it.
Link to
further information
Stockholm Convention website
EU SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE CONSIDERS ALTERNATIVE
AVAILABILITY FOR MERCURY SPHYGMOMANOMETERS
The European Commission's Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly
Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) has been requested to review the
availability of reliable alternatives to mercury-containing
syphygmomanometers (blood pressure monitoring devices). Currently these
are exempted from the ban on the use of mercury containing devices,
which entered into force in the EU on 3 April 2009. The review will be
completed and SCENIHR scientific opinion delivered by October 2009.
Link to
further information
SCENIHR request for scientific opinion
CHEMICALS CAMPAIGNERS AWARDED ENVIRONMENT PRIZE
Olga Speranskaya (Russian Federation) and Yuyun Ismawati (Indonesia)
have been awarded the Goldman Environment Prize for their work with
communities and grassroots organizations in protecting human health and
the environment from toxic chemicals and waste. The Goldman Environment
Prize is the world's largest prize honouring grassroots
environmentalists. Olga Speranskaya transformed the NGO community in
Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia into a participatory force
working to identify and eliminate the Soviet legacy of toxic chemicals
in the environment. Yuyun Ismawati implements sustainable
community-based waste and hazardous waste solutions that provide
employment opportunities to low-income people and empower them to
improve the environment.
Link to
further information
International POPs Elimination Network website
Goldman Prize website
STOCKHOLM CONVENTION POPS REGIONAL MONITORING
REPORTS RELEASED
The Stockholm Convention has released regional monitoring reports for
Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, Central
and Eastern Europe and the Western Europe and Others Group. These
reports, along with a global monitoring report, were compiled following
the implementation of a decision by parties to the Convention to
establish regional organization groups to define and implement the
regional strategy for information gathering, including capacity building
and establishment of strategic partnerships to fill identified data
gaps, and to prepare the regional monitoring report as a contribution to
the first effectiveness evaluation report, to be presented to the
Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting in May 2009.
Link to
further information
Stockholm Convention website
EC CALLS FOR HIGH LEVEL UN PANEL ON CHEMICALS RISKS
European Commission (EC) Vice-President Margot Wallström called for "a
new UN panel with independent researchers to tackle the risks from
chemicals in the same way that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) is doing for climate change," on 3 April 2009. Wallström
made the call at the inauguration of the European Chemicals Agency
Conference Centre in Helsinki, Finland.
Link to
further information
European Chemicals Agency press release
US CONSIDERING STOCKHOLM RATIFICATION
According to an a senior US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
official, the EPA is expected to reform the US Toxic Substances Control
Act (TSCA), preparing for additional mandatory controls on mercury, and
hoping to develop legislation enabling full US participation in the
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The announcement
was made at the GlobalChem conference, which convened from 6-8 April
2009, in Baltimore, US.
Link to
further information
GlobalChem 2009 website
ROTTERDAM CONVENTION INVITES FEEDBACK ON
RESOURCE KIT
The Rotterdam Convention Secretariat is inviting comments on the
Rotterdam Convention Resource Kit. The Resource Kit was developed as a
comprehensive source of information and training materials to assist in
the ratification and implementation of the Convention. This evaluation
form has been prepared with the objective of collecting feedback on the
usefulness and quality of the contents of the Resource Kit.
Link to further
information
Rotterdam Convention website
MARCH 2009
SECRETARIAT ANNOUNCES NEW PARTIES TO THE BASEL
CONVENTION
The Basel Convention Secretariat has
announced that the Basel Convention now has 172 parties. Gabon acceded
to the Convention on 6 June 2008, and the Republic of Korea acceded on
10 July 2008. Both countries became parties to the Convention on the
ninetieth day after the date of deposit of the instrument of accession.
In other ratification news, Colombia ratified the Protocol on Liability
and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of
Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which brings the number of parties
to that Protocol to nine. Italy ratified the Ban Amendment on 3 March
2009, which brings the number of ratifications to that Amendment to 65.
Links to information
Ratifications of the Basel Convention
Ratification of the Protocol to the Basel Convention
Ratifications of the Basel Convention Ban Amendment
SWISS-INDONESIAN
INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BASEL CONVENTION
ANNOUNCED
The Governments of Switzerland and Indonesia have announced an
informal process to improve the effectiveness of the Basel Convention
with respect to environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes.
The Country-led Initiative will invite key players to engage in informal
discussions on issues including: reasons why transboundary movements of
hazardous wastes, especially to developing countries, continue, contrary
to the overarching objective of the Ban Amendment; reasons that
countries that do not have the capacity to ensure the environmentally
sound management of hazardous wastes still receive such wastes; and what
steps could be taken to protect developing countries from unwanted
imports of hazardous wastes. The Country-led Initiative will meet three
times before the tenth Conference of the Parties (COP10), scheduled to
convene in 2011.
Link to further information
Basel Convention website
NGOS LAUNCH "REACH -
YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW" LEAFLET
To mark European Consumer Day on 15 March 2009, a coalition of
environmental, women's and consumer groups launched an updated leaflet
explaining to consumers their right to know under the Registration,
Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH)
Regulation about substances of very high concern in products. Under
REACH, when consumers ask, companies must inform them, free of charge,
which harmful chemicals are in the product. The initiative is led by the
Chemical Health Monitor project of the Health and Environmental Alliance
(HEAL) and provides advice to consumers on which information can be
requested, and how to request it.
Links to further information
Heal Statement
Your Right to Know leaflet
EU
OUTLINES PRIORITIES FOR ITS CHEMICALS INDUSTRY
In a report adopted by the High Level Group on the Competitiveness of
the European Chemicals Industry in Brussels, the EU has called for more
innovation and research and strengthening networks and clusters, and
asked for greater private commitment and a favorable policy framework in
this regard. The report identifies three key challenges for the European
chemicals industry: the increasingly difficult energy and feedstock
situation, which has a high impact on costs; climate change and global
environmental challenges; and strong competition from industry in
emerging countries and barriers to market access in these countries. The
report includes 40 recommendations that aim to foster the
competitiveness of the European chemicals industry while contributing to
sustainable development, and confirm the need for setting stable and
foreseeable framework conditions and orientations, notwithstanding the
current economic crisis.
Link to further
information
High Level Group for the Competitiveness for the European Chemicals
Industry report
FEBRUARY 2009
SAICM QUICK START PROGRAMME FUNDING SIXTH ROUND OF APPLICATIONS
The SAICM Quick Start Programme (QSP) sixth round of funding is
currently open, but will close on 27 February 2009. The QSP Trust Fund
Implementation Committee will review applications at its seventh
meeting, on 16-17 April 2009.
Link to further
information
SAICM website
UNEP CHEMICALS
ANNOUNCES MERCURY PROJECT
The UNEP Chemicals Mercury Programme has announced a project to reduce
mercury supply and investigate mercury storage solutions in Kyrgyzstan.
The project was developed jointly with UNITAR and UNEP-GRID Arendal, and
is supported by Switzerland and the US. The project was prompted by a
request by Kyrgyzstan for assistance to consider options for phasing-out
mercury mining. A desk study being published by UNEP-GRID Arendal will
be used for information in the international forum and as a starting
point for the development of, and consultation on, the economic growth
plan. The project is expected to shift Kyrgyzstan's economy in the
Ferghana valley region away from primary mercury mining to more
economically and environmentally sound and sustainable productive
activities.
Link to further
information
Project document
JANUARY 2009
EUROPEAN COMMISSION ADOPTS FINAL AMENDMENT TO DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES
DIRECTIVE
The European Commission agreed to include more than 600 substances in
the final amendment to the Dangerous Substances Directive, which was
adopted on 15 January 2009. It included more than 200 substances
identified as causing cancer, genetic mutation, or as having an effect
on reproduction. Under the REACH regulation on chemicals, substances
classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or having reproductive toxic
effects may need authorisation to be used or placed on the market.
Link to further
information
Dangerous Substances Directive, 15 January 2009
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