Implementing a new chemicals safety framework

EU and JUSSCANNZ countries discuss chemical safety at regional SAICM meeting

05.12.2006 |Daniela Rosche

Just a few months after the adoption of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, SAICM, in February this year in Dubai, governments representing the EU and the so-called JUSCANNZ countries met up inBarcelona from 20-22 November 2006. This regional meeting discussed the implementation of the SAICM framework in the region and kick-off the preparation for the next big chemicals conference in 2009.

Key agenda items were among others regional coordination mechanisms, the organization and beefing up of the Quick Start programme, designed to assist less- developed countries with the implementation of the SAICM framework and how the Global Plan of Action, a key document in the SAICM framework can be expanded. Most importantly, governments, NGOs and other UN agencies dealing with chemicals management presented their plans to support the implementation of SAICM over the coming few years.

Women in Europe was present at the meeting as well as our IPEN colleagues and the Chemicals Secretariat from Sweden. Read more below about the plans of WECF to implement chemical safety as part of our SAICM activities.

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Thank you Mr. Co-Chair. On behalf of Women in Europe for a Common Future, I am happy to briefly introduce you to our plans in support of SAICM implementation.

We are a network of over 70 women’s and environmental organizations in 30 countries, encompassing then EU and the wider European Region. Our network has been working on chemicals and public health for a number of years on the national, regional, EU and international level.

In the EU, much of our efforts over the past 3-4 years have focused on securing a strong REACH. Beyond the EU, our members have been active pushing the implementation of the Stockholm Convention, dealing with obsolete pesticide stockpiles and discussing chemicals safety.

We know that women and future generations given their different physiological make-up, exposure patterns and vulnerability will be the first ones to benefit from effective chemicals management. The results of effective chemicals management are not only healthy women, healthy families and a healthy environment, but also safe products, increasing industry sales renewed consumer trust and lower costs for the clean up of hazardous consumer waste.

As a first step in support of SAICM implementation, we published the first comprehensive English language publication written by women, for women called “ Women and their Toxic World”. The publication focuses on hazardous chemicals in every day consumer products, how women’s health are affected, what legislative frameworks exist to protect women and future generations, and finally what women can do themselves to reduce exposure and as the biggest group of shoppers worldwide, promote safer products.

Our future work will continue to focus on high concern chemicals, such as PBTs,vPvBs, CMRs, EDCs and POPs as listed for example as activity 54 in the GPA. Given their hazards and risks, we believe that in the long-term, their replacement by safer alternatives will be the most effective, also the most cost-effective, way to protect women and future generations.

In that context, we will be looking at setting up national and regional projects addressing a variety of consumer products ranging from toys to baby equipment and cosmetics, focused not only on raising awareness and informing but also at working with industry, especially downstream users and retailers on how promote safer alternatives.

All of this work will next to SAICM, also tie in with our continued efforts to support and promote the implementation of REACH, which will hopefully begin in 2007. Above this, our efforts will also ensure that SAICM governance objective 16 h will be met and women are equally involved in decision making on chemicals policy and management.