Chemicals
International policy on chemicals
Chemicals policy in the UK is influenced by a number of international agreements. The UK participates actively in international initiatives, as part of its commitment to the development of successful chemicals policy, both at home and abroad.
UN
Conventions
The United Nations promotes global co-operation on a wide range of issues, including the environment. The UK is involved in several UN agreements on the control of chemicals:
- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
POPs are chemicals that remain in the environment for lengthy periods without degrading. Spreading globally, they can cause damage wherever they arrive. The convention ensures that governments will work hard to reduce the environmental release of POPs - Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Agreed in 1987, this protocol has introduced measures to restrict the production and use of chemicals that damage the ozone layer. - Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for
Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade
This agreement states that information from risk assessments is provided to developing nations to ensure the safer use of chemicals worldwide.
Information on the Stockholm Convention, Rotterdam Convention and the Montreal Protocol can be found in the website of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).
Further information on UN policy regarding human health in general can be found at the website of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
UN
Conventions for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is a sub-organisation of the UN itself. It is responsible for further conventions, with specific scope over Europe. Such conventions include the:
UN economic commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long Range
Transboundary Air Pollution
This agreement ensures the control of the release of persistent organic
pollutants (POPS)-substances capable, once airborne, of being transmitted
worldwide.
ÅARHUS convention
This agreement has been made to enhance the involvement of the general
public in environmental policy. It aims to increase the transparency,
accountability and responsiveness of Governments, and assist the participation
of society.
Information on the Åarhus Convention can be found on the website of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
OECD has become a forum for the international exchange of data on chemicals, including information on testing and exposure. A primary objective is mutual acceptance of data between member countries to make the best use of information available in all countries. This avoids needless duplication of tests. The OECD test guidelines programmeis recognised worldwide, with a major focus being the replacement and reduction of animals used in tests.
Chemicals assessment in OECD is mainly via their high production volume (HPV) hazard assessment programme. This programme takes ICCA chemical assessments to achieve international consensus, currently completing around 100 assessments per year. Details are published by UNEP.
Detailed information can be found in the health section of the OECD website.
The
International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA)
ICCA is a body of leading trade associations representing chemical manufacturers worldwide. It has developed an initiative on HPVs (high production volume chemicals) under which manufacturers/importers of HPVs volunteer to complete hazard assessments on such chemicals.
ICCA aims to have 1,000 assessments completed by the end of 2004. These assessments are being carried out to OECD guidelines.
More information may be found on the ICCA website.
OSPAR
The
United Kingdom is one of 16 contracting parties to the 1992 OSPAR Convention
for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic.
Defra is the lead co-ordinating department for the UK. Another major contributing
Department is the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The convention protects the maritime area by placing controls on the use of hazardous substances where there is a risk to the northeast Atlantic. With regard to chemicals, the convention aims to prevent pollution of the maritime area by continuously reducing discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances.
Further information can be found on the OSPAR website.
More information on Defra's involvement with OSPAR can be found on Defra's marine and flood management pages.
Defra is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked web sites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing should not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over the availability of the linked pages.
Page last modified 10 May 2006
Page published 4 December 2002