NEWS RELEASE
Date: 17 July 2006
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The UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum welcomes public sector procurement initiative
At its 25 th meeting, the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum welcomed the initiative by the British Association for Chemical Specialities (BACS) and the UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPI) to produce guidance on substances used in cleaning products for procurement professionals in the public sector. Local Authorities are keen to purchase cleaning products which are not only safer but are also more sustainable, and the BACS/UKCPI guidance is intended as one contribution to help meet that need.
Speaking on behalf of the Forum, its Chairman, Chris Hughes, welcomed both the initiative and the manner in which it was undertaken in his comments after today's meeting. "I think the efforts of BACS and UKCPI are a model for other parts of the chemicals supply chain to consider. The transparent way in which they have gone about opening their initiative to stakeholders and to peer review through the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances are examples of best practice, and we look forward to continuing to work with them on further phases of its development."
Notes to editors
1. The BACS/UKCPI guidance can be viewed at http://www.bacsnet.org/documents/GuidanceLeaflet10July20064page.pdf
2. The BACS/UKCPI guidance document aims to provide non-chemicals specialist public procurement professionals with objective guidance on ingredients based on current regulatory measures and risk-based assessment.
3. BACS and UKCPI came to the Forum's 25 th meeting to present the latest draft of the document which they plan to roll-out to local government officials over the course of the summer. A previous version was shared with the Forum at its January 2006 meeting, and was subsequently presented to the experts on the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (ACHS) for their view on the content. Following the incorporation of some changes suggested by the ACHS and the Forum, and discussions with the Local Government Association and Defra, BACS and UKCPI now feel their procurement tool is ready to roll-out.
4. The UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum (CSF) was set up in September 2000 following the development of the UK Chemicals Strategy in December 1999.
The principal function of the Forum is to advise the Government on how industry should reduce the risks from hazardous chemicals to the environment and to human health through the environment. The Forum has 23 members drawn from industry, environmental and animal protection and conservation organisations, trade unions, consumer groups and the scientific community, and is chaired by Christopher Hughes .
The broad membership of the Forum ensures that they are well placed to explore the views of the many sectors of society who work with or are concerned about industrial chemicals. The Chemicals Strategy set out the Forum's remit and role in more detail.
5. The Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (ACHS) provides expert advice on the science behind hazardous chemicals. It is made up of eleven scientists, drawn from both private-sector industries and public-sector non-governmental organisations and a lay member. The respective fields of Committee members include medicine, chemistry, ecotoxicology and other fields of science that provide a valuable contribution to the successful risk management of chemicals.
The ACHS is politically independent, and provides objective, impartial advice from a purely scientific perspective and has, since April 2001, advised the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum.
6. BACS and UKCPI intend to promote this initiative with all their partners in the cleaning products supply chain as well as directly to Local Government policymakers and purchasers. They will report on progress to Defra and the CSF. Further information from BACS and UKCPI on the initiative may be obtained by emailing enquiries@bacsnet.org and enquiries@ukcpi.org . Further information on the associations may be found at www.bacsnet.org and www.ukcpi.org
7. Producers of cleaning products are increasingly adopting a variety of environmental management systems to manage the impacts under their control. A.I.S.E. is the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products. The A.I.S.E. Charter for Sustainable Cleaning is a common Europe-wide approach for companies in this industry. Participating companies commit to applying sustainability thinking at all phases of the life cycle, from product design, through manufacturing to use and disposal. Further information on the Charter may be found at www.sustainable-cleaning.com
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Page published: 17 July 2006