International Chemicals Management

New scientific capabilities for bio monitoring have allowed us to identify many industrial chemicals in both adults and children often without direct identifiable exposure at work or home.  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, that “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), a global plan of action whose stated goal is: “to achieve the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle so that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.”   This presentation will explore the current global situation with respect to toxic chemicals with emphasis on the unanimous call in February, 2009 by the 140 countries at the UN Environment Programme's annual Governing Council to begin negotiations on an international mercury treaty.