Shipment of hazardous chemicals to developing countries strictly controlled
The Third Conference of Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the international trade in hazardous chemicals will be held in Geneva next week (9th-13th October 2006).
The meeting will consider whether the hazardous chemical chrysotile asbestos, which can have serious health impacts, should be included in the Convention. The EU is strongly in favour of including this highly carcinogenic chemical in the list of chemicals which require "prior informed consent" (PIC) under the UN Rotterdam Convention. The chrysotile asbestos is used for example in roofing and friction products. The use of chrysotile asbestos has been prohibited in the EU since 1999.
Key issues to be discussed in Geneva include also new procedures for monitoring compliance with the Convention, and financial support systems for developing countries.
The advantages of closer collaboration between the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention and the secretariats of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes will also be discussed.
The Rotterdam Convention - also known as the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Convention - aims to reduce the risks associated with hazardous chemicals. The Convention covers specified pesticides and industrial chemicals whose use is banned or severely restricted due to environmental or health risks. Developing countries and countries with economies in transition may also call for the inclusion under the Convention of additional pesticides that cause serious problems in conditions prevalent in these countries.
The main principle behind the Rotterdam Convention is that exports of banned or severely restricted chemicals or severely hazardous pesticides are only permissible with the Prior Informed Consent of the relevant national authorities in the recipient State.
The Convention entered into force in 2004.
For more information:
Merja Turunen, Counsellor, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 400 731 203
Ylitarkastaja Jyrki Pirkäjärvi, Senior Inspector, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 50 3071 678
Magnus Nyström, Senior Inspector, Finnish Environment Institute, tel. +358 40 5439 743