China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Toxics of the law
Published in Nertila Kuraj, REACH and the Environmental Regulation of Nanotechnology, 2019
The root of the tradition to account for uncertainty in RA can be traced back to Chapter 19 of the UNCED Agenda 21, which called for an environmentally sound management of toxic chemicals. A ‘significant strengthening of both national and international efforts’ was indicated as a major goal in this regard.198 The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) global policy framework was adopted during the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and in 2006, and the harmonisation and sound-management goal was reaffirmed. Hence, in order to foster a harmonised approach to the assessment of risks deriving from exposure to chemicals, the WHO launched the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS). The IPCS offers guidance on a number of chemicals RA aspects199 including the specific Guidance Document on Uncertainty and Data Quality in RA.200 The first part of said Guidance deals with uncertainty analysis in exposure assessment.201 It suggests a tiered approach to such analysis by using both qualitative and quantitative (hence both deterministic and probabilistic) methods, stipulating ten guiding principles to be followed in such analysis.202 Although the document is not legally binding in nature, it has constituted a reference point for risk assessors and regulators worldwide.
Contaminants of emerging concern
Published in Alistair Rieu-Clarke, Andrew Allan, Sarah Hendry, Routledge Handbook of Water Law and Policy, 2017
Similarly, there are numerous policy initiatives at different levels. The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was adopted by UNEP’s Governing Council in 2006 in Dubai, with the agreement of 140 countries. SAICM has adopted resolutions on inter alia, endocrine disruptors, nanoparticles and chemicals in products, and is currently considering the impacts of pharmaceuticals (SAICM/UNEP/WHO, undated). The UN/ECE has developed a Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UN/ECE 2003) which is open to all states who wish to participate; and states were encouraged to do so by the Johannesburg Declaration (UN 2002, para. 23). Regular revisions to this system again enable the management of new compounds, or newly recognized effects.
Laws, Regulations or Policy Tools to Govern Macroplastics, Mesoplastics, Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Published in Hyunjung Kim, Microplastics, 2023
SAICM, Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, is a policy framework to promote chemical safety around the world. It was by the First International Conference on Chemicals Management on 6 February 2006 in Dubai. SAICM was developed by a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral Preparatory Committee and supports the achievement of the 2020 goal agreed at the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development. SAICM’s overall objective is the achievement of the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle so that by the year 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health. SAICM comprises the Dubai Declaration on International Chemicals Management, expressing high-level political commitment to SAICM, and an overarching Policy Strategy which sets out its scope, needs, objectives, financial considerations underlying principles and approaches, and implementation and review arrangements. Objectives of SAICM are grouped into the following themes: Risk reductionKnowledge and InformationGovernanceCapacity-building and technical cooperationIllegal international traffic
Occurrence of phthalates in facemasks used in India and its implications for human exposure
Published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2022
Nandini Shende, Girivyankatesh Hippargi, Suyog Gurjar, Asirvatham Ramesh Kumar, Sadhana Rayalu
The presence of hazardous additives such as high molecular weight PAEs, flame retardants, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in FMs has been the subject of interest after the outbreak of the Covid pandemic (Fernández-Arribas et al. 2021; Jin et al. 2021; Vimalkumar et al. 2022; Wang X. et al. 2022). Hazardous additives present in consumer products and human exposure have been identified as the top priority area of SAICM (Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) 2020). Though various regulations such as the European Union (EU) REACH (EU Council 2005), US CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) 2014), Health Canada (Canada G of 2016), and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS 2017) restrict the use of PAEs to <0.1% for child care products and toys, no specific regulations exist for chemical additives present in PPE such as masks. The total PAEs content of all mask samples in this study was <0.1% (Supporting Information Table ST2). However, given the continued use of FMs by health professionals and frontline workers, PAEs exposure via FMs could be a potential source; hence regulatory agencies may consider setting appropriate standards for PAEs and other additives.