Generalitat de CatalunyaGovernment of CataloniaDepartment of the Environmentand Housing

Regional Activity Centrefor Cleaner Production

CP/RAC[9]

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN MAY 2010

R E G I O N A L A C T I V I T Y C E N T R E F O R C L E A N E R P R O D U C T I O N

ANNUAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION

Role of Stockholm Convention regional centres in assisting Par-

ties to implement the obligations under the Convention | The

Stockholm Convention | Transboundary Waste shipment |

Chemical Management Services and REACH | REACH and

Communication of Uses | Development of new solvents - safer

to use and less contaminating - and their application to the

paints and varnishes sector (Solvsafe Project) | System of Rice

Intensification - Towards sustainable agriculture | Contact details

Chemicals in theMediterraneanThe Stockholm and Basel Conventionsand REACH

Chemicals in theMediterraneanThe Stockholm and Basel Conventionsand REACH

DDiirreeccttoorr

Virginia Alzina

EEddiittoorriiaall BBooaarrdd::

CP/RAC National Focal Points

No use of this publication

may be made for resale or

for any other commercial purposes

whatsoever without prior

permission in writing from CP/RAC

Regional Activity Centre for Cleaner Production

(CP/RAC)

C/ Dr. Roux, 80

08017 Barcelona (Spain)

Tel.: (+34) 93 553 87 90

Fax: (+34) 93 553 87 95

E-mail: cleanpro@cprac.org

http://www.cprac.org

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Printed on 100% recycled paper

Generalitat de CatalunyaGovernment of CataloniaDepartment of the Environmentand Housing

3

This is an annual technical publication of the Regional Activity Centre for Cleaner Production (CP/RAC). | Allarticles are published in the original language of the author (English or French) and abstracts are also includedin Spanish. | Any institution dealing with industry and sustainability matters: CP Centers, professional associa-tions, business federations, consultants, environment Authorities, etc. may collaborate in this publication by sen-ding us an article in English or French. | Possible publication feedback from readers is welcome and if you con-sider that this publication could be improved or that there is any lack of precision, we would appreciate if you couldnotify us. | The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or the policies of the CP/RAC,nor are they an official record. | This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form of educa-tional and non-profit purposes without special permission of the CP/RAC, provided acknowledgement of thesource is made. CP/RAC would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this material as a source.

CP/RAC[9]

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN MAY 2010

R E G I O N A L A C T I V I T Y C E N T R E F O R C L E A N E R P R O D U C T I O N

ANNUAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION

SUMMARY

PRESENTATION ......................................................................................................................... 3

FEATURE ARTICLE Role of Stockholm Convention regional centres in assistingParties to implement the obligations under the Convention. Suman Sharma.Stockholm Convention Secretariat .......................................................................................... 7

THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION

The success to battling persistent organic pollutants starts with a strong foundation.John A. Haines / Brandon Turner. UNITAR ............................................................................ 17

Distribution of blood concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in representativesamples of the general population. Miquel Porta, Magda Gasull, Tomàs López, andJosé Pumarega. IMIM and UAB ................................................................................................ 24

The Green Screen for Safer Chemicals: charting the path to safer chemicals inproducts. Lauren Heine, Mark Rossi and Beverley Thorpe. Clean Production Action 32

An Egyptian Experience in Facing the Environmental Challenges. Ahmed KamalAbdel Moneim. Environmental Compliance office and Sustainable Development officeManager ......................................................................................................................................... 37

BASEL CONVENTION

Transboundary Waste shipment. Pep Tarifa. Fundació Fòrum Ambiental ..................... 43

REACH

Chemical Management Services and REACH “It’s all about information”. YasserAskar, M.Sc. Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency .......................................................... 48

Reach and Communication of Uses. Rosana Marin Sanchez ............................................. 53

Development of new solvents – safer to use and less contaminating – and theirapplication to the paints and varnishes sector (SOLVSAFE PROJECT). Pedro GuerraBrito. AFAQUIM/SOLVSAFE ........................................................................................................ 56

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

System of Rice Intensification – Towards sustainable agriculture. Raffaele Mancini,Biksham Gujja, Francesca Antonelli, Imad Cherkaoui. World Wild Fund ......................... 61

CONTACT DETAILS ................................................................................................................... 65

CP/RAC | presentation

In the ninth issue of the CP/RAC Annual Technical Publication – SustainableConsumption and Production in the Mediterranean, we aim to highlight the im-portance of the rational management of chemical substances in the Mediterranean.For this reason, we have focused on the Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam Con-

ventions and the REACH Regulation (registration, evaluation, authorisation and re-striction of chemical substances), which are initiatives to increase control and reducethe use of chemical substances that are noxious to the environment and harmful tohuman health. Since the beginning of 2010, the parties to the three conventions havebeen working together to take advantage of synergies and avoid duplicated efforts.This unification culminated in the ExCOPs held from 22 to 24 February in Bali, wherethe signatory parties of the three conventions first met to consolidate their joint ef-fort and fight together for the environment. The Regional Activity Centre for CleanerProduction (CP/RAC) was present as a Regional Centre for the Stockholm Convention.

The CP/RAC has been working on the sustainable management of chemical sub-stances since its foundation in 1996. However, in 2009 it became more significantlyinvolved because of its ratification as a Regional Centre for the Stockholm Conventionat the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, held in May 2009.

In recent decades concern has been growing over the effects of persistent organ-ic pollutants (POPs) on human health and the environment. These compounds havebeen identified by the international community as a group of substances that sharefour properties: high toxicity, persistence, volatility and the capacity to bioaccumulatein fatty tissue.

The Stockholm Convention is an initiative of the United Nations with the aim ofmoving towards a world free of POPs by first restricting and, finally, eliminatingtheir production, use, emission and storage. It was ratified within the framework ofthe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in May 2001 and came into forceon 17 May 2004 as international law.

Initially, the Convention regulated 12 substances categorised in three annexes, byprohibiting the intentional use of the POPs in Annex A, restricting the use of the POPsin Annex B and establishing a set of measures with the objective of minimising theinadvertent emission of the substances in Annex C.

Since the Convention came into force, various countries have adopted it as mem-bers and they have been called to meet on four occasions to establish an action frame-work and perform a periodic review of the implementation of the Convention. Oneof the outstanding aspects of the Conference of the Parties held in Geneva in May2009 was the modification of the Convention to include nine more POPs.

Given its involvement in the Stockholm Convention, the CP/RAC is establishing anetwork of collaborators including other regional centres for the Stockholm Con-vention, cleaner production centres, and regional centres for the Basel Convention.The aim of the network is to foster collaboration and avoid duplicated efforts, pro-moting synergies with the Rotterdam and Basel Conventions, in accordance with theresolution adopted by the three conventions.

The Barcelona Convention is also involved in questions related to the rational man-agement of chemical substances through the Land-Based Sources Protocol (LBS

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Chemical Substances in theMediterranean: the Stockholmand Basel Conventions and theREACH Regulation

VViirrggiinniiaa AAllzziinnaaDirector

Regional Activity Centre for Cleaner Production

CP/RAC | presentation

Protocol). This protocol was approved on 17 May 1980 and has been modified on var-ious occasions. The latest version, registered as the ‘Protocol for the Protection of theMediterranean Sea Against Pollution from Land-Based Sources And Activities’ cameinto force in May 2008.

Indeed the decision was made at the sixteenth meeting of the contracting partiesto the Barcelona Convention, held in 2009, to promote the role of the CP/RAC in ques-tions related to the application of the Land-Based Sources Protocol, with the aim thatit should facilitate the necessary coordination of the regional centres of the Medi-terranean related to the Stockholm and Basel Conventions, and the clean productioncentres in the Mediterranean region, with the aim of preparing joint programmes.

In line with the obligations established in both conventions (Barcelona andStockholm), the CP/RAC is working with renewed energy for the rational managementof chemical substances in the Mediterranean. This review is an example our desireto find new directions to continue our fight for the environment and to seek and dis-seminate information.

The ninth issue of the CP/RAC Annual Technical Publication – SustainableProduction and Consumption in the Mediterranean, titled ‘Chemical Substances in theMediterranean: the Stockholm and Basel Conventions and the REACH Regulation’,begins with an in-depth article contributed by the Secretariat of the StockholmConvention explaining the role of the regional centres for the Stockholm Convention.This article describes the steps and obligations that the CP/RAC fulfilled to achieveits recognition and that it continues to fulfil today.

The main body of the publication is divided into sections dedicated to theStockholm Convention, the Basel Convention and the REACH Regulation, with articlesreflecting the current situation of the management of chemical substances, describ-ing experiences and contributing new ideas.

The publication is rounded off with an article about the phenomenon of sustain-able agriculture, going into more depth about rice growing and explaining an exam-ple of this practice in Morocco.

We hope that this new issue will be of interest to you and that it will contribute tothe expansion of the vision of the rational management of chemical substances in linewith its increasing importance and the initiatives growing around it.

We would like to express our most sincere thanks to all the authors who havecontributed articles to help create the content of the review. Their invaluable collab-oration has made this publication possible.

We would also like to take advantage of this occasion to make a special mention ofthe CP/RAC National Focal Points in recognition of their valuable work and theircontribution to the promotion of sustainable consumption and production and therational management of chemical substances throughout the Mediterranean region.

The CP/RAC team wishes you a pleasant reading experience �

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CAR/PP | présentation CAR/PL | presentación

Substances chimiques enMéditerranée : les Conventionsde Stockholm, de Bâle etle règlement REACHVirginia Alzina

DirectriceCentre d’Activités Régionales pour la Production Propre

Le neuvième numéro de la revue CP/RAC Annual TechnicalPublication – Sustainable Consumption and Production in theMediterranean vise à mettre en évidence l’importance de la gestion

rationnelle des substances chimiques en Méditerranée. Il souligne donctout particulièrement les initiatives existantes, telles que les Con-ventions de Stockholm, de Bâle et de Rotterdam, ainsi que le règlementREACH (enregistrement, évaluation, autorisation et restriction dessubstances chimiques), qui visent à augmenter le contrôle et àdiminuer l’utilisation de substances chimiques nocives pour l’en-vironnement et la santé humaine. Dès le début de l’année 2010, lesparties aux trois conventions ont rassemblé leurs synergies afin decollaborer entre elles et d’éviter la duplication des efforts. Cetteinitiative a pris tout son sens lors de la CdP-ex qui s’est tenue du 22 au24 février à Bali et où s’est réuni pour la première fois l’ensemble desparties aux trois Conventions dans une lutte commune. Le Centred’activités régionales pour la production propre (CAR/PP) y a participéen tant que Centre régional de la Convention de Stockholm.

Depuis sa création en 1996, le CAR/PP travaille sans relâche surla gestion durable des substances chimiques. Néanmoins, c’est en2009 que son implication a réellement pris de l’ampleur, grâce àsa reconnaissance officielle en tant que Centre régional de laConvention de Stockholm lors de la quatrième Conférence desParties qui a eu lieu en mai 2009.

Au cours des dernières décennies, la préoccupation à proposdes effets néfastes des polluants organiques persistants (POP) surla santé des êtres humains et l’environnement n’a cessé de croître.La communauté internationale a défini ces composants commeétant un groupe de substances ayant quatre propriétés encommun : haute toxicité, persistance, volatilité et capacité às’accumuler dans les tissus adipeux.

La Convention de Stockholm est le fruit de la volonté desNations Unies d’éradiquer les POP par le biais de la restrictionpuis, à terme, de l’élimination de leur production, leur utilisation,leur émission et leur stockage. Elle a été ratifiée dans le cadre duProgramme des Nations Unies pour l’Environnement (PNUE) enmai 2001, puis est entrée en vigueur le 17 mai 2004, devenant ainsiune réglementation internationale.

La Convention régulait tout d’abord l’utilisation de douze substancesclassées dans trois annexes, et ce en introduisant une interdiction inter-nationale d’utiliser les POP répertoriés dans l’annexe A, en établissantdes restrictions sur l’usage des POP figurant en annexe B et en ins-taurant un ensemble de mesures dont l’objectif est de minimiser lesémissions non intentionnelles des substances incluses dans l’annexe C.

Depuis l’adoption de la Convention, plusieurs pays y ont adhéréen tant que membres. Ils ont été appelés à se réunir à quatreoccasions afin d’établir un cadre d’actions et de réaliser unexamen périodique de la mise en œuvre de la Convention. Lamodification de cette dernière, avec l’ajout de neuf autres POP,est l’un des aspects significatifs de la Conférence des Partiesqui s’est tenue à Genève en mai 2009.

Sustancias químicas en elMediterráneo: los conveniosde Estocolmo y Basilea y elReglamento REACHVirginia Alzina

DirectoraCentro de Actividad Regional para la Producción Limpia

El noveno número de la revista CP/RAC Annual Technical Pu-blication – Sustainable Consumption and Production in theMediterranean se destina a poner de relieve la importancia de la

gestión racional de sustancias químicas en el Mediterráneo. Por ello,hace especial hincapié en las iniciativas existentes para aumentar elcontrol y disminuir el uso de las sustancias químicas nocivas para elmedio ambiente y la salud humana, como son los convenios deEstocolmo, Basilea y Róterdam y el Reglamento REACH (registro,evaluación, autorización y restricción de sustancias y preparadosquímicos). Desde principios de 2010, las partes participantes en lostres convenios unieron sus sinergias para colaborar entre ellas yevitar la duplicación de esfuerzos. Esta intención se vio culminadaen la ExCOP celebrada del 22 al 24 de febrero en Bali, donde porprimera vez todas las partes contratantes de los tres convenios sereunieron en una lucha común, y donde el Centro de ActividadRegional para la Producción Limpia (CAR/PL) estuvo presente comoCentro Regional para el Convenio de Estocolmo.

El CAR/PL ha estado trabajando en la gestión sostenible de sus-tancias químicas desde su fundación, en 1996. Sin embargo, fue enel año 2009 cuando su implicación se hizo más relevante graciasal hecho de haber sido ratificado Centro Regional para el Conveniode Estocolmo, dentro de la cuarta Conferencia de las Partes cele-brada en mayo de 2009.

A lo largo de las últimas décadas ha surgido una creciente preo-cupación por los efectos que los contaminantes orgánicos persis-tentes (COP) pueden causar en la salud de los seres humanos y delmedio ambiente. Estos compuestos han sido identificados por lacomunidad internacional como un grupo de sustancias que com-parten cuatro propiedades: alta toxicidad, persistencia, volatilidady capacidad de acumularse en tejidos grasos.

El Convenio de Estocolmo es fruto de la voluntad de las Na-ciones Unidas de tener un mundo libre de COP mediante la res-tricción y, finalmente, la eliminación de su producción, utilización,emisión y almacenamiento. Fue ratificado dentro del marco delPrograma de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (PNU-MA) en mayo de 2001 y entró en vigor el 17 de mayo de 2004, conlo que se convirtió en una ley internacional.

El Convenio empezó por regular 12 sustancias clasificadas entres anexos, estableciendo la prohibición del uso intencional de losCOP incluidos en el anexo A, restricciones sobre el uso de los COPincluidos en el anexo B y un conjunto de medidas cuyo objetivo esminimizar las emisiones no intencionadas de las sustancias in-cluidas en el anexo C.

Desde la adopción del Convenio, varios países se han adheridoal mismo como miembros y han sido llamados a reunirse en cua-tro ocasiones para establecer un marco de acción y realizar unarevisión periódica de la implementación de Convenio. Uno de losaspectos destacados de la Conferencia de las Partes celebrada enGinebra en mayo de 2009 fue la modificación del Convenio me-diante la inclusión de otros 9 COP.

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CAR/PL | presentación

Étant donnée l’implication du CAR/PP dans la Conventionde Stockholm, le Centre met actuellement en place un réseau decollaborateurs, composé d’autres centres régionaux de la Conventionde Stockholm, de centres pour la production propre et de centresrégionaux de la Convention de Bâle, dans le but de collaborer etd’éviter ainsi la duplication des efforts, tout en favorisant les syner-gies avec les Conventions de Rotterdam et de Bâle, conformément àla résolution adoptée par les parties aux trois conventions.

La Convention de Barcelone traite également de thématiquesliées à la gestion rationnelle des substances chimiques, grâce auProtocole « tellurique » (LBS Protocol en anglais). Ce protocole aété approuvé le 17 mai 1980 et modifié à diverses reprises. Ladernière version, intitulée « Protocole relatif à la protection de lamer Méditerranée contre la pollution provenant de sources etactivités situées à terre », est entrée en vigueur en mai 2008.

Plus précisément, lors de la seizième réunion des partiescontractantes à la Convention de Barcelone qui s’est tenue en2009, il a été décidé de promouvoir le rôle du CAR/PP, pour lesquestions liées à l’application du Protocole « tellurique ». Il a pourmission de faciliter l’indispensable coordination entre les centresrégionaux méditerranéens en relation avec les Conventions deStockholm et de Bâle ainsi que les centres œuvrant dans ledomaine de la production propre dans la région méditerranéenne,afin d’élaborer des programmes conjoints.

Conformément aux obligations prévues par les deux Conven-tions (Barcelone et Stockholm), le CAR/PP travaille activement surla gestion rationnelle des substances chimiques en Méditerranée.La présente revue illustre la volonté de trouver de nouvelles voiespour remporter cette bataille ainsi que pour la recherche et latransmission de l’information.

Le numéro 9 de la revue CP/RAC Annual Technical Publication– Sustainable Production and Consumption in the Mediterranean,intitulé « Substances chimiques en Méditerranée : les Conventionsde Stockholm, de Bâle et le règlement REACH », débute par unarticle de fond émanant du secrétariat de la Convention deStockholm, qui explique le rôle des centres régionaux de la Con-vention de Stockholm. Il détaille les démarches et les obligationsque le CAR/PP a exécutées, et continue d’exécuter aujourd’hui,pour acquérir sa reconnaissance.

Le reste de la publication est composée de sections consacréesà la Convention de Stockholm, à celle de Bâle et au règlementREACH, avec des articles qui étudient la situation actuelle de lagestion des substances chimiques, qui relatent des expériences etqui apportent des idées neuves.

En guise de conclusion de cette publication, figure un article quiprésente le thème de l’agriculture durable, en s’intéressant plusparticulièrement à la culture du riz et en détaillant une expériencemenée au Maroc.

Nous espérons que ce nouveau numéro vous intéressera etcontribuera à élargir la perspective sur la gestion rationnelle dessubstances chimiques, compte tenu de son importance croissanteet des initiatives qui voient le jour dans ce domaine.

Nous souhaitons adresser nos remerciements les plus sincèresà tous les auteurs, qui, avec leurs articles, ont contribué à lacréation des contenus de la revue. Leur inestimable collaborationa rendu possible cette publication.

Nous profitons également de l’occasion pour décerner unemention spéciale aux points focaux nationaux du CAR/PP, enreconnaissance de leur précieux travail et de leur contribution àla promotion de la consommation et de la production durable, ainsique de la gestion rationnelle des substances chimiques dans toutela région méditerranéenne.

L’équipe du CAR/PP vous souhaite une agréable lecture �

Dada la implicación del CAR/PL en el Convenio de Estocolmo,el Centro está estableciendo una red de colaboradores como otroscentros regionales para el Convenio de Estocolmo, centros de pro-ducción más limpia, y centros regionales para el Convenio deBasilea, para conseguir colaboración y evitar así la duplicaciónde esfuerzos, promoviendo sinergias con los convenios de Ró-terdam y Basilea, según la resolución adoptada por los tres con-venios.

El Convenio de Barcelona también está implicado en cuestionesrelacionadas con la gestión racional de sustancias químicas me-diante el Protocolo de fuentes terrestres (LBS Protocol, en inglés).Este protocolo fue aprobado el 17 de mayo de 1980 y modificadoen diversas ocasiones. Su última versión, registrada como «Pro-tocolo para la protección del mar Mediterráneo contra la conta-minación causada por fuentes y actividades situadas en tierra»,entró en vigor en mayo de 2008.

Precisamente el Convenio de Barcelona, en la decimosextareunión de las partes contratantes, celebrada en 2009, decidiópromover el papel del CAR/PL en cuestiones relacionadas con laaplicación del Protocolo de fuentes terrestres, con el fin de quefacilite la necesaria coordinación de los centros regionales medi-terráneos relacionados con los convenios de Estocolmo y Basileay los centros que se ocupan de la producción limpia en la regiónmediterránea, con el fin de preparar programas conjuntos.

Siguiendo las obligaciones marcadas por ambos convenios(Barcelona y Estocolmo), el CAR/PL trabaja con energías renova-das para la gestión racional de las sustancias químicas en elMediterráneo. Esta revista es un ejemplo de la voluntad de en-contrar nuevas vías para seguir con esta lucha y para la búsqueday transmisión de información.

El número 9 de la revista CP/RAC Annual Technical Publication –Sustainable Production and Consumption in the Mediterranean,que lleva por título «Sustancias químicas en el Mediterráneo:los convenios de Estocolmo y Basilea y el Reglamento REACH»,comienza con un artículo de fondo aportado por el Secre-tariado del Convenio de Estocolmo que explica el rol de los cen-tros regionales para el Convenio de Estocolmo. En él se puedenapreciar los pasos y obligaciones que el CAR/PL ha cumplidopara lograr su reconocimiento y que sigue cumpliendo a día dehoy.

El grueso de la publicación se divide en secciones dedicadasal Convenio de Estocolmo, el Convenio de Basilea y el ReglamentoREACH, con artículos que reflexionan sobre la situación actualde la gestión de sustancias químicas, que cuentan experiencias vi-vidas y aportan nuevas ideas.

Como colofón a esta publicación se incluye un artículo que tra-ta el fenómeno de la agricultura sostenible, entrando más espe-cíficamente en el cultivo del arroz y explicando una experiencia lle-vada a cabo en Marruecos.

Esperamos que este nuevo número sea de su interés y contri-buya a ampliar la visión sobre la gestión racional de sustancias quí-micas respecto a su importancia creciente y las iniciativas que cre-cen a su alrededor.

Queremos expresar nuestro más sincero agradecimiento a to-dos aquellos autores que, con sus artículos, han contribuido a lacreación de los contenidos de la revista. Su inestimable colabora-ción ha hecho posible esta publicación.

También aprovechamos la ocasión para dedicar una menciónespecial a los puntos focales nacionales del CAR/PL en reconoci-miento a su valioso trabajo y su contribución en la promoción delconsumo y la producción sostenibles y la gestión racional de sus-tancias químicas en toda la región mediterránea.

El equipo del CAR/PL les desea una agradable lectura �

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CP/RAC | feature article

Summary

AConvention signed by 151 governments in 2001 and ratified or accededby169 Parties by 2010 is one of the fastest growing international agreementcommitted to protect human and environment from the adverse impact ofdangerous group of chemicals called persistent organic pollutants. Besides

the general objectives of the Convention, specific objectives, arrangements for theestablishment and quality control mechanism of the regional centres under the Con-vention are discussed below.

Stockholm Convention

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an internationaltreaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from a group ofchemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by restricting and ulti-mately eliminating the production, use, trade, release and storage of such chem-icals. Since these compounds possess toxic properties, resist degradation, bioac-cumulation and are transported through air, water and migratory species, acrossinternational boundaries and deposited far from their place of release, where theyaccumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems rendering the whole world vul-nerable to the contamination of these pollutants. Most of these chemicals wereinvented to serve mankind in wide range of areas; you name it, agriculture, publichealth, industry, power supply, fire retardant etc. A few of these are even gener-ated unintentionally during combustion processes. With the widespread realiza-tion of their detrimental effects weighing very high over the benefit they provide,the world community decided to get rid of these compounds.

POPs under the Convention are essentially the chlorinated organic compounds.However not all chlorinated compounds are awfully bad many of them are still use-ful in wide range of human activities. The Convention therefore targeted to elim-inate the first lot of twelve most toxic and persistent POPs, which are oftenreferred as dirty dozen by establishing a dynamic mechanism of continued iden-tification and enclosure of such chemicals under the Convention.

The chemicals of the first lot are Aldrin, Chlordane, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor,Hexachlorobenzene, Mirex, Toxaphene, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), DDT,PCDD (Dioxin) and PCDF (Furans). Based on the provision of continued scrutiny ofchemicals that are already in use but possessing the POPs characteristics, theConference of the Parties in its fourth meeting, decided to add 9 more POPs intothe existing list of POPs, which are: alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, beta hexa-chlorocyclohexane, chlordecone, hexabromobiphenyl, hexabromodiphenyl etherand heptabromodiphenyl ether, lindane, pentachlorobenzene, perfluorooctane sul-fonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride, tetrabromodiphenylether and pentabromodiphenyl ether.

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Role of Stockholm Convention regionalcentres in assisting Parties to implementthe obligations under the Convention

Suman SharmaStockholm ConventionSecretariat

CP/RAC | feature article

Most of these new POPs as that of the first lot are used in wide range of areastoo! This is an ongoing process, so one can expect to see the list growing and thegoal of which eventually will be to eliminate such chemicals from the world.

Stockholm Convention was adopted in Stockholm on May 23, 2001 and wassigned by 151 governments. The Convention came into force from 17 May 2004.There are already 169 Parties to the Convention as of 23 March 2010. This is oneof the most rapidly growing Conventions as well over 100 Parties ratified thisConvention in less than 5 years.

Technical assistance and technology transfer a key programme

It is not at all easy to eliminate completely or stop abruptly the use of such a largenumber of chemicals, which were in use for decades virtually in every sphere oflife. The developing countries find it very hard to cope with such a radical tar-gets which have grave implications in their economy, technology, lifestyle etc. TheConvention therefore made two prong approaches, identifying, regulating, con-trolling of the production and use of such chemicals in one hand coupled simul-taneously with the provision of technical assistance and transferring the tech-nologies to developing countries so that they can move side by side with devel-oped countries to meet the challenging objectives of the Convention. In order torender the soundness to the technical assistance and technology transfer pro-gramme, the Convention has devised a financial mechanism of its own.

Thus complete elimination of the targeted chemicals apparently is an extreme-ly tough task. This requires a good planning and sound resource base. The tech-nical assistance and technology transfer programme in conjunction with the finan-cial mechanism provide some assurance of meeting of the objectives of protect-ing human health and environment from the adverse effect of the POPs. TheConvention envisions the institutional aspects of the technical assistance and tech-nology transfer provision very clearly by stating, “the Parties shall establish, asappropriate, arrangements for the purpose of providing technical assistance andpromoting the transfer of technology to developing country Parties and Partieswith economies in transition relating to the implementation of this convention.These arrangements shall include regional and subregional centres for capacity-building and transfer of technology to assist developing country Parties andParties with economies in transition to fulfill their obligations under thisConvention. Further guidance in this regard shall be provided by the Conferenceof the Parties.” This clearly shows that the responsibility of the centres is reallyenormous as they are the only institutions established by the Convention to assistParties in implementing the Convention.

Regional Centres

The terms of reference of the regional centres and the guidance to the financialmechanisms, which were adopted by the subsequent meetings of the Conferenceof the Parties, clearly spelled out the interrelationships between these two process-es. The regional centres will provide technical assistance and take initiatives totransfer the environmentally sound technologies in developing countries. The issueof technology transfer has always received high importance in the internationalnegotiations. Many developing countries Parties have not been able to phase outtheir old less efficient technologies, which have long been obsolete in developedcountries, rendering barrier in achieving the objectives of the Convention. One of

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The issue oftechnologytransfer hasalways recivedhigh importance inthe internationalnegotiations

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the objectives for the arrangement of financial mechanism under the Conventionis to facilitate this transfer. Financial mechanism in collaboration with the regionalcentres is looked as a solid framework to ensure this transfer happening.

Selection process enhances the effectiveness of the regional centres

Different process and methods have been put up to enhance the effectiveness andefficiency in their performance of the centres. One such method is the selectionprocess itself. Learning from the experiences of other international organizationsoperating regional bodies of their own, the Stockholm Convention adopted amethod of selecting institutions from all possible sectors for the role of regionalcentres from among the existing and competent institutions fulfilling the criteriaset out for the regional centres. The concept is very similar with contracting outof the task or outsourcing of the institution to carry out of certain task based onclearly defined terms of reference. This process relieves the Convention from itsengagement in helping the centres themselves than helping Parties. Thus theSecretariat has a clear shift of focus, i.e. to provide tools and guidance to the cen-tres for technical assistance and monitor their performances.

Another beauty of the selection process is that the onus of selecting right insti-tution is on the Parties of the region nominating the centres. The nomination ofthe centre however should take into account the ability of such institution to ful-fill the technical assistance and technology transfer needs as identified in the guid-ance of technical assistance, the compliance with the terms of reference for thecentres and the ability to promote of efficiency and effective use of resourcesamong other criteria. The nominating Parties will have opportunity to assess theperformance of the centres and take decision whether they intend to keep orget rid of the centre in question. There is neither any deadlines for submittingnominations nor any restrictions in number to be nominated at any given time,this process thus allows Parties to correct their mistakes even if they had madeone by not endorsing such centre any further. As there is no host governmentagreement or commitment towards the selected institution in the entire selectionprocess, this calls the centres to prove themselves through their performance.

Current list of regional centres

The current list of centres for the period of 2009 – 2013 located in differentregions is as follows:

Asia: Basel Convention Regional Centre located in Tsinghua University, Beijing, ChinaKuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait

Central and Eastern Europe:Research Centre for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (RECETOX),Brno, Czech Republic

Latin America and the CaribbeanCompanhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB), Sao Paulo, BrazilNational centre for environmental research and training (CENICA), MexicoCentro de Investigacio e Informacion de Medicamentos y Toxicos (CIIMET),PanamaBasel Convention Coordination Centre for Latin America and the Caribbeanhoused in Uruguayan Technological Laboratory, Montevideo, Uruguay

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Western European and other regionCleaner Production Regional Activity Centre (CP-RAC), Barcelona, Spain

As the procedure discussed above for establishing regional centres clearly indi-cates that the list of the regional centres under the Convention may not remainstatic, for example, four centres that were nominated by the regions could not gar-ner endorsement. There is a wide diversity in the expertise among these cen-tres.Of the centres listed above, some of them have expertise in dealing with POPswastes while others have expertise in environmental monitoring while some oth-ers have expertise in carrying out technical research and designing and conduct-ing need based trainings, preparing training tools etc.

Transparency and information sharing

Centres upon coming into existence require preparing their work plans based onthe needs identified in the region. Among sources of information about the needsof the Parties, consultation of the national implementation plans prepared by theParties of their constituencies are of particular importance. However these plansneed also to be approved by the Parties they serve and then communicated to theSecretariat. The Secretariat in its turn publishes the work plans including the activ-ities reports, the information on expertise and infrastructure submitted by themfor wider consultation.

Criteria for performance evaluation

There are clear set of criteria already developed for the evaluation of the per-formance of the centres. The criteria were adopted even before the centres cameinto existence. The elements of evaluation include skill of the centre in projectidentification, formulation and implementation, the quality and quantity of resultsproduced, effectiveness of their undertaking, efficiency and transparency of oper-ation, etc. The performance of every centre is measured against the evaluationcriteria and the result of such evaluation serves the basis for endorsement ofthe centre for next term.

Cooperation and coordination

The centres are not left to operate in isolation within their niche but are encour-aged and to communicate, collaborate and exchange their experience amongthemselves. The centres are mandated to work closely with other institutionsthose having similar agenda particularly those working in the field of managementof chemicals and hazardous substances and wastes. Further, centres of a partic-ular geographical regions not only required to define how they cooperate and col-laborate with each other but also need to define what areas of specific expertisethey for each other the propose collectively. This process not only promotes coop-eration among the centres but at the same time promotes the healthy competi-tion for resources, establishing their expertise among other things.

Way forward the synergy decisions

Three Conventions on chemical and waste clusters, namely, Basel Convention oncontrol of transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal,

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Rotterdam Convention on prior inform consent procedure in international tradefor certain chemicals and Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollu-tants made separately by their respective COPs but an identical decision, popu-larly known as “synergy decision”. The decision, inter alia, calls for the coordinateduse of regional centres and offices to avoid duplication of efforts and maximiz-ing the benefits to the Parties. Recently held extraordinary meetings of the con-ference of the Parties of the three Conventions held in February 2010 in Bali pavesfurther the way for cooperation and coordination between the centres within allthree Conventions.

For detailed information on the regional centres please visit to www.pops.int �

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Le rôle des centres régionauxde la Convention de Stockholmdans les initiatives visant à aiderles parties à mettre en œuvreleurs obligations au titre de laConvention

Suman Sharma

Résumé

La Convention signée par 151 gouvernements en 2001 et ratifiéeou ayant reçu l’adhésion de 169 parties en 2010 est un des ac-cords internationaux qui s’étend le plus rapidement. Elle a pour

objet de protéger l’être humain et l’environnement de l’impact né-gatif d’un groupe de produits chimiques dangereux appelés po-lluants organiques persistants. Outre les objectifs généraux de laConvention, les paragraphes suivants analysent ses objectifs spéci-fiques, ses plans de mise en œuvre et un mécanisme de contrôlede qualité des centres régionaux en vertu de la Convention.

La Convention de Stockholm

La Convention de Stockholm sur les polluants organiques per-sistants est un traité international visant à protéger la santéhumaine et l’environnement d’un groupe de produits chimiquesconnus comme les polluants organiques persistants (POP) enlimitant et, en fin de compte, en éliminant la production, l’emploi,la libération et le stockage de ces produits chimiques. Cescomposés possèdent en effet des propriétés toxiques, résistent àla dégradation, se bioaccumulent, et sont transportés au-delà desfrontières internationales par l’air, l’eau et les espèces animalesmigratoires, pour être finalement déposés loin de leur lieuxd’origine et s’accumuler dans des écosystèmes terrestres etaquatiques en rendant la totalité de l’environnement vulnérableà la pollution de ces produits. La plupart de ces produits chimiquesont été inventés pour être mis au service de l’espèce humainedans un grand nombre d’applications, à savoir l’agriculture, lasanté publique, l’industrie, l’énergie, les substances ignifuges, etc.Certains de ces produits sont même générés involontairementdans le cadre de processus de combustion. Les effets nuisiblesgénéralisés qu’ils exercent étant beaucoup plus nombreux que lesavantages qu’ils apportent, la communauté mondiale a décidé dese débarrasser de ces composés.

Selon la Convention, les POP sont pour l’essentiel des composésorganiques chlorés. Néanmoins, tous les composés chlorés ne sontpas si mauvais, et bon nombre d’entre eux sont encore utiles dansle vaste spectre des activités humaines. C’est la raison pourlaquelle la Convention s’est fixé comme objectif d’éliminer lepremier lot des douze POP les plus toxiques et persistants, qu’onappelle souvent les « douze salopards », en établissant unmécanisme dynamique d’identification et de confinement per-manent de ces produits chimiques au titre de la Convention.

Les produits chimiques du premier lot sont : aldrine, chlordane,DDT, dieldrine, Dioxines, endrine, furanes, heptachlore, hexa-chlorobenzène (HCB), mirex, Biphényles polychlorés (PCB) et toxa-phène En se fondant sur la réalisation d’un examen minutieux etcontinu des produits chimiques qui sont déjà utilisés mais

Contribución de los centrosregionales del Convenio deEstocolmo en apoyo de las Partescon el fin de implantar lasobligaciones previstas en elConvenio

Suman Sharma

Resumen

El Convenio, firmado por 151 gobiernos en 2001 y ratificado osuscrito por 169 Partes en 2010, es el acuerdo internacionalsobre compromisos de protección del ser humano y el medio

ambiente frente a los efectos adversos de un peligroso grupo deproductos químicos llamado contaminantes orgánicos persisten-tes que mayor expansión registra. A continuación se analizan, ade-más de los objetivos generales del Convenio, otros objetivos con-cretos, planes de establecimiento y un mecanismo de control decalidad para los centros regionales en virtud del Convenio.

Convenio de Estocolmo

El Convenio de Estocolmo sobre contaminantes orgánicos persis-tentes es un tratado internacional cuyo objetivo es proteger la saludhumana y el medio ambiente de un grupo de sustancias químicasconocidas como contaminantes orgánicos persistentes (COP) me-diante la restricción y, en última instancia, eliminación de la pro-ducción, el empleo, el comercio, la liberación y el almacenamientode dichos productos. Estos compuestos resultan tóxicos, resistenla degradación, se bioacumulan, son transportados por el aire, elagua y las especies migratorias más allá de las fronteras interna-cionales y se depositan lejos de su lugar de origen, donde se acu-mulan en ecosistemas terrestres y acuáticos, por lo que provocanque todo el mundo sea vulnerable a su contaminación. La mayoríade estas sustancias químicas se inventaron para ayudar al ser hu-mano en distintos campos, a saber, la agricultura, la salud pública, laindustria, el suministro energético, la protección frente a incen-dios, etc. Algunas de ellas incluso se generan de forma fortuita du-rante los procesos de combustión. Todo ello ha llevado a la comu-nidad mundial, ante el convencimiento generalizado de que sus efec-tos perniciosos superan con creces los beneficios, a decidir aban-donar dichos compuestos.

Los COP que recoge el Convenio son, básicamente, compues-tos organoclorados. Sin embargo, no todos los compuestos clora-dos resultan manifiestamente perniciosos; de hecho, muchos deellos siguen teniendo aplicación en actividades humanas muy di-versas. Por ello el Convenio se centró en eliminar en primer lu-gar un conjunto inicial formado por los doce COP más tóxicos ypersistentes (a menudo llamados «la docena sucia») mediante elestablecimiento de un mecanismo dinámico de identificación y ais-lamiento continuados de esos productos químicos presentes en elConvenio.

Los productos químicos que integran ese primer grupo son lossiguientes: aldrina, clordano, dieldrina, endrina, heptacloro, hexa-clorobenceno, Mirex, toxafeno, bifenilos policlorados (PCB), DDT,PCDD (dioxinas) y PCDF (furanos). Basándose en el requisito de vi-gilancia constante de los productos químicos en uso actualmente

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possèdent des caractéristiques similaires à celles des POP, la qua-trième réunion de la Conférence des parties a décidé d’ajouter 9autres POP à la liste des POP existants : Alpha-hexachlorocy-clohexane, Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, chlordécone, hexa-bromobiphényle, hexabromodiphényléther et heptabromodi-phényléther, lindane, pentachlorobenzène, acide perfluorooctanesulfonique, ses sels et fluorure de perfluorooctane sulfonique, té-trabromodiphényléther et pentabromodiphényléther.

Tout comme ceux du premier lot, la plupart de ces nouveauxPOP sont également utilisés dans un grand nombre de domaines !Il s’agit d’un processus qui est toujours en cours, de sorte quel’on peut s’attendre à voir la liste s’allonger et à ce que son objectifdevienne éventuellement d’éliminer ces produits chimiques de lasurface de la terre.

La Convention de Stockholm a été adoptée à Stockholm le 23mai 2001 et signée par 151 gouvernements. La convention est en-trée en vigueur le 17 mai 2004. En date du 23 mars 2010, il y avaitdéjà 169 parties à la Convention. Il s’agit d’une des Conventions quis’étendent le plus rapidement, puisque plus de 100 parties ontratifié cette dernière en moins de 5 ans.

L’assistance technique et le transfert de technologie commeprogramme clé

Il n’est pas du tout facile d’éliminer complètement ou d’interrom-pre brusquement l’utilisation d’un nombre aussi élevé de produitschimiques qui étaient utilisés depuis des décennies dans pra-tiquement tous les aspects de la vie. Les pays en développementont beaucoup de mal à faire face à de tels objectifs radicaux quiont de graves conséquences sur leur économie, leur technologie,le mode de vie, etc. C’est pourquoi la Convention a abordé deuxapproches frontales du problème, d’une part en identifiant, enréglementant et en contrôlant la production et l’utilisation deces produits chimiques, et de l’autre en offrant son assistancetechnique et en assurant le transfert de technologie pour les paysen développement, de manière à ce que ces derniers puissent pro-gresser aux côtés des pays développés et affronter les objectifs etles défis de la Convention. Afin de renforcer son programmed’assistance technique et de transfert de technologie, la Con-vention a conçu un mécanisme financier propre.

L’élimination complète des produits chimiques ciblés semble doncconstituer une tâche extrêmement ardue. Elle exige une bonneplanification et une base de ressources solide. Associé au mécanismefinancier, le programme d’assistance technique et de transfert detechnologie offre certaines garanties de pouvoir atteindre les objectifsde protection de la santé humaine et de l’environnement contre leseffets néfastes des POP. La Convention envisage les aspects ins-titutionnels de l’apport de l’assistance technique et du transfert detechnologie d’une façon très claire en déclarant « Les Parties prennent,le cas échéant, des dispositions pour fournir une assistance techniqueet favoriser le transfert de technologie aux Parties qui sont des paysen développement ou à économie en transition, en vue de l’applicationde la présente Convention. Ces dispositions comprennent la créationde centres régionaux et sous-régionaux pour le renforcement descapacités et le transfert de technologie afin d’aider les Parties qui sontdes pays en développement ou à économie en transition à s’acquitterde leurs obligations au titre de la Convention. La Conférence desParties donnera des directives supplémentaires en la matière ». Cecidémontre sans équivoque que la responsabilité des centres est réel-lement immense, puisque ces derniers sont les seules institutions misesen place par la Convention pour aider les Parties à appliquer celle-ci.

Les centres régionaux

Les termes de référence des centres régionaux et les directivesconcernant les mécanismes financiers, qui ont été adoptés lors de

que comparten características con los COP, la Conferencia de lasPartes decidió, en su cuarto encuentro, añadir 9 COP más a lalista existente, en concreto: alfa-hexaclorociclohexano, beta-hexa-clorociclohexano, clordecona, hexabromobifenilo, éter de hexa-bromodifenilo y éter de heptabromodifenilo, lindano, pentacloro-benceno, ácido perfluorooctano sulfónico, sus sales y fluoruro deperfluorooctano sulfonilo, éter de tetrabromodifenilo y éter de pen-tabromodifenilo.

La mayoría de estos nuevos COP, al igual que los pertenecien-tes al primer conjunto, también tienen numerosas aplicaciones. Encualquier caso, al tratarse de un proceso en marcha, cabe esperarque la lista siga creciendo hasta lograr el objetivo final de eliminardel mundo este tipo de productos químicos.

El Convenio de Estocolmo fue aprobado en Estocolmo el 23 demayo de 2001 y firmado por 151 gobiernos. Entró en vigor el 17de mayo de 2004. A día 23 de marzo de 2010 ya integraban elConvenio 169 Partes, lo que lo convierte en uno de los conveniosque mayor crecimiento ha experimentado, puesto que ha sido ra-tificado por 100 Partes en menos de 5 años.

Asistencia técnica y transferencia de tecnología: un programacrucial

No resulta en absoluto sencillo eliminar por completo o detenerdrásticamente el empleo de tantos productos químicos que llevandécadas utilizándose en prácticamente todas las esferas. En lospaíses en vías de desarrollo el cumplimiento de objetivos tan ra-dicales es especialmente complicado, ya que tiene graves implica-ciones para sus economías, tecnologías, estilos de vida, etc. Elloha llevado al Convenio a preparar un doble enfoque basado, porun lado, en la identificación, la regulación, el control de la pro-ducción y el uso de dichos compuestos químicos y, por el otro, enfacilitar al mismo tiempo asistencia técnica y transferencia de tec-nologías a los países en vías de desarrollo para que puedan avan-zar junto a los desarrollados en el cumplimiento de los ambiciososobjetivos del Convenio. A fin de materializar el programa de asis-tencia tecnológica plena y de transferencia de tecnología, elConvenio ha diseñado un mecanismo financiero propio.

Al parecer, la eliminación total de los productos químicos seña-lados es una tarea extremadamente difícil. Requiere una buenaplanificación y una sólida base de recursos. El programa de asis-tencia técnica y transferencia de tecnología, junto con el meca-nismo financiero, suponen cierta garantía de cumplimiento delos objetivos de protección de la salud humana y el entorno de losefectos adversos de los COP. El Convenio prefigura los aspectosinstitucionales de la asistencia técnica y la transferencia de tec-nología de forma clara señalando que «las Partes, cuando co-rresponda, concertarán arreglos con el fin de prestar asistenciatécnica y promover la transferencia de tecnologías a las Partesque son países en desarrollo y a las Partes con economías en tran-sición en relación con la aplicación del presente Convenio. Estosarreglos incluirán centros regionales y subregionales para la crea-ción de capacidad y la transferencia de tecnología con miras a ayu-dar a las Partes que son países en desarrollo y a las Partes coneconomías en transición a cumplir sus obligaciones emanadas delpresente Convenio. La Conferencia de las Partes proveerá másorientación a este respecto» Así pues, resulta evidente que la res-ponsabilidad de los centros es en realidad enorme, ya que son lasúnicas instituciones establecidas por el Convenio para ayudar alas Partes a implantarlo.

Centros regionales

El mandato de los centros regionales y la orientación hacia los me-canismos financieros, adoptados en sucesivas reuniones de laConferencia de las Partes, indicaron claramente la imbricación

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réunions ultérieures de la Conférence des parties, expliquaientbien clairement l’interrelation entre ces deux processus. Les cen-tres régionaux offrent leur assistance technique et prennent desinitiatives pour transférer des technologies respectueuses de l’en-vironnement aux pays en développement. Une grande importancea toujours été accordée à la question du transfert de technologiedans les négociations internationales. De nombreux pays endéveloppement n’ont pas été capables d’éliminer progressivementleurs vieilles technologies moins efficaces, qui étaient depuislongtemps devenues obsolètes dans les pays développés, ce quiconstituait un obstacle à la réalisation des objectifs de la Con-vention. Un des objectifs pour la mise en place de mécanismesfinanciers au titre de la Convention consiste à favoriser ce trans-fert. Le mécanisme financier mis en place en collaboration avecles centres régionaux est considéré comme un cadre solide pourgarantir que ce transfert aura effectivement lieu.

Le processus de sélection accroît l’efficacité des centresrégionaux

Différents processus et méthodes ont été mis au point pourrenforcer l’efficacité des activités réalisées par les centres. Une deces méthodes réside dans le processus de sélection lui-même. Enapprenant des expériences d’autres organisations internationalesdirigeant des corps régionaux propres, la Convention de Stockholma adopté une méthode de sélection d’institutions appartenant àtous les secteurs possibles, pour faire assumer le rôle de centresrégionaux par les institutions existantes et compétentes réu-nissant les critères définis pour les centres régionaux. Le conceptest très similaire à celui de contracter la tâche ou de sous-traiterl’institution pour mener certaines tâches à bien sur la base determes de référence parfaitement définis. Ce processus soulage laConvention de son engagement d’aider les centres eux-mêmes,puis d’aider les Parties. Le Secrétariat poursuit par conséquent unobjectif bien défini, à savoir fournir des outils et des directives auxcentres d’assistance technique, ainsi que superviser les résultatsde ces derniers.

Un autre point fort du processus de sélection réside dans le faitque la responsabilité de la sélection de l’institution correcte incombeaux Parties de la région qui désigne les centres. La désignation ducentre doit cependant tenir compte de la capacité de l’institution enquestion à satisfaire les besoins d’assistance technique et de trans-fert de technologie, tels qu’identifiés dans les directives d’assistancetechnique, de sa conformité aux termes de référence pour les cen-tres, de même que de sa capacité à promouvoir l’efficacité etl’utilisation efficace des ressources, entre autres critères. La Partiequi désigne un centre a l’opportunité d’évaluer l’efficacité de cedernier et de décider si elle doit tenter de conserver le centreconcerné ou se débarrasser de celui-ci. Il n’y a ni dates butoirs poursoumettre des désignations ni restrictions d’aucune sorte quant aunombre de désignations, à aucun moment, ce processus permettantdès lors aux Parties de corriger leurs erreurs même si celles-ci ontété commises du fait de cesser de soutenir un centre. Puisqu’iln’existe aucun accord d’un gouvernement hôte ou engagement en-vers l’institution sélectionnée à aucun moment du processus desélection, les centres sont ainsi appelés à faire leurs preuves par lebiais de leurs performances.

Liste actuelle des centres régionaux

Voici la liste actuelle des centres situés dans différentes régionspour la période 2009 – 2013 :

Asie : Centre régional de la Convention de Bâle à l’Université Tsinghua,Pékin, Chine

existente entre ambos procesos. Los centros regionales propor-cionarán asistencia técnica y pondrán en marcha iniciativas paratransferir tecnologías seguras y respetuosas con el medio am-biente a los países en desarrollo. La cuestión de la transferenciade tecnología siempre ha sido muy relevante en las negociacionesinternacionales. Muchas Partes que son países en desarrollo nohan sido capaces de retirar progresivamente las viejas tecnologías,menos eficientes y obsoletas desde hace mucho en los países des-arrollados, lo que supone una barrera para el cumplimiento de losobjetivos del Convenio. Uno de los objetivos previstos en la re-dacción del Convenio para los arreglos financieros es facilitar di-cha transferencia. El mecanismo financiero, juntamente con loscentros regionales, se consideran el marco estable desde el quegarantizar la efectividad de la transferencia.

El proceso de selección potencia la efectividad de los centrosregionales

Son varios los procesos y métodos instaurados para potenciar laefectividad y la eficacia de funcionamiento de los centros regio-nales. Uno de ellos es el propio proceso de selección. Gracias a ex-periencias anteriores de otros organismos internacionales basa-dos en entidades regionales propias, el Convenio de Estocolmoadoptó un método de selección que incluía instituciones de to-dos los sectores posibles que cumpliesen los criterios establecidospara los centros regionales. Es un concepto muy parecido al decontratación externa o subcontratación de la institución paraque lleve a cabo una serie de tareas de acuerdo con un mandatobien definido. Este proceso libera al Convenio de su compromisoal ayudar a los propios centros en vez de a las Partes. De este mo-do cambia claramente el enfoque de la secretaría, que pasa a pro-porcionar herramientas y a orientar a los centros en materia deasistencia técnica y a evaluar su rendimiento.

Otra de las virtudes del proceso de selección es que la respon-sabilidad de seleccionar instituciones adecuadas recae en las Partesde la región que nombra a los centros. Con todo, el nombramientodel centro debería tener en cuenta la capacidad de la institución desatisfacer las necesidades de asistencia técnica y transferenciade tecnología previstas, el cumplimiento del mandato dirigido a loscentros y la capacidad de fomentar la eficiencia y el uso efectivo derecursos, entre otros criterios. Las Partes encargadas del nombra-miento tendrán la oportunidad de evaluar el rendimiento de los cen-tros y decidir si desean mantener o prescindir de los centros encuestión. No se establecen ni fechas límite para la presentación denombramientos ni restricciones en el número de centros en ningúnmomento, por lo que el proceso permite a las Partes subsanar suserrores, incluso los que tengan que ver con haber prescindido dealgún centro. Al no existir acuerdos con el país huésped ni compro-misos hacia la institución elegida en todo el proceso de selección, sonlos mismos centros los que deben aseverar su buen rendimiento.

Lista de centros regionales actuales

La lista de centros de las distintas regiones para el período 2009-2013 es la siguiente:

Asia: Centro Regional del Convenio de Basilea ubicado en la uni-versidad Tsinghua, Pekín, China Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait

Europa central y oriental:Research Centre for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxi-cology (RECETOX), Brno, República Checa

América Latina y el Caribe:Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB), SãoPaulo, Brasil

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Institut koweïtien de recherche scientifique (KISR), KoweïtEurope centrale et de l’Est :

Centre de recherche en chimie environnementale et éco-toxicologie (RECETOX), Brno, République tchèque

Amérique latine et Caraïbes :Agence environnementale de l’État de Sao Paulo (CETESB),BrésilCentre national de recherche et de formation sur les questionsenvironnementales (CENICA), MexiqueCentre de recherche et d’information sur les médicaments etles produits toxiques (CIIMET), PanamaCentre de coordination de la Convention de Bâle pourl’Amérique latine et les Caraïbes, Laboratoire technologiqueuruguayen, Montevideo, Uruguay

Europe occidentale et autres régions :Centre d’activités régionales pour la production propre (CAR-PP), Barcelone, Espagne

Comme le révèle la procédure de détermination des centresrégionaux exposée plus haut, la liste des centres régionaux au ti-tre de la Convention peut ne pas rester statique : par exemple, qua-tre centres qui avaient été désignés par les régions n’ont pas pubénéficier de soutien. L’expertise de ces centres est très variée.Parmi les centres énumérés ci-avant, certains sont spécialisésdans le traitement des déchets de POP, tandis que d’autres sontexperts dans le contrôle environnemental et d’autres sontspécialistes de la recherche technique ou de la définition et de laréalisation de formations basées sur les besoins, de la préparationd’outils de formation, etc.

TTrraannssppaarreennccee eett ppaarrttaaggee dd’’iinnffoorrmmaattiioonnssLes centres ci-dessus qui ont vu le jour doivent préparer leursplans de travail en se fondant sur les besoins identifiés dans larégion. Parmi les sources d’information relatives aux besoins desparties, la consultation des plans d’implantation nationauxpréparés par les Parties de leur rayon d’action sont d’uneimportance toute particulière. Mais ces plans doivent égalementêtre approuvés par les Parties dont ils dépendent, puis com-muniqués au Secrétariat. Le Secrétariat publie à son tour les plansde travail en incluant les rapports d’activités, les informationsconcernant l’expertise et les infrastructures soumises par ceux-ci,pour une consultation plus étendue.

Critères d’évaluation des performances

Il existe un ensemble défini de critères déjà développés en vuede l’évaluation des performances des centres. Ces critères ont étéadoptés avant même que les centres ne soient créés. Les élémentsd’évaluation incluent l’aptitude du centre pour l’identification, laformulation et l’implantation du projet, la qualité et la quantité desrésultats produits, l’effectivité de son engagement, l’efficacité etla transparence de la mise en œuvre, etc. Les performances dechacun des centres sont mesurées selon les critères d’évaluationet le soutien ultérieur du centre dépend du résultat de cetteévaluation.

Coopération et coordination

Les centres ne sont pas livrés à eux-mêmes pour travailler dansleur propre niche, mais bien encouragés à communiquer, àcollaborer et à échanger leur expérience entre eux. Les centressont obligés de travailler en étroite collaboration avec d’autres ins-titutions, dont celles possédant un objet similaire et, notamment,celles qui travaillent dans le domaine de la gestion des produitschimiques ainsi que des substances et déchets dangereux. Parailleurs, les centres de régions géographiques particulières non

Centro Nacional de Investigación y Capacitación Ambiental(CENICA), MéxicoCentro de Investigación e Información de Medicamentos yTóxicos (CIIMET), PanamáCentro Coordinador del Convenio de Basilea para AméricaLatina y el Caribe, con sede en el Laboratorio Tecnológicodel Uruguay de Montevideo

Estados de Europa occidental y otros Estados:Centro de Actividad Regional para la Producción Limpia (CAR-PL),Barcelona, España

Dado que el proceso de establecimiento de centros regionalesdescrito más arriba indica claramente que la lista de centros ema-nada del Convenio no puede permanecer estática, por ejemplo,cuatro de los centros nombrados por las regiones no obtuvieronla aprobación. El nivel de experiencia y conocimientos de dichoscentros es muy variable. Algunos tienen experiencia en hacer fren-te a los residuos de los COP, otros en el seguimiento ambiental, yotros en desarrollar investigaciones técnicas y diseñar e impartirformación basada en las necesidades, preparar herramientas deaprendizaje, etc.

Transparencia e información compartida

En el momento de instituir un centro es necesario preparar los pla-nes de trabajo correspondientes, de acuerdo con las necesidadesdetectadas en la región. Entre las fuentes de información sobre lasnecesidades de las Partes reviste especial importancia la consul-ta de los planes de implantación nacional elaborados por lasPartes de sus circunscripciones. Estos planes, sin embargo, tam-bién deben ser aprobados por las Partes afectadas y comunicarseposteriormente a la Secretaría. La Secretaría, por su parte, publi-ca los planes de trabajo, incluidos los informes de actividad y la in-formación sobre infraestructuras y experiencia y conocimientospresentados para que se sometan a mayor escrutinio.

Criterios de evaluación del rendimiento

Existen una serie de criterios definidos recopilados a fin de eva-luar el rendimiento de los centros. Se trata de criterios adopta-dos antes incluso de que los centros iniciaran su andadura. Entrelos elementos de evaluación destacan la capacidad del centro ala hora de identificar, formular e implementar proyectos, la can-tidad y la calidad de los resultados obtenidos, la efectividad de lastareas realizadas, la eficiencia y transparencia del funcionamien-to, etc. El rendimiento de cada centro se compara con los crite-rios de evaluación y el resultado sirve de base para la sucesivaaprobación.

Colaboración y coordinación

Los centros no operan en solitario dentro de su campo de acción,sino que se les alienta a entablar comunicación y a colaborar ycompartir experiencias entre ellos. Los centros reciben el man-dato de trabajar codo con codo con otras instituciones de agen-das parecidas, en especial aquellas que se dedican a la gestiónde productos químicos y a las sustancias y residuos peligrosos.Por otra parte, los centros de regiones geográficas concretas nosólo deben definir cómo colaboran y se coordinan entre ellos, si-no también para qué áreas de conocimiento concretas se pro-ponen unos a otros. Y es que el proceso no se limita a fomentarla cooperación entre centros, sino que al mismo tiempo pro-mueve una sana competencia por los recursos basada, entreotras cosas, en el establecimiento del nivel de conocimientos yexperiencia.

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seulement sont obligés de définir leur manière de coopérer et decollaborer avec les autres, mais ils doivent également définir pourquels domaines d’expertise spécifique ils se proposent les uns auxautres. Ce processus favorise non seulement la coopération entreles centres, mais en même temps une compétition saine pour lesressources, en établissant entre autres leur expertise.

La voie vers la synergie décisionnelle

À travers leurs COP respectives, trois Conventions sur les groupesde produits chimiques et de déchets, à savoir la Convention deBâle sur le contrôle des mouvements transfrontaliers de déchetsdangereux et de leur élimination, la Convention de Rotterdamsur la procédure de consentement préalable en connaissance decause applicable à certains produits chimiques et pesticidesdangereux qui font l’objet d’un commerce International, et laConvention de Stockholm sur les polluants organiques persistants,ont séparément pris une décision identique populairement connuecomme la « synergie décisionnelle ». Entre autres, la décisionappelle à une utilisation coordonnée des centres et des bureauxrégionaux afin d’éviter la duplication des efforts et de maximiserles avantages pour les Parties. Des réunions extraordinaires de laconférence des parties des trois Conventions, tenues récemmenten février 2010 au Bali, ouvrent davantage la voie à la coopérationet à la coordination entre les centres au sein des trois Conventions.

Pour en savoir plus concernant les centres régionaux, visitez lesite www.pops.int �

Las decisiones sinérgicas: un nuevo camino

Tres convenios sobre grupos de productos y residuos químicos,el Convenio de Basilea sobre el control de los movimientos trans-fronterizos de los desechos peligrosos y su eliminación, el Con-venio de Rótterdam para la aplicación del procedimiento de con-sentimiento fundamentado previo a ciertos plaguicidas y produc-tos químicos peligrosos objeto de comercio internacional y elConvenio de Estocolmo sobre contaminantes orgánicos persis-tentes, adoptaron en sus CP respectivas una decisión idéntica, loque popularmente se llama «decisión sinérgica». Dicha decisión,entre otras cuestiones, exige el uso coordinado de los centros yoficinas regionales para evitar la duplicación de esfuerzos y maxi-mizar las ventajas para las Partes. Las reuniones extraordinariasde la Conferencia de las Partes de los tres convenios celebradasrecientemente en Bali (febrero de 2010) allanan aún más el cami-no a la cooperación y a la coordinación entre los centros de lostres convenios.

Si desea obtener información más detallada sobre los centrosregionales visite la página web www.pops.int �

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The success tobattling persistentorganic pollutantsstarts with a strongfoundation

Le succès de la lutte contreles polluants organiquespersistants commence parl’établissement de basessolides

Les polluants organiques per-sistants (POP) sont des sub-stances chimiques qui persis-tent dans l’environnement. Ilsse répandent largement dupoint de vue géographique ets’accumulent dans les tissusadipeux des organismes vi-vants. Ils sont toxiques pourl’homme, la faune et la flore.Pour gérer les POP d’une ma-nière efficace à l’échelle natio-nale, via l’implantation de laConvention de Stockholm, il estessentiel de disposer de basessolides de gestion des produitschimiques. Des ressources hu-maines adéquates, des infra-structures techniques et juri-diques appropriées, de bonnesaptitudes de planification etd’implantation de projets et desfonds ne sont que quelques-unsdes composants nécessairespour garantir une implantationefficace de la Convention.

Mots clés : Convention de Stock-holm, polluants organiques per-sistants, gestion intégrée desproduits chimiques.

Combatir con éxito loscontaminantes orgánicospersistentes requiere unabuena base

Los contaminantes orgánicospersistentes (COP) son com-puestos químicos que perma-necen inalterados en el ambien-te durante largos períodos,muestran una gran distribucióngeográfica, se acumulan en lostejidos grasos de los seres vivosy resultan tóxicos para los huma-nos y la fauna. Para poderlosgestionar eficazmente a escalanacional a través de la implan-tación del Convenio de Estoco-lmo resulta esencial que existauna base de gestión de produc-tos químicos sólida. Disponerde los recursos humanos, la in-fraestructura técnica y legal, lacapacidad para planificar e im-plementar proyectos y la finan-ciación adecuados son sólo al-gunos de los aspectos básicosnecesarios para la implantaciónefectiva del Convenio.

Palabras clave: Convenio deEstocolmo, contaminantes or-gánicos persistentes, gestiónintegral de productos químicos.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemicalsthat remain intact in the environment for long pe-riods, become widely distributed geographically,accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms,

and are toxic to humans and wildlife. In order to effec-tively manage POPs at the national level, through im-plementation of the Stockholm Convention, it is essen-tial to have a strong chemicals management foundationin place. Ensuring adequate human resources, technicaland legal infrastructure, project planning and implemen-tation skills, and funds are just some of the basic com-ponents necessary to effective implementation of theConvention.

Keywords: Stockholm Convention, persistent organic pol-lutants, integrated chemicals management.

John A. HainesTraining Advisor

Brandon TurnerSenior Specialist

United NationsInstitute for Trainingand Research

UNITAR (Switzerland)Palais des NationsCH-1211 Geneve 10T: +41 22 917 8400F: +41 22 917 8047john.haines@unitar.org

UNITAR (Japan)5-44 Motomachi, Naka-kuHiroshima 730-0011 T: +81 82 511 2424F: +81 82 211 0511brandon.turner@unitar.org

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Introduction

The Stockholm Convention on Per-sistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is aglobal treaty to protect human healthand the environment from highly dan-gerous, long-lasting chemicals by re-stricting and ultimately eliminatingtheir production, use, trade, release,and storage. The Convention initiallytargets 12 POPs, which include pesti-cides such as DDT and chlordane; in-dustrial chemicals such as polychlori-nated biphenyls (PCBs); and uninten-tional by-products of industrial pro-cesses such as dioxins and furans. InMay 2009, the fourth meeting of theConference of the Parties agreed to listnine new chemicals in the Convention.Entering into force in May of 2004,there are currently 169 Parties to theConvention.

National implementation of theStockholm Convention or any chemi-cals-related multilateral environmentalagreement is greatly assisted if a ba-sic, but sound chemicals managementinfrastructure is in place. This is oftena considerable challenge in many devel-oping countries. An important aspect ofstrengthening national chemicals man-agement is the need to develop an inte-

grated programme which covers andlinks all aspects of the chemical life-cy-cle including production, import, ex-port, storage, transport, distribution,use, and disposal of chemicals. This isalso a key message of the StrategicApproach to International ChemicalsManagement (SAICM), a policy frame-work adopted by the InternationalConference on Chemicals Management(ICCM) in February 2006 in Dubai.

Current chemicals management ef-forts tend to be based on a sectoral ap-proach, are media specific (e.g. ad-dressing separately air, water, andland), and may focus on controlling in-dividual stages of the chemical life-cy-cle without adequate consideration ofpossible linkages and opportunities foran integrated approach. This has oftenled to inadvertent substitution of oneproblem for another one. Other chal-lenges include issues of misuse and di-version of chemicals from their intend-ed use; as well as the potential forchemical accidents at all stages of thelife-cycle.

National Chemicals ManagementProfiles

The preparation of a “National Profile”serves as a useful tool in providing acomprehensive picture of the nationalinfrastructure and capacity for thesound management of chemicals andwaste. It provides the basis for estab-lishing national priorities for action, aswell as the context in which chemicals-related international agreements, suchas the Stockholm Convention, may beimplemented. Through systematicallydocumenting the national infrastruc-ture for the management of chemicals,the National Profile facilitates the iden-tification of existing gaps and weak-nesses. It covers all stages of thechemical life-cycle; related priorityconcerns; chemicals-related legislationand non-regulatory mechanisms; re-sponsibilities and activities of govern-

(www.unitar.org/cwm/nationalprofile-homepage).

With the financial support of theGEF and donor countries, UNITAR hasassisted some 30 countries with Na-tional Profile development as a firststep in the development of their NIP;55 countries with action plan devel-opment to assist with NIP develop-ment; and 8 countries with in-depthNIP development. This included, for ex-ample, co-executing the Union ofComoros’ NIP project; providing skills-building on many aspects of NIP devel-opment, inventory compilation, and ca-pacity gap assessment in Pakistan; as-sisting Mozambique with national pri-orities and objectives, identification ofPOPs management options, trainingon cost benefit analysis, and evalua-tion of costs and benefits of manage-ment options; supporting Thailand re-garding priority assessment, objectivessetting, and NIP formulation; and pro-viding pre-NIP training and assistance toBhutan on National Profile developmentand priority setting. In the Medite-rranean Region, UNITAR has been coop-erating with the Barcelona RegionalActivity Centre for Cleaner Productionin supporting Malta with NationalProfile preparation and national priori-ty setting, and there are plans for futurecooperation in the Region.

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mental and non-governmental bodies;existing interministerial bodies and na-tional coordinating mechanisms; avail-able data sources; technical infrastruc-ture; chemical emergency prepared-ness, response, and follow up; aware-ness, training, and education; and re-sources available and needed.

The process of preparing a NationalProfile is often as important as thedocument itself. Not only does it pro-mote the integration of scattered infor-mation into one single national docu-ment; it also initiates a comprehensiveand transparent process to define na-tional priorities and enhance coopera-tion of all interested parties within andoutside of government. Periodic updat-ing of the National Profile helps tomaintain its value and strengthen thenetwork of the contributing parties. ANational Profile Guidance Document(originally issued in 1996) has beenprepared by the United NationsInstitute for Training and Research(UNITAR) and the Inter-OrganizationProgramme for the Sound Manage-ment of Chemicals (IOMC). (A revisedGuidance Document is expected in2010.) UNITAR in cooperation with theUnited Nations Environment Pro-gramme (UNEP) prepared companionguidance in 2003 on preparing/up-dating a National Profile as part ofStockholm Convention National Imple-mentation Plan (NIP) development ef-forts.

During the last decade, over 100countries have received technical andfinancial support to prepare NationalProfiles. Guidance material and intel-lectual support has been provided inArabic, English, French, Russian, andSpanish. To-date, 139 countries, includ-ing several OECD Member States, haveprepared or are preparing a NationalProfile following the UNITAR/IOMCGuidance. Many completed NationalProfiles Countries are hosted on theUNITAR/European Chemicals Bureau(ECB) “National Profile Homepage”

Strengthening the Foundation andBuilding upon It

Following an assessment of a country’sparticular situation, a number of stepscan be taken to build that criticalchemicals management foundationand support Convention implementa-tion, from planning activities—such asstrengthening national coordinationand information exchange; priority-set-ting; NIP preparation and action plandevelopment for implementing specif-ic requirements of the Convention; andrisk management decision making—tomore targeted implementation activi-ties, such as PCB elimination; legisla-tion and policy development, includingenforcement; and other institutionalstrengthening such as implementingPollutant Release and Transfer Regis-ters (PRTRs) and the Globally Harmo-nized System of Classification andLabeling of Chemicals (GHS).

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Text Box 1. International cooperation

The Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of

Chemicals (IOMC) is the pre-eminent mechanism for initiating, facili-

tating, and coordinating international action to achieve the WSSD 2020

goal for sound management of chemicals. The seven Participating

Organisations are the:

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• International Labour Organization (ILO)

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

• World Health Organization (WHO)

• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

In addition, two observer organizations are also participating in the

IOMC:

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

• World Bank

National Profile Preparation Worldwide

National coordination—includingthe participation of civil society in theimplementation of the Convention—iscrucial to minimizing the risks posedby industrial pollutants. In many coun-tries, effective coordination evenamong key ministries within a govern-ment does not exist. For example,many ministries have overlapping re-sponsibilities regarding certain POPs.In some countries DDT is used illegal-ly for agricultural purposes, while it islegally used for combating malaria.Thus, customs officials, the agricultur-al ministry, and the health ministrymay all have competing mandates re-garding DDT. Effective coordination istherefore essential. It is hoped that theConvention will provide some incentiveto build new relationships and strength-en existing ones—all with the goal ofimplementing the Convention for soci-ety as a whole.

At a more technical level, PRTRs—a catalogue or database of releasesand transfers of potentially harmfulchemicals, including information onthe nature and quantity of such re-leases and transfers—will allow coun-tries to comply with Stockholm Con-vention requirements on updatingimplementation plans (Article 7), ex-changing information (Article 9), fa-cilitating public information, aware-ness, and education (Article 10) andreporting to the Secretariat. UNITARis currently executing a GEF-support-ed global pilot project which willdemonstrate the value of usingPRTRs as a monitoring and reportingsystem for POPs at the country levelin the Latin America and Caribbeanregion (Chile, Ecuador, and Peru),Central and Eastern Europe region(Kazakhstan and Ukraine), and AsiaPacific (Cambodia and Thailand), andat the regional level in Central Ame-rica, involving five countries: CostaRica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.Additionally, UNITAR is assisting oth-

er countries including Georgia andPanama, under the SAICM Quick StartProgramme Trust Fund, to developPRTRs.

Another tool that can assist withStockholm Convention implementationis the Globally Harmonized System ofClassification and Labeling of Che-micals (GHS). The GHS is a new inter-nationally-agreed tool for chemicalhazard communication, incorporatingharmonized chemical hazard classifi-cation criteria and provisions for stan-dardised labels and safety data sheets.Implementation of the GHS and soundchemical hazard communication re-quires initiatives, activities and capac-ities for three distinct actors: govern-ment, business and industry, and pub-lic interest and labour organisations. Inaddition, the provisions of the GHS af-fect chemical hazard communicationin four key sectors at the national lev-el; they include: industrial workplace,

the Stockholm Convention

”“In some countries DDT is usedillegally for agricultural purposes,while it is legally used for combationmalaria

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NIPs will need to be updated, at whichtime National Profiles may also be up-dated, and countries will need to in-crease their capacities related to themanagement of these POPs. Increasedefforts to strengthen coordination andinformation exchange may also benecessary. As some of these newlyadded POPs are more commerciallyrelevant than the original 12—with pro-duction (intentionally or as by-prod-ucts) and use still taking place—thiscreates a significant entry point forstrengthening the engagement of busi-ness and industry. In addition, the im-plementation of the GHS (and relatedtraining for workers on labels and safe-ty data sheets) is particularly relevantas a means to strengthen controlmeasures before the new POPs areeliminated.

Lessons Learned

UNITAR is currently reviewing the les-sons learned from these various activ-ities with developing countries and

agriculture, transport, and consumerproducts.

The GHS provides countries with akey chemical’s hazard communicationmechanism to ensure that those usingchemicals are informed of the poten-tial hazards and have guidance con-cerning their safe use, including re-sponse following exposure or release,in a comprehensive manner. Countriesare encouraged to implement theSystem using local languages and theuse of pictograms and symbols helpsnon-literate users of chemicals to bet-ter understand the hazards. Globalharmonization of the System also facil-itates trade in chemicals and promotestheir enhanced sound management.UNITAR is assisting the implementa-tion of GHS in all regions of the world,including specific projects in ASEAN,China, Jamaica, and Uruguay.

The recent addition of nine newchemicals to the Stockholm Conven-tion presents an important opportuni-ty to enhance the capacity building ef-forts mentioned above. For example,

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those in economic transition, parti-cularly the preparation of NationalProfiles. Through the National Profileand Stockholm NIP processes, coun-tries have identified “gaps” at variousstages of chemicals and waste man-agement, prioritised concerns reflect-ing human health and environmentimpacts, and subsequently agreed onpolicies and practical and timely ac-tions to address and resolve them.The lessons learned include the fol-lowing:

• Importance of establishing an in-clusive national coordination team atthe policy-level to coordinate all rele-vant activities.

• Significance of widespread in-volvement of all relevant stakeholdersinside and outside of government in-cluding industry, NGOs, and civil socie-ty in general to develop agreed policyinitiatives.

• Requirements for a sound and ef-fective legal framework covering all as-pects of chemicals management areconsidered essential, as relevant lawsare commonly outdated, fragmented,incomplete, and/or not adequately en-forced.

• Gathering of data and informationand its access by stakeholders hascommonly revealed gaps, overlaps be-tween ministries, and lack of systemat-ic approaches by many stakeholdergroups towards collecting and validat-ing such data and information.

• Examination of data and infor-mation on chemicals throughouttheir life-cycle revealed gaps, and/oroverlaps, in information while its ac-curacy and reliability was often ques-tionable. Hazardous waste informa-tion is commonly lacking in manycountries. Adequate local databases,chemical registers, and national in-ventories, as well as access to inter-national data, have been acknowl-edged in many countries as basicunfulfilled needs.

• Technical infrastructure, includingpoison control centres, chemicalsemergency response facilities, and ad-equate laboratory services are oftenweak or nonexistent and need streng-thening.

• Awareness of chemicals and wastemanagement issues both at the levelof the public and decision-makers isseverely lacking in most countries andthere needs to be changes in behav-iour of people to embrace a chemicals“safe use” society.

Future Prospects

The implementation of the Stock-holm Convention is an ongoing pro-cess and the requirements are beingexpanded as additional POPs areidentified for inclusion. Internationalefforts are also underway to ensuregreater cooperation and coordina-tion among the main chemicals-relat-ed international agreements, suchas the simultaneous extraordinarymeetings of the Conferences of theParties to the Basel, Rotterdam andStockholm Conventions, held in Bali,Indonesia, from 22 to 24 February2010.

At the national level, strengtheningthe foundation of chemicals manage-ment will be the key to meeting con-vention obligations and national prior-ities. For example, National Profileswill need to be regularly updated andnew action plans and approaches de-veloped for tackling the emerging is-sues and challenges. In countrieswhere the infrastructure to protecthuman health and the environmentfrom toxic chemicals is scarce to non-existent, international agreementssuch as the Stockholm Conventionprovide an unprecedented opportunityfor action.

The views expressed are those ofthe authors and do not necessarily re-flect the views of UNITAR and theUnited Nations �

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”“

NationalProfiles willneed to beregularly

updated andnew actionplans and

approachesdeveloped fortackling the

emergingissues andchallenges

the Stockholm Convention

POP curves:Distribution of bloodconcentrations ofpersistent organicpollutants inrepresentativesamples of thegeneral population

Distribution des concentra-tions de polluants organiquespersistants dans le sang dansdes échantillons représentatifsde la population généraleÀ titre individuel, il y a peu à fairepour réduire notre accumulationpersonnelle de polluants orga-niques persistants (POP). La pré-vention de la contamination hu-maine par les POP ne peut pas êtreabordée comme un problème indi-viduel ; au contraire, des straté-gies sont nécessaires au niveau dela population. Il est dès lors surpre-nant que les systèmes qui contrô-lent la contamination humaine parles POP dans un échantillon repré-sentatif de la population généralesoient tellement rares dans le mon-de, et qu’aussi peu d’efforts aientété consacrés à la représentation età l’analyse de la distribution desconcentrations de POP chez les hu-mains dans l’ensemble de la popu-lation. « Les courbes de POP deGeoffrey Rose » contribuent à fairecomprendre que ces distributionsproviennent et appartiennent à lapopulation, et mettent l’accent surl’importance du fait de changer ladistribution totale des concentra-tions de POP par le biais de poli-tiques publiques et privées (parexemple des politiques visant à ré-duire la contamination de l’alimen-tation humaine et animale, les émis-sions industrielles et les déchets).

Distribución de la concentra-ción en sangre de contami-nantes orgánicos persisten-tes en muestras representa-tivas de la población generalPoco podemos hacer las personaspara reducir la acumulación decontaminantes orgánicos persis-tentes (COP) en nuestro organis-mo. La prevención de la contami-nación causada por estos com-puestos en las personas no puedetratarse como un problema aislado,sino que se necesitan estrategiasdirigidas a la población. Por eso re-sulta tan sorprendente que los sis-temas de seguimiento de la conta-minación por COP en humanos apartir de muestras representativasde la población general sean tanescasos en el mundo y que se ha-yan dedicado tan pocos esfuerzosa la representación y el análisis dela distribución total entre la po-blación humana de las concentra-ciones de COP. Las «curvas deGeoffrey Rose» ayudan a constatarque las distribuciones se originanen una población y son propias deésta; además, enfatizan la impor-tancia de modificar por completo ladistribución de las concentracionesde COP a través de políticas públi-cas y privadas (por ejemplo, dirigi-das a reducir la contaminación enlos alimentos destinados a las per-sonas y los animales, emisiones in-dustriales o residuos).

There is little as individuals we can do to decrease ourpersonal accumulation of persistent organic pollu-tants (POPs). Prevention of human POP contami-nation cannot be treated as an individual problem;

rather, population strategies are required. It is hence sur-prising that systems that monitor human contaminationby POPs in a representative sample of the general popu-lation are so scarce worldwide, and that few efforts havebeen devoted to the representation and analysis of the fullpopulation distribution of POP concentrations in humans.“POP Geoffrey Rose curves” help visualize that such dis-tributions stem from and belong to a population, andemphasize the importance of shifting the whole distribu-tion of POP concentrations through public and private poli-cies (e.g., policies to decrease contamination of animalfeed and human food, industrial emissions and residues).

Keywords: human biomonitoring; global health; health sur-vey; persistent organic pollutants; pesticide residues; envi-ronmental pollutants / toxicity / prevention and control;environmental exposure / adverse effects; human samples;general population.

Miquel Porta,Magda Gasull,Tomàs López,José PumaregaInstitut Municipald’InvestigacióMèdica (IMIM),and UniversitatAutònoma deBarcelona,Catalonia, Spain

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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)as dioxins, dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane (DDT), hexachlorobenzene(HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs),and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)are highly lipophilic and resistant todegradation; they thus bioaccumulatein the environment, food chains andliving organisms, and are known orreasonably suspected to harm humanhealth [1-8]. Their potential adverse ef-fects include neurotoxicity [6,9], en-docrine disruption and reproductivedisorders [10-12], cardiovascular ef-fects [4,6,13], and carcinogenicity(through a variety of mechanisms, in-cluding indirect, non-genotoxic mecha-nisms) [14-18]. As a consequence, manyof these global and local (glocal) con-taminants have been targeted for elim-ination or reduction by governments,and treaties as the Stockholm conven-tion encourage countries to integratepopulation-based surveillance of POPlevels in humans within their healthmonitoring schemes [3,8,19]. It is hencesurprising that systems that monitorhuman contamination by POPs in a rep-resentative sample of the general pop-ulation are so scarce worldwide [1].

In the general population, lifelongaccumulation of POPs is largely the re-sult of low-dose contamination of fattyfoods [4-7,13,20-23]. There is little indi-viduals can do to decrease personalexposure over the long term, and pre-vention of human POP contaminationcannot be treated simply as an individ-ual problem; rather, population strate-gies are required [1,24,25]. Therefore,it is also surprising that few effortshave been devoted to a rigorous rep-resentation and analysis of the fullpopulation distribution of POP con-centrations in humans. It is also re-markable how little is known on theproperties of such distributions.

Since the end of World War II, vastchanges have occurred in human ex-posure to POPs in most populationsworldwide: while the body burden of

many compounds (e.g., some orga-nochlorines) first increased and thendecreased, levels of other POPs seemstagnant, and new synthetic chemicalsas flame retardants have in recentyears contaminated humans [1-7].Surveillance of such patterns has sel-dom been undertaken on a nationwide,continued basis, and the generalizabil-

ity of many studies is often limited[1,4,26-28]. Certainly, concentrationshave been assessed in etiological stud-ies and in some programs based onvolunteers and convenience samples[1]. Surprisingly, however, only the USAand Germany regularly monitor POPconcentrations in representative sam-ples of the general population [4,7,29-36].

Monitoring programs are useful toquantify trends and patterns of humanexposure to human POPs and otherenvironmental chemical agents, toidentify highly exposed minorities[8,26,27,37], and as a framework toevaluate health impacts and the effec-tiveness of policies aimed at decreas-ing exposure to POPs [7,37,38].

Plotting the curves

Density plots can be used to chart thedistributions of POP body concentra-tions in the different age and sex pop-ulation groups. We name these graphs“POP Geoffrey Rose curves” to em-phasize the analogy with the ‘popula-

”“Human contaminationby persistent organic

pollutants (POPs)cannot be treated just

as an individualproblem

than men even after adjusting by ageand BMI.

Figure 2 shows the distribution ofp,p’-DDE by age group; with respectto older groups, the distribution ofyoungest individuals leans towards theleft (lower DDE levels). There is a pro-gressive flattening of the curves withincreasing age. The kurtosis of each ofthe two younger groups is higher thanthat of the two older groups; i.e., in theyounger groups DDE concentrationscluster more around a few values thanin the older groups. Furthermore, theskewness of the distribution of the twoyounger groups is about twice as largethan that of the two older groups. Inaddition, the coefficient of variationof the distribution of DDE decreasesfrom the younger to the older groups.This phenomenon can be summarisedas: curve flattening, decreasing kurtosis,decreasing skewness, and decreasingcoefficient of variation in increasinglyolder groups.

In many studies worldwide, themedian, mean, geometric mean, stan-dard deviation, maximum value, 25thpercentile and 75th percentile ofcommonly detected POPs usually in-

tion strategy’ of the British epidemiol-ogist (1926-1993) [1,24,25]. Severalproperties of the curves are interest-ing; e.g., kurtosis, skewness, and coef-ficient of variation. Kurtosis is a meas-ure of the peakedness or sharpness ofthe peak of a distribution curve, i.e.,of the extent to which the curve is flat-ter or more peaked. Skewness is ameasure of asymmetry in frequencydistributions, i.e., the degree to whichfrequencies trail towards extremescores in one direction away from themajority of cases. The normal distribu-tion is symmetric and thus has zeroskewness.

In many populations wolrdwidethere are huge interindividual differ-ences in POP concentrations. In thegeneral population of Catalonia, for in-stance, the highest individual concen-tration of p,p’-DDE (9036.01 ng/g) isover 7700 times higher than the low-est (1.17 ng/g); for HCB the correspon-ding values are 4798.57 and 0.79 ng/g(a 6000-fold difference), and for‚ ß-HCH, 2716.16 and 1.35 ng/g (2000-fold).Figure 1 shows the population distribu-tion of HCB concentrations by sex.They were significantly higher in women

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Figure 1. Distribution of serum concentrationsof hexachlorobenzene in Catalonia by sex

Figure 2. Distribution of concentrations ofdichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (p,p’-DDE) in Catalonia

The curves include 99% of the population with lowerconcentrations

Figures in brackets are the corresponding birth yearsof each age group (number of subjects: 919)

crease with increasing age group.Sometimes, a remarkable exception isthe minimum value (the lower indi-vidual concentration of a POP), whichmay be quite similar in all age groups;i.e., among middle-aged and oldersubjects, a minority fails to accumu-late the higher amounts of each POPthat a majority accrues. This facet ofthe problem coexists with the factthat a vast majority of the populationhas much lower concentrations ofPOPs than a certain minority.

POP Geoffrey Rose curves

While several programs have yieldedrelevant information, there are veryfew reports worldwide based on a rep-resentative sample of the general pop-ulation [1-8,28,32-36,41]. We suggestthere is a need to focus on the wholepopulation distributions of POP con-centrations and their properties. A dis-tribution may seem a simple represen-tation if viewed only from a technicalangle. However, as conceived, drawnand interpreted in this article, distribu-tions of POP concentrations clearlystem from and belong to a population,they reflect the inherently populationnature of the issues at stake, and thusconvey pedagogically a core message:individual concentrations of POPs re-sult from societal processes, there islittle an individual can do to decreasepersonal exposure, and POP contami-nation cannot be viewed just as an in-dividual problem. Our “POP GeoffreyRose curves” emphasize the impor-tance of shifting the whole populationdistribution of POP concentrationsthrough public and private policies(e.g., policies to decrease contamina-tion of animal feed and human food,industrial emissions and residues)[24,25].

When we compare POP curves ofdifferent regions it is important to re-member that differences may partly

be explained by subtle differences inlaboratory and epidemiologic methods(e.g., the age range of participants),as well as by the ethnic composition ofeach country [1,7]. Although the US re-ports and the Germany surveys do notpresent the full distribution of POPconcentrations, they do offer selectedpercentiles; from such data the distri-

bution in the US and German popula-tions can be estimated. Figure 3 showsthe distributions of serum concentra-tions of p,p’-DDE in the USA andCatalonia. The shapes are remarkablysimilar, although the US curve trailsfurther towards the left than the curvefor Catalonia: there is a higher propor-tion of Americans in the zone of lowerp,p’-DDE values and a higher propor-tion of Catalans with higher concen-

the Stockholm Convention

”“Shifting the population distributionof POP concentrations requires moreenergetic public and private policies

Catalonia: population from 20 to 74 years of age;USA: population > 20 years

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Figure 3. Distribution of concentrations ofdichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (p,p’-DDE) in the populations

of USA and Catalonia

low concentrations are not negligible[16-18].

Virtually all populations worldwidebear a body burden of environmentalchemicals –with large interindividualand inter-population differences [1-6].Programs that monitor such distribu-tions in a representative sample of thegeneral population are essential to es-tablish reference levels, to analyze pre-dictors of exposure, to increase publicawareness, to stimulate preventionpolicies and, hence, to diminish theburden of disease that these chemicalscontribute to cause.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledgescientific and technical assistancefrom Elisa Puigdomènech, MagdaBosch de Basea, Montserrat Guillén,Mercè Garí, Joan Grimalt, Esther Bigasand Ricard Tresserras.

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This article includes excerpts from an original paper published by the authors in the journalEnvironment International (doi:10.1016/j.envint.2010.04.013).

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledgetechnical assistance from Elisa Puig-domènech, Magda Bosch de Basea,Montserrat Guillén, Mercè Garí, JoanGrimalt, Esther Bigas and Ricard Tre-serras �

the Stockholm Convention

The Green Screenfor Safer Chemicals:charting the pathto safer chemicalsin products

The Green Screen for SaferChemicals : planifierl’évolution vers des produitschimiques plus sûrs dans lesproduitsLa pollution chimique est une inquié-tude omniprésente et globale qui estliée aux maladies humaines et à la dé-gradation de l’environnement. Puisquela préoccupation du public grandit, denombreuses entreprises et gouverne-ments travaillent pour éliminer pro-gressivement les produits chimiquesdangereux connus. Mais la questionprincipale continue à être la suivante :comment définir clairement et sélec-tionner des produits chimiques plussûrs ? The Green Screen for Safer Che-micals ouvre une voie vers des choixde produits chimiques plus sûrs par na-ture en comparant et en classant lesproduits chimiques en fonction deleurs dangers inhérents. Le GreenScreen a maintenant été adopté parHewlett Packard comme son outil prin-cipal pour permettre de remplacer enconnaissance de cause les sub-stances éliminées des produits de HP.L’approche du Green Screen a égale-ment été intégrée dans l’outil de scree-ning chimique de Wal-Mart pour lesfournisseurs, et certains gouverne-ments ont même appuyé le GreenScreen en tant qu’outil robuste d’éva-luation des produits chimiques. L’ac-tion pour la production plus propres’est engagée à laisser le Green Screenouvert, transparent et accessible aupublic pour augmenter la disponibilitéde produits plus sûrs et plus sains.

The Green Screen for SaferChemicals: una iniciativa queabre la puerta al uso de pro-ductos químicos más segurosLa contaminación química es motivode gran preocupación a escala mun-dial y guarda relación con enferme-dades del ser humano y la degrada-ción del medio ambiente. A medidaque la preocupación pública creceson muchas las empresas y gobier-nos que tratan de suprimir paulati-namente los compuestos químicospeligrosos conocidos. Sin embargo, lagran cuestión sigue siendo cómo de-finir y elegir con claridad los produc-tos químicos más seguros. The GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals es unainiciativa que permite elegir con ma-yor seguridad los productos químicosal definirlos de acuerdo con catego-rías y clasificaciones en función desu peligrosidad. Ha sido adoptada re-cientemente por Hewlett Packard,que la utiliza como herramienta prin-cipal para sustituir de forma funda-mentada las sustancias eliminadasde los productos HP. La estrategiaGreen Screen también se ha integra-do en el sistema de cribado químicoque Wal-Mart utiliza con sus provee-dores; también algunos gobiernoshan adoptado Green Screen por seruna herramienta segura para la eva-luación de productos químicos. CleanProduction Action se ha comprome-tido a que Green Screen sea una ini-ciativa abierta, transparente y dispo-nible para el público con el fin de lo-grar una mayor disponibilidad deproductos más seguros y saludables.

Chemical pollution is a pervasive and global concernand is linked to human health illnesses and envi-ronmental degradation. As public concern growsmany companies and governments are working to

phase out known hazardous chemicals. But the mainquestion remains: how can safer chemicals be clearlydefined and selected? The Green Screen for Safer Che-micals provides a path to inherently safer chemical choic-es by benchmarking and ranking chemicals based on theirinherent hazards. The Green Screen has now been adopt-ed by Hewlett Packard as their primary tool to enableinformed substitution for substances eliminated from HPproducts. The Green Screen approach has also been inte-grated into Wal-Mart’s chemical screening tool for sup-pliers and some governments have now endorsed theGreen Screen as a robust chemicals assessment tool.Clean Production Action is committed to keeping theGreen Screen open, transparent and publicly availableto increase the availability of safer, healthier products.

Keywords: Green Screen, substitution, chemical assess-ment, green chemistry, chemical hazards, safer products,HP, Wal-Mart.

Lauren Heine,Mark Rossi,Beverley ThorpeClean ProductionAction

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The chemical experiment on livingsystems

Diseases of our modern age are in-creasingly linked to toxic chemicals inthe environment. As this awareness in-creases, the public want products andthe chemistry behind them to be safeand healthy for their children, commu-nities, and themselves. Manufacturedchemicals are essential ingredients inthe products of the twenty first centu-ry economy. Today global productionof chemicals totals over 300 milliontons per year1 and global chemicalsales approach two trillion dollars peryear2. Carpets, cars, trains, buses, tele-visions, computers, fabrics, lights, andeven food are among the many prod-ucts made with manufactured chemi-cals. But some chemicals are knownbad actors: they pose serious risks tohuman health and the environment.Lead, cadmium, DDT, CFCs, and PCBsare examples of hazardous chemicalsthat should not be in products.Chemicals that persist, bioaccumulate,and are toxic are dusted across theglobe. The vast majority, if not all, hu-mans and mammals, are contaminatedwith human-made chemicals. Literallyevery person on the planet carries in-dustrial chemicals that were not pres-ent 100 years ago. Some of thesechemicals have the potential to causecancer or adverse effects to the brain,normal development, or the endocrine,reproductive, and immune system. Theresult is a vast chemical experimentwith unknown consequences. How canindustry and society move to saferchemical production and use and howdo we define ‘safer’?

Defining Safer Chemicals

Paul Anastas and John Warner sketch-ed the terrain for defining safer chem-icals in 1999 with the publication oftheir concise and influential book,Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice3.

Their 12 principles of green chemistryinclude the need to design chemicalswith little or no inherent toxicity and todesign chemical products to breakdown to innocuous substances afteruse so that they do not accumulate inthe environment. Green chemistrydoes not follow the traditional ap-proach of attempting to reduce expo-sure to hazardous chemicals; rather itattempts to design chemicals with in-herently safer properties. The successof green chemistry will hinge onchanging the intrinsic nature of chem-icals so that they are inherently saferfor human health and the environ-ment. This reinforces the definition ofpollution prevention as defined in theUS Pollution Prevention Act of 1990,which defines pollution prevention (al-so known as source reduction) as anypractice that “reduces the hazards topublic health and the environment.4”

Choosing Safer Chemicals

For companies, however, the real issueis how to select safer chemicals?These companies are chemical andmaterial “choosers” who depend onsuppliers for providing raw materialoptions. Their challenge is to identifygreener chemicals and materials foruse in their products and processesand a significant challenge for them ishow to determine if a chemical is infact “greener”. The Green Screen forSafer Chemicals provides such an an-

1 S. Davis and J. Lacson. 2005. “Petro-chemical Industry Overview” in the ChemicalsEconomic Handbook. Palo Alto: SRI Consulting.

2 US Department of Energy. 2004. Che-micals Industry Analysis Brief (http://www.eia.doe.gov/ emeu/mecs/iab98/chemicals/index.html—accessed April 2010).

3 P.T. Anastas and J. Warner. 1999. GreenChemistry Theory and Practice. New York: Ox-ford University Press.

4 Public Law 101-508, November 5, 1990,Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990(Pollution Prevention Act of 1990).

Each benchmark depicted in thefigure below includes a set of hazardcriteria that a chemical, along with itsknown and predicted breakdown prod-ucts must pass.

The structure of the Green Screenmethod builds from the chemical as-sessment approach developed by theUS Environmental Protection Agency’sDesign for Environment Program andtakes into account the available dataon a chemical’s inherent characteris-tics—including human health effects,environmental fate and toxicity, andsafety. Each chemical is ranked ashigh, moderate or low for each end-point. From there, the hazard evalua-tions of each chemical are further con-solidated into a single benchmarkbased on the lowest result. The GreenScreen also addresses the hazardsposed by a chemical when it breaksdown in the environment or in an or-ganism into more toxic chemicalbyproducts. This life cycle considera-tion of each chemical is an importantfactor in the Green Screen method. If achemical degrades to a more toxicform, that low ranking will define its fi-nal benchmark score. The most signif-icant challenge to using the GreenScreen is the availability of hazard da-ta for a chemical. Because chemicalmanufacturers have not been requiredto generate comprehensive test datathe vast majority of the more than80,000 chemicals on the market havelimited to no publicly available test da-ta. Although REACH and other initia-tives will slowly rectify this problem wewill continue to live in a world of in-

swer. It is the first free, open sourceand transparent tool to identify sub-stances that are inherently less haz-ardous for humans and the environ-ment. It charts a path to green chem-istry by ranking chemicals based ontheir inherent toxicity into four bench-marks with each benchmark definingprogressively safer chemicals:

• Benchmark 1“Avoid—Chemical of High Concern”

• Benchmark 2“Use but Search for Safer Substitutes”

• Benchmark 3“Use but Still Opportunity forImprovement”

• Benchmark 4“Prefer—Safer Chemical”

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By using the Green Screen assessment method, companies can now rankchemicals based on their inherent hazards and understand why some

alternatives are more or less environmentally preferable

complete chemical information. To ad-dress this problem the Green Screensupplements available test data withmodeling and other practices.

Clean Production Action initially test-ed the Green Screen method in 2007 onthree chemicals used as flame retar-dants in TV enclosures – the plastic ex-ternal housing of a TV. One of the chem-icals, decaBDE, had come under intensescrutiny in the European Union and theavailability of safer substitutes becamea primary concern for regulators andcompanies. A detailed and transparentGreen Screen investigation found thatone of the three chemicals scored high-er thereby demonstrating the compar-ative benefit of using this alternative al-though its placement in benchmark 2advises the product designer to: “usebut search for safer substitutes5.’

The Green Screen helps companiesreduce business risk.

Businesses are increasingly using theGreen Screen to assess whether any ofthe chemicals they manufacture, purchaseor use, contain chemicals of high concern.Once identified, these chemicals can beprioritized for substitution using theGreen Screen benchmarking system sothat companies are not replacing a chem-ical of high concern with another prob-lematic chemical.

Removing toxic chemicals fromproducts is challenging; most compa-nies do not even know all the chemi-cals that are in their products and areunaware of the possible alternatives.Replacing chemicals and materialsmultiple times due to new regulationsor consumer concern is extremely ex-pensive for companies. To avoid futurefinancial costs, companies are search-ing for a chemical screening tool thatis scientifically robust, easy for theirsuppliers to understand, and transpar-ent in its decision logic. Leading edgecompanies are now finding hazard re-duction to be a better approach toreduce their business risk, anticipatefuture regulations and lower the cost

of managing chemical use in theirproducts.

HP is now the world’s leading practi-tioner of the Green Screen tool

- 2009 HP Global Citizenship Report6

Hewlett-Packard (HP) began usingthe Green Screen to assess alterna-tives to chemicals being restricted intheir products and has assessed morethan 50 replacement materials forbrominated and chlorinated flame re-tardants, phthalates, PVC and othersubstances of concern. HP is now theworld’s leading practitioner of theGreen Screen tool, and the results ofassessments have begun to inform de-cision making on key replacement ma-terials. HP has adopted the GreenScreen as the primary tool for alterna-tives assessment to enable informedsubstitution for substances eliminatedfrom HP products.

HP is also championing wider ac-ceptance of the Green Screen withinindustry, the environmental NGO com-

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5 Mark Rossi and Lauren Heine. The GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals: Evaluating FlameRetardants for TV Enclosures. Clean ProductionAction. March 2007.

6 http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizen-ship/enviro/design/materials.html

dorsed the Green Screen as a good sub-stitution assessment tool7.

Washington State used the GreenScreen to support legislation restrictingthe use of deca-BDE, a hazardous flameretardant chemical, by showing the exis-tence of demonstrably safer alterna-tives8. The state is now training its pol-lution prevention officers with the GreenScreen methodology.

Next Steps

The Green Screen for Safer Chemicalsrepresents a needed building block onthe path to sustainable material flowsin our economic and ecological sys-tems. It is our goal that companies,government agencies, academia, andnon-profits will use the Green Screento select inherently safer chemicals,thereby increasing the availability ofsafer, healthier products.

Clean Production Action is busy fi-nalizing version 2.0 of the Green Screenmethodology and building a designatedwebsite to house online assessments ofchemicals and new case studies. We willrelease the prototype website by No-vember 2010 and this will give usersguidance on how to screen chemicalsand publicly share chemicals assess-ments. We are committed to maintainingthe Green Screen as a transparent andopen methodology that will help com-panies adopt safer chemicals and helpsociety move to a healthier economy.

For more information please con-tact Beverley Thorpe at Bev@clean-production.org and visit the CleanProduction Action website: http://cleanproduction.org/Green.php �

munity and regulatory bodies. And toshare information on common che-mistries and help the entire electron-ics supply chain be able to select bet-ter replacement materials, HP is work-ing with Clean Production Action, theLowell Center for Sustainable Produc-tion, and other partners to create anexternal repository for assessments.

Screening Chemicals at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is now integrating chemicalscreening based on the Green screenapproach to move out of highly haz-ardous chemicals to support their sus-tainability initiative. In the autumn of2007, Clean Production Action (CPA) in-troduced the Green Screen to Wal-Martas a way to guide their movement to-ward an inventory of safer chemicalproducts. We subsequently worked withWal-Mart and a group of stakeholders tofinalize a comprehensive list of chemi-cals of concern with a weighted scoringsystem and this has been integratedinto a new software screening tool,GreenWercs. This ‘Green Screen ap-proach’ of scoring chemicals for highhazard characteristics has already cre-ated more scrutiny by Wal-Mart suppli-ers to better understand the character-istics of chemicals used in their prod-ucts. We are continuing our work withWal-Mart and its stakeholders to nowdetermine how to reward companiesthat choose demonstrably safer chem-icals for their products. We believe thiswill have a major ripple effect of pro-moting safer chemicals use within glob-al supply chains.

Regulators are endorsing the GreenScreen as a robust substitution tool

The State of Maine in the US unani-mously adopted proposed regulations in2010 to protect the health of children byensuring that chemicals of high concernin consumer products are replaced withsafer alternatives. The state has en-

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7 Maine Department of Environmental Pro-tection. Safer Chemicals in Consumer Productsand Services. http://www.maine.gov/dep/oc/safechem/ (accessed April 2010).

8 State of Washington. Department of Ecology.Alternatives to Deca-BDE in Televisions and Com-puters and Residential Upholstered Furniture. FinalReport. December 2008. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0907041.html (accessed April 2010).

”“

It is our goalthat companies,

governmentagencies,

academia andnon-profitswill use the

Green Screento select

inherently saferchemicals

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An EgyptianExperience in Facingthe EnvironmentalChallenges

Une expérience égyptiennerelevant les défis del’environnement

À l’ère de la globalisation et duprogrès technologique danstous les domaines, les pro-blèmes liés à l’environnementne sont plus confinés à l’inté-rieur des frontières d’un paysdonné. Au contraire, noussommes tous affectés parnotre voisinage. La relationentre l’environnement et le dé-veloppement doit être équili-brée de manière à ce que per-sonne ne domine personne. Letransfert et la manipulation dematières (chimiques) dange-reuses est le principal problè-me environnemental de l’in-dustrie.

Mots clés : manipulation deproduits chimiques, développe-ment durable, industrie, con-ventions internationales etrégionales, production pluspropre (PP), disponibilité d’in-formation, protection de l’en-vironnement, les problèmesenvironnementaux, défis, légis-lations, santé.

Una experiencia egipciafrente a los retosambientales

En esta era de globalización yavances tecnológicos generali-zados los problemas ambienta-les traspasan las fronteras delos países y nos acaban afec-tando a todos. La relación exis-tente entre medio ambiente ydesarrollo debe equilibrarse pa-ra que ninguno sucumba anteel otro. Uno de los principalesproblemas ambientales relacio-nados con la industria se debea la transferencia y manipula-ción de materiales (químicos)peligrosos.

Palabras clave: productosquímicos, desarrollo sostenible,industria, convenios internacio-nales y regionales, producciónmás limpia (PL), disponibilidadde la información, proteccióndel medio ambiente, problemasambientales, retos, legislacio-nes, salud.

In an era of globalization and technological advance-ment in every field, environmental problems are nolonger confined to the boundaries of a specific country.Rather, we are all affected by the surroundings. The re-

lation between environment and development needs bal-ance so that neither overcomes the other. On top of indus-try-related environmental problems comes the transferand handling of (chemical) hazardous materials.

Keywords: chemicals handling, sustainable development,industry, international and regional conventions, cleanerproduction (CP), information availability, environment pro-tection, environmental problems, challenges, legislations,health.

Ahmed KamalAbdel Moneim

EnvironmentalCompliance officeand SustainableDevelopment officeManager

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In the light of the State’s publicpolicy prioritizing the protection ofcitizens and environment, and therole undertaken by the Federation ofEgyptian Industries (FEI), and in com-pliance with the global system andinternational conventions to whichEgypt is a signatory, the implementa-tion of environmental and multilater-al conventions on the management ofchemical materials has become animperative. Such conventions mustbe promoted, while gaps existing ininternational policy frameworks con-cerning chemical materials must bebridged. Chemistry – green chemistryin particular – is expected to bearfruit in order to upgrade living stan-dards, public health and environmen-tal protection. Ongoing efforts to pro-mote the safety of chemical materialproduction and use should be sus-tained. Providing stakeholders withdata and information about theimpacts of chemicals on health andthe environment is the responsibili-ty of the industry to ensure the safeuse of chemical substances and prod-ucts. Citizens are as well entitled tohave access to information andknowledge with respect to the lifecycle of chemicals including the haz-ards they pose to the environmentand human health. In order to attainsustainable development, internation-al illegitimate trading of chemicalmaterials, products and restricted,prohibited, dangerous and toxic wast-es must be addressed. In addition,sound management of chemicals andhazardous waste should be promoted,being a priority in international, re-gional, and national policy frameworksincluding sustainable development,development assistance and povertyreduction strategies.

Introduction

Global and local concern with environ-mental issues grew, along with the

realization of the significance of sus-tainable development that meets cur-rent needs and strikes a balance withthe present and the future in order toenable future generations to satisfytheir needs as well. In view of the cru-ciality of sound environmental man-agement of hazardous wastes, themain objective of monitoring the han-dling process is to reduce the pollutionhazards caused by such wastes. Giventhe increasing amounts and types ofhazardous wastes generated by activi-ties of all facilities which pose an obvi-ous threat to public health and theenvironment, safe handling and pro-cessing – with regard to the environ-ment and human health – must bemanaged. This matter should beaddressed by setting up strategies,plans and legislations to safely man-age and monitor the whole cycle, andreduce such materials and their haz-ards in accordance with the restric-tions provided by Law 4/1994 onEnvironment Protection and its Exe-cutive Regulations.

In this regard, developed communi-ties need different types of chemicalssince chemical industry is central toEuropean market economy. Chemicalproduction in Europe is the thirdlargest industry in the EU. However,the unchecked use of chemicals posesa major hazard to human health, result-ing in disease infections despite manyprocedures and legislation adopted bythe European market in respect ofchemical management, production,use and handling.

Handling of Chemical Materials

World production of chemical materi-als has jumped from 1M tons/year toover 400M tons/year. Such materialsare the most significant inputs to manymodern industries. However; the risklies in the potential impacts of unsafehandling of these materials includingenvironmental disasters in the short as

there is still lack of consistency bet-ween development plans and environ-mental orientation. To address thesechallenges, the government recog-nized the importance of draftingnational policies and extensively imple-menting them in social, economic andcultural fields. This can be done by theadoption and preparation of a nationalstrategy of sustainable development to

harmonize policies, economic plans,and the various environmental compo-nents in order to achieve environmen-tally rational and compatible develop-ment that comes to the interest offuture generations.

An important step to prepare andimplement this strategy is to definehigh-priority challenges that should beaddressed by the strategy. Challengescontained in industry, particularly themanagement of chemicals, includethe following:

• Reduction of material-, energy-,and water-intensive industrial produc-tion.

• Industrial pollution abatement orprevention by upgrading older tech-nologies.

• Failure in the data and informationsystems precludes decision-makingand implementation follow-up.

• Use of heavy oil, coal, and rubberalong with wastes as fuels in industrialSMEs increases emissions of air pollu-tants.

• Limited training opportunities forstaff skill development.

• Lack of awareness of the signifi-cance of quality services offered forthe industry sector.

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well as long terms due to the lack ofrelevant information and data.

World countries, therefore, seek todraw up locally and internationallyenvironmental legislations to controlthe handling of these products and banany violation which may bring aboutlocal or international environmentalproblems. The 2002 World Summit onSustainable Development held inJohannesburg paid special attentionto this matter, where the concludingstatement urged countries to set upsystems for safe production and useof chemicals to be operational by2020.

Sustainable Development and SoundManagement of Chemicals

Sound management (SM) of chemicalsis central to sustainable developmentincluding eradication of poverty anddisease, promotion of the environmentand human health, sustenance, andupgrading of living standards in coun-tries undergoing development. SMmeans proper management, suste-nance and ultimate investment of allenvironmental resources includingchemicals without causing any harm.This means that such process coverscurrent needs without causing futureimbalance, pollution or degradationof natural resources and elements.Should there be any development inchemical industries, it should promotethe environment, the community andthe country to a better and moreadvanced position with regard tosocio-economic and cultural status.This is often reflected in the improvedservice quality and the abundance ofhigh-quality production.

Industrial Challenges

Egypt’s ability of environmental man-agement is on the rise. However, somemajor challenges lie in the way partic-ularly in the field of industry since

”“The risk lies in the potential impactsof unsafe handling of thesematerials due to the lack of rellevantinformation data

• Lack of finance for Cleaner Pro-duction (CP).

In order to sustain a high industrialgrowth rate along with environmentand natural resource conservation,there is a need to:

• Expand CP technology• Enhance consistency between the

Environment Law and health and safe-ty regulations enforced in industrialfacilities, and promote CSR.

• Further collaboration betweengovernmental authorities concernedwith the enforcement of environmentregulations and those responsible forrealizing development requirements.

• Set up an all-inclusive databasefor all information about industrialactivity sites in governorates andindustrial zones.

• Create investor incentives in in-dustrial zones.

• Introduce policies encouragingresearch and development (R&D) andtheir applications in industry.

• Create industrial zones dedicatedto industrial activities such as foun-dries, dye houses, spinning and weav-ing factories, as well as whateverwould go in line with physical devel-opment plans.

• Use credits (revolving funds) toaddress negative industrial impacts onthe environment.

Chemical Management Conventions

1. Huge progress – though insufficient– has been made with regard to inter-national management of chemicalsthrough the enforcement of Chapter 19of Agenda 21; ILO Chemicals Con-vention No. 170, and the Prevention ofMajor Industrial Accidents ConventionNo. 174; Basel Convention on theControl of Transboundary Move-ments OF Hazardous Wastes and theirDisposal; the beginning of enforcingRotterdam Convention on the Prior

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Informed Consent Procedure for Cer-tain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesti-cides in International Trade; andStockholm Convention on PersistentOrganic Pollutants (POPs). POPs areorganic compounds consisting mainlyof carbon, which may be of a natural orartificial origin and combine both nat-ural and chemical characteristicswhich have a detrimental impact onhuman health and the environment.International concern has been ex-pressed, since 1995, about POPs untilthe POPs convention was concluded inMay 2001, entitled Stockholm Con-vention on Persistent Organic Pollu-tants. On account of Egypt’s concernfor the protection of public health andenvironment, a ban on the importationor usage of chemicals listed in theConvention has been imposed since1996. This culminated in Egypt being aparty to the Convention by signing iton 17/5/2002, ratifying it on 2/5/2003and enforcing it on 17/5/2004.

Stockholm Convention on POPsstarts with targeting 12 toxic sub-stances in order to restrict and theneliminate them. It, more importantly,sets up a system for thwarting addi-tional chemicals identified as haz-ardous, which requires a specialeffort to phase out certain chemicalsfor certain uses, as well as channelsresources into cleaning up currentlyexisting POPs stockpiles and deposi-tories. Ultimately, the Conventionpoints to the way for a POPs-freefuture.

The Private sector has made tre-mendous efforts to upgrade the safetyof chemicals, notably through pro-grams and voluntary initiatives such asproduct care, and chemical industriesresponsible care program.

World processes undertaken to pro-duce, use and trade in chemicals areon the rise, while growth patternsimpose increasing requirements ondeveloping countries and countriesundergoing transition for chemical

management. They, in addition, placecertain obstacles in meeting this chal-lenge; therefore fundamental changesof chemical management have to beintroduced to the methods adopted bycommunities.

MSEA-FEI Productive Cooperation

Cooperation and coordination is ineffect among MSEA, MOFTI, FEI and allrelevant State entities on safe chemi-cal management. According to multi-lateral environmental conventions onchemicals, MSEA has coordinatedstrict controls on chemical handlingwith all concerned entities throughchecking customs release applicationsof imported hazardous chemicals toensure they are not included on the listof banned chemicals decreed by com-petent administrative entities, or thosebanned by virtue of international mul-tilateral environmental conventions.MSEA has also initiated similar coordi-nation and cooperation with line min-istries and authorities concerned withissuing guidelines on the safe handlingof hazardous materials (approx. 300chemicals) to identify rules governingsuch handling. Furthermore, MSEA hascreated an electronic system for haz-ardous chemicals information andmanagement in Egypt in coordinationwith all ministries and the CustomsAuthority, as well as set up the Na-tional Chemical Profile in collaboration

with UNEP Chemicals Unit. The Profilecomprised some information aboutpesticide importation and exportationin Egypt.

ECO Imminent Role in Sound Che-mical Management

FEI/ECO has played an imminent rolein the achievement of sound chemicalmanagement, most notably seminarsand hearings held for producers onthe new system for handling chemi-cals known as REACH (registration,evaluation, authorization and restric-tion of chemical substances) whichmandates full availability of informa-tion about chemicals to avoid anyadverse effects during their produc-tion and handling. The new systemalso places restrictions and controlsrequired for registration, evaluationand authorization of chemicals inorder to assign the responsibility ofsafe management to producers; thusensuring safe handling within andamong states. Compliance with REACHand GHS is a requirement for exporta-tion to an EU country.

Label is a first indicator, that it maybe hazardous!

ECO seeks to enable industrial SMEs toadopt CP technologies and regulationsand to adhere to the requirements ofsound environmental management, to

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is a requirement forexportation

to an EU country

Sources

• MSEA Annual Reports• MSEA Press reports• Chemicals World, 13th issue• Reference of Environmental Educa-tion – Environmental Training and Awa-reness project, DANIDA• Bulletin of Basel Convention RegionalCenter – 3rd issue • National Action Plan on StockholmConvention Directives DevelopmentProject �

enhance production lines not onlyto guarantee cost-effectiveness, up-grade productivity, and boost exports,but also to reduce negative impacts onthe environment and achieve industri-al sustainable development.

ECO is supporting industrial facili-ties by providing consultation, upgrad-ing human capacities by holding train-ing courses for factory workers as wellas workshops to promote environmen-tal awareness of the industrial commu-nity and identify most recent CP tech-nologies and applications in industrialSMEs.

Sound Chemical Management train-ing session

ECO also provides soft loans to sup-port industrial SMEs and facilitationsto CP switching.

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TransboundaryWaste shipment

Le transport transfrontalierde déchets

Une meilleure gestion des dé-chets a été à l’ordre du jour del’UE depuis au moins les 20, 30dernières années. De nouvellesstratégies et législations enmatière de gestion des déchetsont été introduites dans tousles pays de l’UE. En général, lesexigences de la gestion desdéchets ont été harmoniséesdans l’UE pendant cette pério-de et en particulier au coursdes 10, 15 dernières années.

Par conséquent, mais aussien raison de la création dumarché unique au sein de l’UEen 1993 pour stimuler le trans-port transfrontalier de mar-chandises (les déchets étantdes marchandises), il n’est passurprenant que certains typesde déchets soient transportésd’un État membre à un autreen vue de leur traitement, etmême dans des pays n’appar-tenant pas à l’UE. Il existe dansce contexte de bonnes pra-tiques et d’autres qui ne le sontpas.

Mots clés : transport de dé-chets, Convention de Bâle, paysde l’UE.

Transporte transfronterizode bienes

La mejora de la gestión de losresiduos lleva en la agenda dela UE desde hace 20 o 30 años.Todos los países de la UE dispo-nen ya de nuevas estrategias ylegislaciones en materia de ma-nipulación de residuos. Duranteeste período, en general, los re-quisitos de gestión de residuosen el seno de la UE se han ar-monizado, en especial en los úl-timos 10 a 15 años.

Por todo ello, pero tambiéna causa de la introducción delmercado único en 1993 con laintención de estimular el trans-porte transfronterizo de bienes(y los residuos son bienes), nosorprende que ciertos tipos deresiduos se envíen de un Es-tado miembro a otro para sutratamiento. Se trata, en estecaso, de buenas prácticas, y noal contrario.

Palabras clave: transporte deresiduos, Convenio de Basilea,países de la UE.

Better waste management has been on the agendain the EU for at least the last 20 to 30 years. Newwaste strategies and legislation on how to handlewaste have been introduced at whole EU countries.

In general, the requirements for waste management havebeen harmonised in the EU during this period and espe-cially in the last 10 to 15 years.

Therefore, but also due to the introduction of the sin-gle market in the EU in 1993 stimulating transboundaryshipment of goods – and waste is a good - it is not surpris-ing that certain waste types are shipped from oneMember State to another for treatment, and even for nonEU countries. In this case there are good practices andnon good practices.

Keywords: shipment of waste, Basel Convention, EU coun-tries.

Pep Tarifa

Fundació FòrumAmbiental

Basel Convention

Waste has become a business forrich countries, including EU countries,and in development countries is asource of revenue based on thatgarbage recycling or to access mate-rials they contain and that otherwisethey could not have access. Thesefacts are intrinsically good, but some

recent reports note that there is asmall problem, the illegal transport ofwaste. It’s generally estimated thatabout 15% of European transport ofwaste (within the EU and also outsideit) does not meet EU shipment stan-dards.

Some inspections in containers inthe port of Rotterdam (note that ap-proximately 15% of cargo transportedin the EU are waste of all kinds) re-vealed that fridges with final purposeto be dismantled, and destination Indiawere still inside the cooling gas (the“famous” CFC’s) An appliance in suchcircumstances cannot be exported to adeveloping country without the meansto manage a harmful product to ozonelayer.

This is determined by European leg-islation and the Basel Convention onhazardous waste transport. Accordingto Article 41 in the Waste ShipmentRegulation 259/93 the EU MemberStates have to submit reports compris-ing information on the annual amountsof waste generated, imported and ex-ported to the Secretariat of the BaselConvention and supply the EU Com-mission with a copy of these reports.This system has a problem that ap-pears often when to fulfil documents isneeded: the quality of data.

Data availability and quality

The Basel Convention covers both haz-ardous waste and other wastes requir-ing special consideration. The specificshipments of waste are reported bothby the country of origin (as export) andby the country of destination (as im-port) if these members have signedthe Basel Convention. They appearsin many cases the called “double ship-ments”.

In general, those differences can beexplained by the fact that MemberStates have different approaches tocalculate the figures for the reportto the Basel Secretariat. Further, thereis a difference between the notified fig-ures (planned quantity stated on thenotification document) and the realquantity of waste shipped. There is al-so a difference in the amount of wastereported by the notifier prior to theshipment and the amount of waste re-ported by the facility at the moment ofreceiving the waste.

Some important errors in the pro-vided data:

• double counting – for example,counting the tonnage mentioned onthe original notification, as well thetonnage for each actual shipment.

• including shipments from othercalendar years – for example, if a re-port for calendar year 2007 is beingprepared in March 2008, shipments upto March 2008 might be included inthe report.

• poor use of IT solutions.• poor staff training and compe-

tence – especially in the small localauthority areas. Therefore the lack ofexperience of staff often showsthrough in poor data submitted, forexample: inconsistent units (litres,tonnes, kg, number of items), toomany zeroes resulting in order of mag-nitude, poor descriptions, lack of keyfields being completed (Y code, Euro-pean Waste List code, country of im-port etc.).

”“It is estimated that about 15% ofEuropean transport of waste does notmeed EU shipment standards

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has been found, for example, that sig-nificant numbers of the exportedused television sets, computers, mon-itors and telephones to non-OECDcountries are non-functioning andthey should, therefore, be classifiedas e-waste.

A waste shipment case

Boats are exported from Europe tothird countries. Consider this case. Theboats are sold to Indians or Chinesescrappers that put it on the beach andwhere they are dismantled by hand.This trade is controlled by the BaselConvention, although some gaps existsand is not clear the Convention affectsthe boats. The Government held in theSpanish port of Almeria Beni Ansarferry that had been sold to an Indiancompany for scrapping. Upon inspect-ing the boat, the Ministry of Envi-ronment, Rural and Marine ruled thatthe boat contained a number of pollu-tants and could not be exported aswaste under the Basel Convention. Atthe end sales, after successive ones,ship left for Romania so within the EUitself. Halfway down the ship deviatedfrom its route and ended up in India,according to Greenpeace denouncedwhen it happens. The paradox is thatSpain’s total deficit (or was before theconstruction collapse) for casting met-als... so part of the ships dismantledin India and China have been returningto be recycled into new metal.

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e-waste case

As European citizens acquire more andmore electrical and electronic goodsthe e-waste (WEEE, Waste Electricaland Electronic Equipment) is rapidlygrowing as waste stream. It requiresthe attention of Public Administrationbecause it contains hazardous sub-stances and at the same time valuablematerials such as precious metals,which make it attractive as a resourcein some parts of the world. The EUDirective on waste electrical and elec-tronic equipment (2002/96/EC) re-quires e-waste to be collected and im-poses strict requirements on the treat-ment of this waste in the EU. Butwhere does this waste actually end up?Is it actually recycled in the EU orshipped to other countries?

It is very difficult to follow trans-boundary shipments of e-waste withinand out of the EU. These waste frac-tions are assigned ambiguous codeswhen reported to the Basel Conventionand the European Commission. Fur-thermore, it can be difficult to discernwhen a used electrical or electronicitem is waste or just second-hand. Ingeneral, export of e-waste to non-OECD countries is prohibited, where-as for example, the export of a usedbut fully functional television set toa non-OECD country is permitted.There have been well-documentedcases in the European media high-lighting infringements of this ban. It

About the poor use of IT solutions:

In Spain a collaborative work is being done in this moment with the participationof the administrations with competences to monitor the management of hazardouswaste. The basic idea is to implement the IT solutions general use by private compa-nies and administrations (with the creation of a new electronic language that allowsall the administrations to be connected) This will help administrations to obtain realand on time data on the production and management of this type of waste and pri-vate companies to be more efficient in the generation of documentation, now with lesspaper involved, going to zero use in the near future.

To know more about this project: www.eterproject.org

Good practices in waste shipment,how to

The process for the export of waste tothird countries within the EU is the fol-lowing:

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Private companies users in theseprocesses identified as difficulties ofthis system the following:

- Obtaining the extensive documen-tation and completion of complex doc-uments

- That all the participants have allauthorizations, registrations, etc.

- Different interpretations as to theconsideration or not as dangerouswaste

- Major administrative work and pa-per generation, location numbers andfaxes, etc. records.

- In XXI Century all the waste man-agement documentation are still in pa-per format. Do the administrations re-ally need this paper volume? Whathappens with statistics generationwhen data comes in paper format?

- Very long (since it begins to as-semble the documentation until theycan make the first shipment may havediscoursed fully two months).

And also some commentaries aboutthe availability of data collected in of-ficial EU documents (see informationsources):

Waste information is poor, is poorlyharmonized, is based on different def-initions and methodologies that arecharacterized by overlaps in the re-porting process, data errors, andtherefore results in a poor quality ofthat information which is used as thebasis for the generation of statistics.This is enhanced; inter alia, a partialand incorrect use of RSI by some au-thorities, which leads to an inefficientcontrol in this area.

There is much concern within theEC with the lack of traceability turned-largely supported by the current mod-el of data control in paper format.

“The Waste Shipment Regulation isone the key priorities of EC in order tocontribute to capacity building, cross-border cooperation, joint enforcementactivities, improving inspection meth-

Needed documents

- Documents on service of documents completed

- Listing of producers with their identification data

- Authorization Export Manager

- Certificate of Insurance

- Export-import contract

- Authorization Import Manager

- Description of the treatment process

- List of approved transporters and their records with country of origin

and destination

- Details of the route

- Calculation of bond and guarantee

- List of authorities to notify

Obtaining authorization procedure

- GV Request to original documents of service which

- Sending the GV of 3 sets of documentation

- Reception GV document shipping to supply the documentation to the

countries of transit and destination

- Receipt of document from the country of destination, transit indicat-

ing receipt of the documentation

- Will open within 30 days for each country to authorize or request

more information

- Receipt of document for each country to authorize or not objecting

to the export.

Sending trucks and closing procedure

- Advance notice 3 days before shipment of the truck at all affected

countries

- Sending the documentation truck enclosing all approvals including

the carrier

- Reception of the movement document submitted by the importer to

the receipt of the waste

- Will open within 6 months to meet the appropriate importer for re-

covery / recycling of waste

- Reception of the movement document submitted by the importer to

the recovery / recycling

- Sending this document to the GV.

ods, training of inspectors, exchange ofinformation and awareness-raising.Also will it support a more equal anduniform implementation of the WasteShipment Regulation in the MemberStates.”

“To ensure that waste is shipped tolicensed facilities and treated in an en-vironmentally sound manner withoutdamaging the environment and hu-man health, it is necessary to followwaste from its origin to its final desti-nation. In case of waste shipments andtreatment within the EU, the networkof contacts exists and can be used forrequests. This is not yet the case incountries of destination outside Eu-rope.”

Information sources

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/sto-ries/ghana804/video/video_index.html

REGULATION (EC) No 2150/2002 OFTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ANDOF THE COUNCIL of 25 November2002 on waste statistics. EuropeanParliament. 2002

Transboundary shipments of waste inthe EU. Developments 1995-2005and possible drivers. EuropeanTopic Centre on Resource and WasteManagement. 2008

Waste without borders in the EU? Trans-boundary shipments of waste. Euro-pean Environmental Agency. 2009 �

Basel Convention

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ChemicalManagementServices and REACH“It’s all aboutinformation”

Service de gestion desproduits chimique et REACH :« Tout porte sur l’information »

Le Sommet mondial des NationsUnies sur le développement durableencourage la via la promotion du dé-veloppement social et économiquedans les limites de la capacité d’ab-sorption des écosystèmes, en abor-dant et, le cas échéant, en dissociantla croissance économique et la dé-gradation de l’environnement, à tra-vers l’amélioration de l’efficacité et dela durabilité de l’emploi des res-sources et des procédés de produc-tion, ainsi que via la réduction de ladégradation des ressources, de lapollution et des déchets.

La CPD appelle à une utilisationplus sûre et durable des produitschimiques pendant le cycle de viedes produits, en augmentant de cet-te manière les défis du secteur dedistribution de produits chimiquesdes producteurs (fournisseurs deservices) aux consommateurs (des-tinataires des services).

Le système produit-service (SPS)est un outil visant à employer le cyclede vie en pensant à une approche te-nant compte de la production etconsommation durable adoptée par leProgramme des Nations Unies pourl’environnement (PNUE). En tant quenouveau concept commercial, le SPSpeut augmenter les performancesd’une affaire et réduire ses impactsenvironnementaux et sociaux.

Servicios de gestión deproductos químicos y REACH«la información lo es todo»

La cumbre mundial de NacionesUnidas sobre desarrollo sosteniblepromueve la producción y el consu-mo sostenibles (PCS) mediante el fo-mento del desarrollo social y econó-mico dentro de los límites de capaci-dad de los ecosistemas analizando y,en caso necesario, desvinculandocrecimiento económico y degrada-ción ambiental a través de la mejorade la eficiencia y la sostenibilidad enel uso de recursos y procesos de pro-ducción, así como la reducción de ladegradación de los recursos, la con-taminación y los residuos.

La PCS pretende lograr un uso másseguro y sostenible de los productosquímicos durante su ciclo de vida, loque plantea más retos por parte de losproductores (proveedores de servicio)del sector productor de productos quí-micos hacia los consumidores (recep-tores de los servicios).

El sistema producto-servicio (PSS)es una herramienta que se basa enel ciclo de vida para enfocar la pro-ducción y el consumo sosteniblesadoptada por el Programa de lasNaciones Unidas para el MedioAmbiente (PNUMA). Este nuevoconcepto empresarial puede au-mentar el rendimiento de una em-presa y reducir su impacto ambien-tal y social.

United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Dev-elopment promotes Sustainable Consumption andProduction (SCP) through promotion of social andeconomic development within the carrying capac-

ity of ecosystems by addressing and, where appropriate,de-linking economic growth and environmental degrada-tion through improving efficiency and sustainability in theuse of resources and production processes and reducingresource degradation, pollution and waste1.

SCP calls for safer and sustainable usage of chemicalsduring the life cycle of the products, adding more chal-lenges on chemical supply sector from the producers(service providers) to consumers (service receivers).

Product Service System as a tool to use the life cyclethinking is an approach to sustainable consumption andproduction adopted by the United Nation EnvironmentalProgram (UNEP). As a new business concept, PSS may in-crease the performance of a business and decrease envi-ronmental and social impacts.

Keywords: Chemical Management Services (CMS), Re-gistration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals(REACH), Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP),information transparency.

Yasser Askar, M.ScHead of Technicaland Institutionsupport DepartmentEgyptianEnvironmentalAffairs Agency

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Chemical management services(CMS) is an application of the ProductService System in the chemical sec-tor. Thomas Votta, deputy director ofChemical Strategies Partnership(CMP) association, considers CMS tobe a strong strategic and long-termrelationship between the customers(industrial enterprises that receiveservices) and providers (that supplyservices), in which the serviceprovider manages the chemical andrelated services associated with it in-stead of the customer. CMS helps tooptimize processes and to continu-ously reduce chemical lifecycle costs,risk, and environmental impact, be-cause often chemical service providersare more efficient and can achievelower production costs than the cus-tomers2.

REACH (Registration, Evaluation,and Authorization of Chemicals) is arelatively new European CommunityRegulation on chemicals and their safeuse (EC 1907/2006). It deals with theRegistration, Evaluation, Authorisationand Restriction of Chemical sub-stances. The new law entered intoforce on 1 June 20073. REACH trackthe chemicals used in production to as-sure safer usage and consumption asa tool toward better environmental im-pacts. All information shall be evaluat-ed and registered within the EuropeanChemical Agency (ECA).

It is clear the REACH and CMS arematching together, since CMS can pro-vide better tracking of chemical throughthe tight relation between serviceproviders and service receivers, which isa cornerstone to REACH.

1. Introduction

PSS is considered a step beyond suchconcepts as pollution prevention,cleaner production and re-designing ofproducts. The new approach directsthe producers to shift from the tradi-tional “business as usual”, based on

selling the product, to a new horizon ofselling utility. The result of selling amixture of products and services rein-forces the financial status of the pro-ducers and provides more benefits tothe consumers. In sum, better finan-cial, environmental and social resultscan be expected.

Chemical management services(CMS) is an application of the ProductService System in the chemical sector.Thomas Votta, deputy director ofChemical Strategies Partnership (CMP)association, considers CMS to be astrong strategic and long-term rela-tionship between the customers (in-dustrial enterprises that receive serv-ices) and providers (that supply servic-es), in which the service provider man-ages the chemical and related servicesassociated with it instead of the cus-tomer. CMS helps to optimize process-es and to continuously reduce chemi-cal lifecycle costs, risk, and environ-mental impact, because often chemicalservice providers are more efficientand can achieve lower productioncosts than the customers.

2. Chemical Management Services

Chemicals have a high importance formany industries, but during their lifecycle the amount of chemicals re-leased to the environment poses a se-rious threat to both human healthand the environment. The main ob-jective behind CMS is to reduce theadverse effects of these chemicals byreducing the amount of chemicalsused.

1 Chapter 3, Johannesburg Plan of Imple-mentation, UN World Summit on SustainableDevelopment, 2002. www.un.org/esa/sustdev/ doc-uments/WSSD_POI_PD/English/POIChapter3.htm

2 Votta, Thomas. (2005). CMS presentationon the Privatization Industry Day, DefenseLogistics Agency, Defense Supply Center, Rich-mond VA. December 2005.

3 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemi-cals/reach/reach_intro.htm

”“

REACH trackthe chemicals

used inproduction toassure saferusage as atool toward

betterenvironmental

impacts

Adopting CMS has many benefits toservice suppliers and service cus-tomers. Examples of benefits to serv-ice providers are5:

• Enhanced relation with service re-ceiver and increased mutual trust.

• Financial benefits and preventionof price underbidding.

• Ensured growth in business throughintroduction of adding value productsand especially services and increasedcompetitive position.

• Encouragement of research anddevelopment (R&D) and continuousimprovement of products and servic-es.

• Winning the loyalty and trust ofthe service receivers.

For service customers, benefits mayinclude6:

• Enhanced relation with servicesprovider and increased mutual trust.

• Better control and managementof chemicals and processes.

• Realized real cost of chemicalsand chemical management.

• Reduced chemical consumptionand therefore cost of chemicals.

• Decreased liability for chemicalsmanagement and final disposal.

• Decreased emissions and amountof waste and reduced health and safe-ty risks.

The reduction of the amount andvolume of chemicals used has negativeconsequence for chemical- producingindustries, because their basic busi-ness model is based on the volume ofchemicals sold. CMS provides a solu-tion that allows the negative conse-quences for industries from the reduc-tion of chemical volume sold to beavoided by shifting from a product-based market to a service-based mar-ket economy, which allows both inter-ested sides to use chemicals with amaximum efficiency during the entirelife cycle and boost their businesses4.

The CMS model creates a win-winbusiness situation between supplier(service provider) and buyer (servicereceiver -customer), by giving financialincentives to reduce the volume ofchemicals used and to increase theprocess efficiency. Supplier compensa-tion is based on a service fee for man-aging chemicals, which is in turn basedon a long-term relationship with cus-tomers, high level of trust and newbusiness opportunities, in for examplewaste recycling and treatment. The fol-lowing figure shows the relationshipbetween supplier and buyer in the CMSconcept:

Figure 1-1. CMS model relationship

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4 Bernard Siegele. (2005). Presentation ofChemical leasing program in Egypt, NationalCleaner Production Center- April 2005.

5 Csilla Magyar. (2006). Dow Europe GmbH“Dow Shares Experiences at UNIDO ChemicalLeasing Event: First pilot results show significantpotential for emissions reductions”. Düsseldorf,Germany – Feb. 8, 2006. Can be found online:http://www.news.dow.com/dow_news/prod-bus/2006/20060208a.htm

6 Business Editors. (2000). BUSINESS WIRE“Chemical Management Services Provide BrightLight in Stagnant Chemical Industry; IndustryReport Finds Customers Reducing Costs andChemical Use”. SAN FRANCISCO, US -Nov. 9,2000. Can be found online: http://www.findarti-cles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_Nov_9/ai_66758797

Services Providerand

Services Receiver(Customer)

Join Forces to

• Align incentives• Decrease life cycle costs• More efficient processes• Less chemicals used and disposed• Process optimization

• Better internal logistics for prod-ucts and chemicals.

• Reduced number of suppliers,leading to reduction of managementcosts.

• Provision of updated data that canbe used in voluntary environmentalcertificates.

• Continued improvement of process-es, products and services.

Figure 1-2. Traditional modelrelationship

programs can be found in Canada,China, Europe and Mexico.

The 2009 market revenue of theCMS industry, as of June-July 2009, isestimated at $900 million-$1 billion inthe U.S., $1-1.2 billion in the NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement (NAF-TA) region and $1.3-1.6 billion globally.The CMS industry realized revenuegrowth of more than 30% per yearfrom 2006-2008. The market size pro-jected during the next 5-10 years is es-timated to be $2 billion for the U.S.,$2.3 billion for the NAFTA-region and$6 billion globally7.

4. Chemical Management Servicesand REACH

REACH was adopted in December 2006and came into force in June 2007 call-ing for tight chemical track and con-trol. It imposes on industries to regis-ter chemicals (substances) producedmore than one ton when produced orimported. It is clear that this regula-tion started to affect not only Europe,but worldwide.

REACH regulation considered “com-plex and difficult for companies to im-plement, since they now have to re-think their organization, processes andinformation systems to be able togather, manage and declare large setsof information about the chemical sub-stances they use and produce”8.

CMS provides new relation betweenchemical producer and chemical con-

REACH

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Figure 1-3. CMS model relationship

Source: Chemical Management Services – Focus-ed Studies (Thomas J. Bierma Frank L. Water-straat 2004).

3. CMS grouth worldwide

Chemical Management Services aregrowing worldwide. According to theChemical Management Partnershipindustry report 2009, the highestgrowth in CMS is in the US, while otherparts of the world are lagging behind.About half of the international CMSprograms are run by multinationalcompanies based in the U.S. Different

7 Chemical Management Services (CMS)Industry Report 2009 Key Facts. Found online at:http://www.chemicalstrategies.org/pdf/indus-try_reports/Press09/CMSIndustryReport2009_Key_Facts.pdf

8 The corporate social responsibility newswire press release Dec. 2006. Found on-line at:http://www.csrwire.com/press/press_re-lease/16575-With-the-Final-Approval-of-the-REACH-Regulation-Enablon-Announces-the-Launch-of-a-New-Chemical-Substances-Management-Solution-to-Help-Companies-Meet-their-New-Compliance-Requirements.

sumers within industry. Meanwhile,REACH calls for better and transparentinformation exchange of chemicalswithin the industries. In REACH, bothproducers and consumers of chemicalswithin the industrial boundary shallknow more details about the chemicalsproperties and characteristics andmainly risks on environment duringand after usage.

5. Conclusions and further research

Under CMS, service providers are the“Know how” owners. Their “know how”includes many issues like:

• The exact composition of eachchemical they produce,

• How to use this chemicals,• Under which conditions, and• The best reaction media, provid-

ing the best yield and results.

Meanwhile under REACH, users(service receivers), shall know moredetails about the chemical they are us-ing and its supply chain. Part of thesupply chain is the chemicals mainsource (from service providers). Con-sequently, Under CMS, service providersplay main role in information clearanceto users (service receivers).

Chemical information exchange inCMS boundary and REACH boundary,expand the information clarity even forproducers of less than one ton/year,giving more transparency and accuracy.

It is clear that synergy between theCMS & REACH would ease implanta-

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tion and widen information trans-parency. This kind of synergy betweensuch a business model (CMS) andemerging regulation (REACH) is sup-ported by many indicators and facts.As mentioned in CMS report 2009“nearly 60% of service providers in-

dicated that the top priority for invest-ment in the future was informationmanagement, followed by improvedprocess technologies” �

REACH boundary

”“Both producers and consumersof chemicals within the industrialboundary shall know more aboutthe chemicals properties,characteristics and mainly risks

Figure 1-4. CMS_REACH synergy

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REACH andcommunicationof uses

REACH et communicationdes utilisations

Après la mise en applicationle 18 décembre 2006 du rè-glement REACH pour l’enre-gistrement, l’évaluation etl’autorisation des substanceschimiques, l’industrie conti-nue à faire face à des défis.Actuellement, avec la com-munication en amont et enaval dans les canaux de dis-tribution et quelques joursseulement avant la date bu-toir, le « stress » bureaucra-tique envahit notre quoti-dien.

Mots clés : portée, régle-mentation 1907/2006, enre-gistrement, évaluation, au-torisation, communication,utilisations, identifié, scéna-rios, exposition, déscrip-teurs, utilisateurs, intermé-diaires, fabricant, importa-teur, pré-enregistrement,dossier, sécurité, chimie,évaluation, rapport.

REACH e informaciónsobre el uso

Desde la entrada en vigor delReglamento REACH (18 de di-ciembre de 2006) sobre re-gistro, evaluación y autoriza-ción de productos químicos,la industria sigue enfren-tándose a nuevos retos.Actualmente, la comunica-ción de arriba abajo y de aba-jo arriba en los canales desuministro sólo unos díasantes de la fecha límite su-pone un «estrés» burocráti-co que invade nuestra rutinadiaria.

Palabras clave: REACH, re-glamento 1907/2006, regis-tro, evaluación, autorización,comunicación, usos, identifi-cados, escenarios, exposición,descriptores, usuarios, inter-mediarios, fabricante, impor-tador, prerregistro, dossier,seguridad, química, evalua-ción, informe.

After the enforcement of the REACH Regulation onDecember 18th 2006 for the Registration, Eva-luation and Authorisation of chemicals, the indus-try continues to confront challanges. At the mo-

ment, the upstream and downstream communication inthe channels of supply and only at a few days before thedeadline, the bureaucratic “stress” invades our daily rou-tine.

Keywords: REACH, regulation 1907/2006, registration,evaluation, authorization, communication, uses, identified,scenarios, exposure, descriptors, users, intermediates, man-ufacturer, importer, pre-registration, dossier, security,chemistry, assessment, report.

Rosana Marín

REACH

Almost 3 years after the approvalof the REACH Regulation 1907/2006on December 18th 2006, only a fewhave heard of it and the many conse-quences it has on the society and es-pecially in the industry sector.

This Rule, commonly known as“REACH”, establishes the process ofRegistration, Evaluation and Author-isation of chemicals produced and/orimported in the European Union, thusputting the responsibilities of manu-facturers and importers at the samelevel.

After having finished almost a yearago the first pre-registration phase,users, manufacturers and importerswill have to face in a few days a secondchallenge, the communication of usesso that these are recorded in the reg-istration dossier as “identified uses”that will be the only ones for whichone specific substance will be able tobe used, so it is important to ensurethat these have been properly commu-nicated.

These uses will appear in the Che-mical Security Report, where the as-sessment of the substance’s security isdocumented regarding to the dangersfor human health, physical-chemicaldangers, and the dangers for theEnvironment as well as its persistent,bioaccumulative and toxic properties.Moreover, all the possible scenarios ofexposure for the identified uses willneed to be evaluated.

According to article 37 (2) on Che-mical Security Assessment:

“Every intermediate user will havethe right to inform by writing (paper or

e-mail) about a use, or at least the briefgeneral description of the use, themanufacturer, the importer, the inter-mediate user or the distributor thatprovided him with a substance, as suchor in the form of preparation, with theaim to turn such use into identifieduse. When presenting a use, sufficientinformation will be provided to allowthe manufacturer, the importer or theintermediate user who has providedwith the substance in order to ellabo-rate an exposure scenario, or if appli-cable a category of use and exposurefor a specific use with in the assess-ment of the chemical security of themanufacturer, importer or intermedi-ate user”.

For the communication of uses,ECHA (European Chemical Agency)has developed orientation documentson the requirements of informationand assessment of chemical security,where in chapter R12 the system of de-scriptors of use is established. Thesedescriptors can be divided in 4 cate-gories:

Decriptors for Sector of Use (SU)such as agriculture, food industries,textile, stationary, formulation of pre-parations or plastic, Chemical ProductsCategory (PC) (adhesives, sealing, fer-tilizers, inks, phytosanitary products,medicine, cosmetics and personal careproducts...), Process category (PROC)based on the exposure of workers asfor instance the use in closed process-es with unlikely exposure or on thecontrary the mixing in processes bybatches for the formulation of prepa-rations and articles with significantcontact, and finally the category of thefinal Item to which such distance willbe assigned (AC) such as electricalitems, toys, furniture, handkerchiefs,sanitary towels, textiles, surface floor-ing, etc...

Normalizing this way the possiblescenarios of exhibition and helpingthus suppliers and clients to maintainreciprocal communication.

”“ECHA has developed orientationdocuments on the requirements ofinformation and assessment of chemicalsecurity

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This is greatly simplifying both thework that needs to be done by manu-facturers and importers as well as thatof users of substances, known in the“Reach slang” as intermidiate users or“Down Stream Users (DU)”.

From another side, another dead-line that expires together with theforeseen for the communication of us-es is the “late pre-registration“, whichis nothing more than the pre-registra-tion procedure for all substances man-ufactured or imported for the first timeafter December 1st 2008.

The late pre-registration must bemade within the first 6 months of itsmanufacture or importation and 12months before the deadline for the reg-istration, which would be on November31st 2009, and after that it will also nolonger be possible to pre-register a sub-stance of more than 1000 tons, cate-gories CMR 1& 2 in more than 1 ton, andvery toxic substances for the environ-ment in more than 100 tons.

Any legal entity that decides to startwith a substance within the aforemen-tioned suppositions, beyond this date,will have to present directly a request ofRegistration of the substance to ECHA.

However, we can start the manufac-ture or importation of substances inless than 1000Tn and have the optionto formalize its pre-registration untilMay 31st 2012 or until May 31st 2017 forthose between 1 and 100 tons.

Meanwhile we will continue to coverphases and facing new challenges in theapplication of the Regulations which notin vain have been catalogued as themost complicated and ambitious everdeveloped by the European Union �

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Even though such communication isonly necessary at the moment for thosesubstances manufactured in more than1000 yearly tons, carcinogenic, muta-genic and toxic agents for reproduction(CMR) categories 1 and 2, and for verytoxic substances with negative effectsfor the environment in the long term inmore than 100 tons, since the lack ofknowledge of the real tonnage is usual,everyone proceeds to the mentionedcommunication contributing once again,since REACH came into effect, to thebureaucratic chaos of upstream anddownstream communications.

Fortunately there are many Euro-pean associations that, foreseeingwhat would be a new challenge for thecompanies, started working on a proj-ect of synthetisation collecting all theexposure uses and scenarios that af-fect the activity of their associate com-panies, in associations such as: §§ AISE (detergent) §§ ATIEL/ATC (Lubricants and addi-

tives)§§ CEPE (Paints and inks)§§ ERMA (Resins)§§ ETAD (Pigments)§§ FEICA (Adhesives and sealing)§§ ISOPA (Diisocyanates and polioles)§§ PEST (Plastic Sector)§§ COLIPA (European Cosmetics Asso-

ciation)

Among others, they have definedwhat is known as ”mapping use” or“maps of uses” which will be consid-ered by all manufacturers as a startingpoint for the production of the expo-sure scenarios and the assessment ofthe risk for each one of them.

REACH

Development of newsolvents – safer to useand less contaminating– and their applicationto the paints andvarnishes sector(SOLVSAFE PROJECT)

Le développement denouveaux solvants (plussûrs à utiliser et moinspolluants) et leurapplication dans le secteurdes peintures et des vernis(Project SOLVSAFE)

La plus grande partie de la de-mande européenne de solvantsindustriels provient de l’indus-trie de la peinture et des revê-tements de surfaces, qui con-somme près de deux millionsde tonnes de solvants par an.Certains des solvants utilisésdans le secteur devront êtreremplacés par d’autres plussûrs en vertu des réglementa-tions européennes portant surles risques pour les humains etl’environnement en ce quiconcerne l’utilisation de sol-vants. Cet article aborde lesproblèmes et les possibilités deremplacement de solvants dansle secteur des peintures et desvernis, de même que le projeteuropéen SOLVSAFE.

Mots clés : solvants, SOLVSA-FE, COV. REACH.

Desarrollo de nuevos disol-ventes (más seguros ymenos contaminantes) ysu aplicación en el sectorde la pintura y el barniz(Proyecto SOLVSAFE)

La mayor parte de la demandaeuropea de disolventes indus-triales se genera desde el sec-tor de la pintura y el revesti-miento de superficies, que utili-za casi dos millones de tonela-das de disolventes al año. Al-gunos disolventes empleadosen el sector deberán sustituirsepor otros más seguros a conse-cuencia de los reglamentos eu-ropeos en materia de riesgo alos seres humanos y el medioambiente por el uso de disol-ventes. En este artículo se deba-ten los problemas y las posibili-dades que plantea la sustituciónde disolventes en el sector dela pintura y el barniz en elmarco del proyecto europeoSOLVSAFE.

Palabras clave: disolventes,SOLVSAFE, COV. REACH.

Most of the European demand for industrial sol-vents comes from the paints and surface-coatingindustry, which uses almost two million tons ofsolvents each year. Some solvents used in the

sector will have to be replaced by safer ones because ofEuropean regulations governing the risk to humans andthe environment in relation to the use of solvents. In thisarticle we discuss the problems and possibilities for thereplacement of solvents in the paints and varnishes sec-tor, and the European SOLVSAFE project.

Keywords: solvents, SOLVSAFE, VOC, REACH.

Pedro GuerraRepresentative forAFAQUIM/SOLVSAFEB&B Assessors

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REACH

Introduction

The European SOLVSAFE project (www.solvsafe.org) — now concluded — wasintegrated by a consortium of firms,universities and European technologi-cal centres, and third party countries,to develop products and chemicalprocesses through the use of solventswhich are safer for humans, as well asbeing friendlier to the environment.

SOLVSAFE dealt with one of thefundamental problems of European in-dustry — it is very probable that inforthcoming years a large percentageof European industrial processes willbe affected by EU policies, like for ex-ample, the REACH Regulations forchemical substances, which could re-strict the use of very hazardous sub-stances, such as some of the existingsolvents normally used in the industry.As a result of these regulations, it ishighly likely that some industrialprocesses may lose competitiveness —especially the chemical industry, whichis the third highest contributor to GDPin the EU.

The Solvsafe Project was createdby a Spanish initiative, answering theneed to establish a series of method-ologies for the development of prod-ucts and chemical processes throughthe use of safer solvents. The funda-mental objectives of the project were:to reduce the quantity and diversity ofthose solvents which could have ad-verse effects on human heath and theenvironment, to reduce the emissionsof volatile organic compounds (VOCs),to reduce CO2 emissions into the at-mosphere, and the use of renewableraw materials as alternatives to petro-leum in manufacturing solvents.

The SOLVSAFE Project was set inmotion in the year 2005 and broughtto a conclusion in 2009, and counted22 members from 9 different coun-tries. Its executive committee wasmade up of SMEs, with the participa-tion of 120 industrial researchers and

investigation centres in Germany, Aus-tria, Spain, France, Italy, Romania,Switzerland, Uruguay and Russia.

The Spanish Association of FineChemical Manufacturers (AFAQUIM)and members of the Spanish Networkfor Sustainable Chemistry, who provid-ed many of their scientists, wereamong the members of the consor-tium. With a total investment of 12 mil-lion Euros (5.7 million of which wasprovided by the EU through the 6ºMarco programme), SOLVSAFE devel-oped its I+D activities during a periodof 4 years.

SOLVSAFE was applied to a widevariety of industrial processes, result-ing in revolutionary innovations in 6different industrial sectors:

1. Manufacture of active pharma-ceutical ingredients (API)

2. Biodiesel production and theuse of its by-products.

3. Production of phytosanitary pro-ducts.

4. Paints and varnishes.5. Manufacture of solvents.6. Metal-degreasing products.

The present article will present themain contributions of the SOLVSAFEProject to the paints and varnishessector, which is the highest consumerof solvents in Europe.

Paints and varnishes sector: prob-lems in the use of solvents

The greatest European demand for sol-vents comes from the paints and sur-

”“SOLVSAFE dealt with oneof the fundamental problems ofEuropean chemical industry,which is the third highest contributorto GDP in the EU

process and the conditions are notproperly controlled.

Any typical paint contains 60-80%in weight of solvent. As has alreadybeen stated, after applying paint to asurface, the solvent evaporates, eitherfreely or stimulated by a heat source,with the consequent emission ofVolatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in-to the atmosphere. These emissions oforganic solvents may create healthand safety problems for the handlers,and be damaging to the environment.

The European Union, with the2004/42/CE Directive, has initiated aharmonization process to reduce emis-sions of volatile organic compounds,through limiting the content of thesetypes of compounds in paints and var-nishes, as far as is technically possi-ble and economically viable, bearing inmind climatic conditions. There arevarious alternatives for reducing thegeneration of residue-discharge fromsolvents. The most efficient use ofpaints and varnishes allows the reduc-tion of VOC emission and implies aneconomic saving.

The introduction of water-basedpaints, which use smaller amountsof solvents, has implied the transfer ofpart of the environmental problemto the water sector, as it has multi-plied the impact on residual water.Cleaning processes, spillage, and in-efficiency in the application process,among other causes, could be sourcesof generating contaminated residualwater, which should receive correcttreatment.

Solvents used in the paints and var-nishes sector

Within the SOLVSAFE Project a surveywas carried out to identify the mainsolvents used in the paints and var-nishes sector. The questionnaire wassent to those responsible for the envi-ronment or production in companies inSpain, France, Italy, Portugal and com-

face-coating industry, which uses almosttwo million tons every year, representingapproximately 46% of the Europeanmarket for solvents (see figure 1).

Solvents are used in the manufac-ture of paints to dissolve the variouscompounds used in the formulation ofpaint, such as colour, resins and otherconstituents, so that the paint acquiresthe right consistency for its applica-tion. Once the paint has been applied,the solvent evaporates, allowing theresin and pigment to form a film ofpaint and dry quickly. Without solventsit would be impossible to produce long-lasting decorative effects, and – espe-cially – glossy paints for indoor or out-door use, capable of withstanding allkinds of weather conditions.

Many solvents used in the sectorare considered to be dangerous be-cause they have a relatively low boilingpoint. A low boiling point is a desirablecharacteristic in many applications inwhich solvents are used, as the solventmust evaporate and leave behind – forexample – the film of coating applied.But the fact that the solvents have alow boiling point may mean that theyproduce vapour at room temperature,with a high volatile level, if the storage

REACH

Figure 1. European consumption of solvents in differentindustrial sectors

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panies in Eastern Europe. Judgingfrom the replies obtained in the survey,it can be concluded that the sector us-es a wide range of solvents. The mostused solvents in the sector, arrangedby order of frequency of use, are:Toluene; Acetone; Ethyl acetate; Me-thylisobutylketone; Butanol; Butylacetate; 2-Propanol; Xylene, Dichlo-romethane; Cyclohexanone; Methylacetate; n-Hexane; Butanone, Dichlo-roethylene; N,N-Dimethylformamide;Ethanol; 2-Ethoxyethanol; Ethylben-zene; n-Heptane; Methanol; 2-Methoxy-ethanol and Cyclohexane. Each oneof these solvents presents some sort ofassociated risk, according to presentlegislation.

Possibilities for substitution: newsolvents

Taking into consideration that thepaints and varnishes sector is the mainEuropean consumer of solvents, andthe environmental problems — togeth-er with the burden of regulations as-sociated with the use of solvents inpaints and varnishes — it is a challengeto the sector to seek new solventswhich are less hazardous to the envi-ronment and to humans, but which, at

the same time, provide the same func-tional characteristics and quality asthose of traditionally used solvents.

In the SOLVSAFE project, taking thecharacteristics of the sector into ac-count and its high consumption of sol-vents, a range of new solvents havebeen developed and applied to existingproducts, which have achieved the es-tablished objectives.

To summarize, 97 new solventswere synthesized from renewablesources, and more than 15,000 prop-erties of the solvents were calculated.Some of these new solvents have beensuccessfully tested, in various appli-cations within the paints and varnish-es sector, as well as for their reducedenvironmental impact, danger, and tox-icity.

As a means of orientation, Table 1lists some of the new solvents for thepaints and varnishes sector:

Conclusion

The paints and varnishes sector – aswell as other industrial sectors whichuse solvents — should use alternativesolvents which do not pose a threat tothe environment, and which are nothazardous or toxic.

REACH

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SSoollvvssaaffee MMaannuuffaaccttuurreerr AApppplliiccaattiioonn SSeeccttoorr

CCooddee ooff SSoollvveenntt ddeevveellooppeedd bbyyPPrrooppeerrttiieess ooff SSoollvveennttss AApppplliiccaattiioonn aanndd UUsseess

00031 Medium Polarity, Non- VOC, Coalescent agents for the

00035 COGNIS COGNIS Derived from fatty acids manufacture of lacquers and

paints with base of natural

raw materials.

Paints and 00064 COGNIS COGNIS Medium Polarity, Reagent solvents for reducing

Varnishes Derived from fatty acids the VOC content in alkyd-

based paints.

PV-01 Solvents for systems of water-

PV-02 INCA LECHLER Medium Polarity based paint in substitution of

PV-03 butyl glycol.

The tendency of European legisla-tive pressure increasingly requires theuse of processes with the least possibleimpact on the environment, and thehighest possible safety factor to hu-mans, and, as solvents are the chemicalsubstance that are of greatest use inpaints and varnishes, they shouldtherefore be used safely, and those ofhighest risk should be substituted.

The European SOLVSAFE Projecthas contributed a collection of alter-native solvents capable of successful-ly substituting solvents with knownrisks or with serious limitations in theiruse.

List of abreviations

EU/EC = European Union

REACH = Registration, Evaluation, Autho-risation and Restriction of ChemicalSubstances

COV/VOC = Volatile Organic Compounds

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Bibliography

[1] European Solvents Industry GroupESIG (www.esig.org).

[2] EuroChlor Federation web (www.eurochlor.org).

[3] Debate “17. Dangerous substancesand preparations (dichlorometha-ne)”. European Parliament: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+CRE+20090113+ITEM-017+DOC+XML+V0//EN.

[4] Estévez, C. 2006. “SolvSafe, la in-vestigación de nuevos disolventesy sus aplicaciones” Industria Quí-mica 01/02/2006.

[5] Estévez, C. 2009. “Paints and Var-nishes Sector” Fedequim 02.2009.

[6] Beaus, R. 2008. “New Solvents inFine Chemical Sector”, Internatio-nal Expoquimia Seminar. 23 Oct.2008 �

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sustainable agriculture

System of RiceIntensification -Towards sustainableagriculture

« Système de rizicultureintensive - Vers uneagriculture durable »

Le riz compte actuellementparmi les produits agricoles quiconsomment les plus grandsvolumes d’eau, mais il constituepar ailleurs l’aliment et/ou lasource de revenus de la moitiéde la population mondiale. Lesystème de riziculture intensi-ve, populairement connu com-me SRI, est en train de changerla riziculture en permettant auxcultivateurs de produire davan-tage tout en utilisant moins degrains, d’eau et d’engrais chi-miques. Introduit en Inde vers2003, le SRI est maintenant misen pratique dans tous les Étatsdu pays et est devenu un véri-table phénomène national. Denos jours, le SRI est pratiquédans plus de 35 pays produc-teurs de riz, même si les sur-faces cultivées peuvent être ré-duites, et se répand rapidementde cultivateur en cultivateur etde pays en pays. Le WWF a ten-té de capitaliser cette expérien-ce réussie en introduisant le SRIdans le bassin du fleuve Sebou(Maroc) via un projet pilote.

«Sistema de intensifica-ción del cultivo de arroz.Hacia una agriculturasostenible»

El arroz se encuentra en la ac-tualidad entre los cultivos quemayor exigencia de agua pre-sentan, pero también es el ali-mento/fuente de ingresos de lamitad de la población mundial.El sistema de intensificación delcultivo del arroz, llamado nor-malmente SRI por sus siglas eninglés, está modificando el cul-tivo en los arrozales al permi-tir a los agricultores producirmás con menos semilla, agua yfertilizantes químicos. El SRI seintrodujo en la India hacia2003, aunque ya se practica entodos los estados del país y seha convertido en un fenómenonacional. Hasta la fecha, el SRIse ha implantado en más de 35países productores de arroz;aunque inicialmente las áreascultivadas sean pequeñas, estesistema se está extendiendo rá-pidamente entre los agriculto-res y los países. El Fondo Mun-dial para la naturaleza (WWF)ha intentado sacar provecho dela exitosa iniciativa introducien-do el SRI en la cuenca del ríoSebou (Marruecos) a través deun proyecto piloto.

Rice is currently among the most water consumingcrops, but also the food and/or source of income ofhalf of the world population. System of rice inten-sification, popularly know as SRI is changing the

paddy cultivation allowing farmers to produce more withless-seed, water, chemical fertilisers. SRI, introduced inIndia around 2003, is now practising in all the states ofthe country and has become a national phenomenon.Nowadays, SRI is being practiced in more than 35 riceproducing countries, though the area cultivated may besmall, and is spreading fast from farmer to farmer, coun-try to country. WWF has tried to capitalize on this suc-cessful experience by introducing SRI in the Sebou riverbasin (Morocco) through a pilot project.

Keywords: SRI, System of Rice Intensification, water, chem-ical, fertilisers, soil, agriculture.

Raffaele Mancini,Biksham Gujja,FrancescaAntonelli,Imad Cherkaoui

sustainable agriculture

Introduction

Agriculture uses over 80% of world’water resources1 and wastes up to60% of the 2,500 trillion liters of wa-ter it uses each year, something like70% of the world’s accessible water2.Many big food producing countries likeIndia are close to reaching their renew-able water resource limits and, due tothe abuse of agro-chemicals, are de-stroying rivers’ water quality and inturn the ecosystems downstream. By2035, India’s population is projected tohave half a million people more thannow. In order to meet food demand,India needs to increase productivity inthe available area of paddy cultivationwith less water and less input than to-day; the adoption of SRI can helpachieve that. SRI is still a work inprogress, and improvements can bebrought especially to further reducelabour requirements.

1.1 System of Rice Intensification(SRI)

Agriculture in India is in big crisis dueto many reasons: declining yields, non-availability of agricultural labour, wa-ter scarcity, seed quality, lack of prop-er extension, declining soil fertility forexcessive application of fertilizers, in-adequate market intelligence, escalat-ing cost of cultivation, low profitability,urbanization, migration to urban areas,etc. In this very bleak picture, SRI ap-pears as a promising success story ofpartnership between farmers and civilsociety. The SRI method was synthe-sized in the early 1980s by the FrenchJesuit Fr. Henri de Laulanié, S.J., wholived 34 years in Madagascar workingwith local farmers on agricultural sys-tems, particularly rice production withthe objective to consistently raise riceproduction while abating productioncosts. Nowadays it is proved that SRI i)requires less seed, up to 1/10th of whatis used in conventional method ii) re-

duces at least 30% consumption ofwater because paddy fields are notkept continuously flooded, iii) pro-duces at least 25-30% more than whatis produced through conventionalmethod iv) requires less pesticides andfertilisers as organic materials (com-post, manure or any decomposed veg-etation) gives good or even better re-sults at lower cost v) requires morelabour – mainly for weeding or carefultransplanting – but, since yields mayincrease up to 100%, the return of thisextra labour is really worth in termsof reducing costs and increasing netprofit vi) perfectly fits farmers whohave small landholdings and need toget the highest yields out of their avail-able land; in this view, SRI is one of thefew agricultural innovations having abias in favour of equity. Having said allthis, it is important to stress that SRIhas significant environmental benefitssince i) water demand is reduced andthen made available for other uses ii)soil that is not kept saturated hasgreater biodiversity iii) unflooded pad-dies do not produce methane con-tributing to global warming: it is truethat there can be more nitrous oxidefrom unflooded paddies, which offsetsto some extent the gains from reduc-ing methane emissions, but when ni-trogen fertilizer is not used, this effectis small.

1.2 SRI method implementation

SRI increases rice production by fol-lowing a simple but the following step-by-step process:

Rice plants - seedlings are trans-planted: i) very young usually just 8-12 days old, with just two small leavesii) carefully and quickly to have mini-

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1 World Bank, 2002. “The 2nd UN WorldWater Development Report”.

2 Clay J. 2004. “World Agriculture and theEnvironment: a commodity-by-commodity guideto impacts and practices”, Island press.

sive pumping and illegal boreholeswhile water quality by the drainage ofwater full of fertilizers and pesticidesused in agriculture. The Gharb plain, ahuge and fertile flooded area in theSebou river basin (central north of

Morocco), is the first agricultural zonein Morocco where rice cultivation is anexample of the permanent conflict be-tween water availability and agricul-ture development. Indeed, despite highwater prices, low profitability, high pro-duction costs and recent trade liberal-isation, productivity of rice in the areais relatively high (from t/ha up to 8 tha-1). On this basis, WWF Medite-rranean Programme (WWF MedPO)and WWF International decided to joinforces with ORMVAG (Regional Agencyfor the Agricultural Development inthe Gharb plain) responsible for theirrigation infrastructure in the regionin order to develop agricultural ap-proaches able to protect local freshwa-ter ecosystems and, at the same time,support rice cultivation. To this end, itwas decided to test SRI method in thearea with the objectives of i) reducewater consumption in paddy field inthe Gharb area ii) reduce chemicals in-puts.

1.4 SRI demonstration in Morocco

The demonstration of SRI in the Gharbarea was funded by AECI ProgrammeAZAHAR and ICRISAT. WWF Inter-national made a first visit to Morocco(October 2007) to understand the sce-nario and the problems related to theproduction of rice as well as the feasi-bility of introducing SRI in the country.

sustainable agriculture

mum trauma to the roots iii) singly, on-ly one per hill instead of 3-4 togetherto avoid root competition iv) widelyspaced to encourage greater root andcanopy growth v) in a square grid pat-tern, 25x25 cm up to 50x50 cm withthe best quality soil.

Soil – it is kept moist but well-drained and aerated, with good struc-ture and enough organic matter tosupport increased biological activity;the quality and health of the soil is thekey to best production.

Water - only a minimum of wateris applied during the vegetative growthperiod, and then only a thin layer ofwater is maintained on the field duringthe flowering and grain filling stage.

Alternatively, to save labour time,some farmers flood and drain (dry)their fields in 3-5 day cycles with goodresults.

Nutrients - soil nutrient suppliesshould be augmented, preferably withcompost, made from any available bio-mass; better quality compost such aswith manure can give additional yieldadvantages.

Weeds - Since weeds become aproblem in fields that are not keptflooded, weeding is necessary at leastonce or twice, starting 10-12 days aftertransplanting, and preferably 3 or 4times before the close of the canopy.Using a rotary hoe - a simple, inexpen-sive, mechanical push-weedier - hasthe advantage of aerating the soil atthe same time that weeds are elimi-nated.

1.3 Introducing SRI in Morocco

Morocco undergoes water crisis due tothe high variation of rainfall patternsover the last two years that has in-creased the effect of droughts and de-sertification. The unsustainable watermanagement and the promotion of in-dustrial agriculture for high water con-suming crops aggravate the situation:water quantity is threatened by exces-

”“Water quantity is threatenedby excessive pumping and illegalboreholes

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1.5 SRI demonstration in Morocco:conclusion

Farmers in Morocco received with greatinterest SRI though nursery and trans-planting of seedlings were entirely newfor them. They proved to be quite recep-tive in understanding the method andthe logic behind it, but took quite sometime for farmers to actually believe thatthe method would lead to any improve-ment. Weed management was a majorchallenge since from one side the youngseedlings gave raise to major growthof weeds and, to the other, SRI do notpromote the use of herbicides. Whenthe single seedling started producingtillers, however, the farmers started be-lieving the merit of the SRI. It can besaid that, overall, the test did prove thatit is possible to introduce the SRI inMorocco though it is still a long way offas it requires major and continuoustraining, confidence of local farmersused to applying different traditionalcultivation methods and further com-mitment from the authorities �

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sustainable agriculture

Subsequently (March 2008) a teamconsisting of two ORMVAG officialsand a representative of WWF MedPOvisited India to learn more about SRIthrough specific training and field vis-its. As a result, it was decided to testSRI adoptability in the Gharb regionwith the following specific objectives:i) 30% less of water consumption ii)25% less of fertilisers and other in-puts iii) the same or 10% more pro-duction with respect to the average oflast five years. Technical field assis-tance was carried out locally by thedisplacement of two SRI Indian ex-perts to Morocco for two months. Thedemonstration was implemented in 11ha of rice plots belonging to 4 farmersand a research farm managed by a pri-vate society. All farmers involvedwere offered compensation in case ofharvests lower than 10 tons of rawrice per hectare; the compensationamount was set at 3.1 MDH (MoroccanDirham) per kilogram of raw rice, seton the basis of the average marketprice

Virginia Alzina

Director

Regional Activity Centre for Cleaner Production Mediterranean Action Plan United Nations Environment Programmec/ Dr. Roux, 8008017 Barcelona (Spain)Tel.: +34 93 553 87 90Fax: +34 93 553 87 95E-mail: valzina@cprac.orghttp://www.cprac.org

Suman Sharma

Programme Officer

Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention onPersistent Organic PollutantsInternational Environment HouseUnited Nations Environment Programme11-13, Chemin des AnémonesCH-1219 ChâtelaineGeneva (Switzerland)Tel.: +41 22 917 8210Fax: +41 22 917 8098

John A. Haines, Training AdvisorBrandon Turner, Senior Specialist

United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNITARPalais des NationsCH-1211 Geneve 10 (Switzerland)Tel.: +41 22 917 8400Fax: +41 22 917 8047E-mail: john.haines@unitar.org

UNITAR5-44 Motomachi, Naka-kuHiroshima 730-0011 (Japan)Tel.: +81 82 511 2424Fax: +81 82 211 0511E-mail: brandon.turner@unitar.org

Miquel Porta

Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica (IMIM)Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaCarrer del Dr. Aiguader, 88 E-08003 Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain) Tel.: +34 93 316 0700 and +34 93 316 0790 Fax: +34 93 316 0410 E-mail: mporta@imim.es

Lauren Heine / Mark Rossi /Beverley Thorpe

Clean Production ActionPO Box 153Spring Brook, New York (USA 14140)Tel.: +1 647 341 6688Email: Bev@cleanproduction.org

Eng. Ahmed Kamal Abdel Moneim

Environmental Compliance office and SustainableDevelopment office Manager

26A Sherif street, El Emobilia Building, Downtown,Cairo (Egypt)Postal Code: 11511Tel.: +202 23904760 / 23904603Fax: +202 23904816E-mail: akamal@eco-fei.nethttp://www.eco-fei.org

Pep Tarifa

Fundació Fòrum AmbientalAvda. Reina Maria Cristina s/n08004 Barcelona SpainTel.: +34 93 233 23 09Fax: +34 93 233 24 96E-mail: pep@forummabiental.org

Eng. Yasser Askar, M.Sc

Head of Technical and Institution supportDepartment

Egyptian Environmental Affairs AgencyCairo, Nov. 2009Tel.: +2 010 1110867Fax: +2 02 25261421E-mail: ya13673@yahoo.com

Rosana Marín Sánchez

REACH Coordinator

Comercial Química Massó, SAViladomat, 321, 5.º08028 Barcelona (Spain)Tel.: +34 93 495 25 00Fax: +34 93 495 25 02E-mail: rmarin@cqm.es

reach@cqm.es

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contact details

Contact details —in order of appearance—

Raffaele Mancini (rmancini@atw-wwf.org);Biksham Gujja (bgujja@wwfint.org);Francesca Antonelli (FAntonelli@wwfmedpo.org);Imad Cherkaoui (imad.cherkaoui@gmail.com)

Dr. Pedro Guerra Brito

Representative for AFAQUIM/SOLVSAFEB&B Assessors

c/ Ganduxer 5-15, L. 5 08021 Barcelona (Spain)Tel./Fax: 93 241 41 18 E-mail: bb@bbasesores.com

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COOPER, S., G. The Textile Industry Environmental Control and Energy Conservation.ndc Press, pp. 104-117, 151-180. (1978).

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The Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) strives to protect

the environment and to foster development of the

Mediterranean Basin. It was adopted in Barcelona (Spain)

in 1975 by Mediterranean States and the EC, under the

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