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Chemicals and Waste Briefing Updates on Negotiations, Progress Made
The High-level Segment of the BRS COPs, taking place in connection with the Stockholm+50 conference, will provide an opportunity to raise awareness on the contributions of BRS Conventions to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Chemicals and waste, including mercury, are a priority issue in the 8th replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund. Sixteen countries have passed legislation to phase out lead in paint, and 21 paint producers in seven countries are receiving support to eliminate lead in paint, as a result of the SAICM-GEF process. Read More
Article

Greater Industry Engagement Key to Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste
Although the integrated approach is an aspirational tool for involving industry, its concrete implementation has been hampered by a lack of clarity regarding what constitutes industry involvement. The study supports tracking progress in industry involvement, through the creation of an efficient tracking system to measure inputs, activities, outcomes, and impacts. The report identifies activities for industry involvement, grouped into regulatory measures, economic instruments, and voluntary measures, as well as mixed measures that may be voluntary or mandatory, depending on the country. Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

The Link between Climate Change and Chemical Accidents
The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have launched a Community of Practice (CoP) on Chemicals and SDGs to bring representatives from different sectors together and to create a learning network around issues related to addressing Chemicals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a summary of the discussion on The Link between Climate Change and Chemical Accidents, which took place on 20 April 2022. Read More
Article

Basel Convention Working Group Prioritizes Issues Ahead of June COP
Participants urged that further work to update the plastic waste technical guidelines fully reflect UNEA decisions on plastics. Some called for a moratorium on plastic waste shipments while Africa carries out an assessment on plastic waste using the new guidance on inventories for national reporting. Read More
Report

Study on industry involvement in the integrated approach to financing the sound management of chemicals and waste

The integrated approach to financing the sound management of chemicals and waste was proposed to the Governing Council of UNEP, at its twenty... Read More
Article

Agreement Scales Up GEF Funding to Address Biodiversity, Climate Change, Pollution
The total pledges for GEF-8 represent an increase of nearly 30 percent compared to GEF-7. Four focal areas will receive 89.2% of the GEF-8 resources, with biodiversity receiving 36%; climate mitigation receiving 16%; land degradation receiving 11.6%; chemicals and waste receiving 15%; and international waters receiving 10.6%. Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

Cross-sectoral global minimum transparency standard for hazardous chemicals in products - an essential tool to detoxify material cycles
The SAICM Secretariat, in partnership with the University of Cape Town, established a community of practice on Chemicals in Products to bring representatives from different sectors together and to create a learning network around issues related to addressing Chemicals in Products (CiP). This is a summary of the discussion on Cross-sectoral global minimum transparency standard for hazardous chemicals in products - an essential tool to detoxify material cycles, which took place on 17 March 2022. Read More
Report

Sustainable Chemicals and Materials Policy for Protecting the Climate and Biodiversity

Chemicals and materials policy deals with both the risks and the opportunities of chemicals as well as with the volume of material flows from... Read More
Template for comments

FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Template for comments for public consultation of the draft Compliance and Enforcement Guidance.
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Lead Paint Law Compliance and Enforcement Guidance

DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION
This Guidance outlines actions governments can take to foster compliance with lead paint... Read More
Article

Public Consultation: Lead Paint Law Compliance and Enforcement Guidance

Under the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint, the United Nations Environment Programme has developed draft Lead Paint Law Compliance and... Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

Lead Paint Testing: Case Studies of Impact
The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have established a Community of Practice (CoP) on Lead in Paint to bring representatives from different sectors together and to create a learning network around issues related to the elimination of Lead Paint. This is a summary of the discussion on Lead Paint Testing: Case Studies of Impact, which took place on 9 March 2022. Read More
Article

GEF Provides Overview of Efforts to Better Manage Chemicals and Waste
As of March 2022, over USD 2 billion has been programmed to support work on chemicals and waste in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Work under SAICM has focused on lead in paints, chemicals in products (including textiles), highly hazardous pesticides, and managing e-waste. Neonicotinoid pesticides—the most widely used insecticides in agriculture—have been linked to the decline in bee populations. Read More
Article

Minamata Convention Parties Agree to Strengthen Action on Mercury
The Minamata Convention aims to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury. Parties agreed to consult with Indigenous Peoples and local communities in developing national action plans on artisanal and small-scale mining, the largest source of mercury emissions. Parties adopted the Bali Declaration on Combatting Global Illegal Trade of Mercury, a non-binding political declaration that aims to enhance international cooperation, develop practical tools to monitor and share information, and exchange experiences and practices to combat the illegal trade of mercury. Read More
Article

Pesticide Overuse Locked into European Agriculture, Says Paper on Pollution
Excessive pesticide use is leading to severe water quality problems in Europe, with aquatic ecosystems negatively affected by the hazardous effects of past and present chemical pollution, according to a paper in Environmental Science and Policy journal. A transformation away from the lock-in of pesticide overuse and towards a sustainable chemical policy in agriculture is needed. Infrastructural and technological, institutional, and behavioral lock-ins all require “tremendous resources, time, or extraordinary windows of opportunity” to overcome, the authors explain. Read More
Factsheets and brochures

Launch of E-learning Course on Industrial Chemicals Databases and Information Sharing

Following a collaborative study by UNEP and the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), which provided a comprehensive inventory... Read More
Factsheets and brochures

Pilot Project to support African Countries in overcoming barriers in implementing the UN GHS

Pilot Project to support African Countries in overcoming barriers in implementing the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of... Read More
Article

UNEA Launches Negotiation of Plastic Pollution Treaty, Science Body on Chemicals
Governments at UNEA 5.2 agreed to negotiate an internationally legal binding instrument by 2024 to end plastic pollution and to establish a science-policy panel on chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution. The plastics treaty is expected to address the full lifecycle of plastics, including production, design, and disposal. UNEP notes that the timeline for drafting the treaty is very short (approximately two years), while most global treaties require five to ten years of negotiation. Read More
Article

Global Plastic Outlook Calls for More Circularity, National Roadmaps
In 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion tonnes of emissions, with 90% from their production and conversion from fossil fuels. The report investigates the ways in which plastics use and waste have been affected by COVID-19 across sectors and regions. The report provides a picture of the full lifecycle of plastics globally, including production, consumption, waste, recycling, disposal, leakage, and GHG emissions. Read More
Report

Summary for Policymakers - Environmental Dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance

The Summary for Policymakers - Environmental Dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) launched on the sidelines of Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

Community of Practice on Lead in Paint - 2021 Digest Compliation

The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have established a Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

Community of Practice on Chemicals in Products - 2021 Digest Compliation

The SAICM Secretariat, in partnership with the University of Cape Town, established a Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

Community of Practice on Highly Hazardous Pesticides - 2021 Digest Compliation

The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have established a Read More
Community of practice summary of discussions

Community of Practice on Chemicals and SDGs - 2021 Digest Compliation

The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have launched a Read More
Article

Pollutant Registers Used to Assess Progress on Sustainability
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development published a report on using pollutant release transfer register information to evaluate progress towards SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). PRTRs collect and disseminate information on environmental releases and transfers of pollutants from industrial and other facilities, but have not previously been analyzed for tracking progress toward the SDGs. Future work could be expanded to include additional pollutants and economies. Read More