390 resources found

sustainable-chemicals-strategy
Report

A chemicals strategy for a sustainable chemicals revolution

December 2022
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Chemicals production and consumption is set to double by 2030, from a $5 trillion industry globally in 2017, with production set to increase, mainly in emerging economies. If chemicals production is doubled, chemical pollution must not double as a consequence – rather we should aim to significantly reduce it from current levels.

Current international attempts at the massive undertaking of addressing chemical pollution are not working. For the world to solve the major environmental and health challenges we face, there must be a sustainable chemicals revolution. We can only achieve this through senior-level engagement with the chemical sciences community through an authoritative, intergovernmental science-policy interface.

The Royal Society of Chemistry engaged with scientists in their community to develop the vision for a chemicals strategy, relevant to any nation in principle.  Four pillars were identified on which any chemicals strategy has to be based: education, innovation, circular economy and regulation. National governments must invest in these areas and create a responsible framework of action for chemicals management.

Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
Country: United Kingdom
Circular_Economy_Electronics_Central_Eastern_Europe
Report

Toward a Circular Economy for the Electronics Sector in Central and Eastern Europe: Overview, Actions and Recommendations

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December 2022
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This report provides an overview of the current status and conditions of the Circular Economy in the electronics value chain in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region, identifies key areas of concern, provides appropriate recommendations, and proposes priority actions to improve circularity of the sector. The recommendations and roadmap focus on the individual life cycle stages of the electronics value chain, as well as on aspects that cut across the value chain. The transition towards a more circular electronics sector in Central and Easter Europe (CEE) would require a holistic and coordinated approach to progress toward a more circular electronics value chain in the CEE region.

This publication was prepared under the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) full-sized project 9771: Global best practices on emerging chemical policy issues of concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). This project is funded by the GEF, implemented by UNEP and executed by the SAICM Secretariat.

Plastic paints the Environment
Report

Plastic Paints the Environment

February 2022
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This report provides a global assessment of the level of plastic paint leakage worldwide.

It is based on the baseline year 2019 with a global paint demand of 52 Mt, that included 19.5 Mt of plastics and distributed across different sectors: Architectural, Marine, Road Marking, General Industrial, Automotive and Industrial Wood and Others.

Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
Report

Chemicals of concern in electronics: Review of legislative and regulatory approach

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February 2021
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This UNEP report provides a comprehensive but not necessarily exhaustive overview of the various regulatory approaches for CoC in EEE. Further inputs from the international community are welcomed to complement the research, especially with regards to relevant regulations that are not yet captured in the report.Chemicals in products and hazardous substances within the life cycle of electrical and electronic products have been longstanding emerging policy issues under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). To further advance these issues
Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
Report

Update on the Global Status of Legal Limits on Lead in Paint

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February 2021
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The new 2020 Update on the Global Status of Legal Limits on Lead in Paint reports new laws, new tools, and new momentum on progress toward laws to eliminate lead paint in 2020. Available in English and Spanish, the Update also describes activity and results by region. As of 31 December 2020, 79 countries have confirmed that they have legally binding controls on lead in paint, which is 41% of all countries. Since October 2019, Colombia, Lebanon and Vietnam established

Emerging Policy Issues: Lead in paint
Topics: Policymaking
Report

Summary report on Chemicals in Toys Policy in China

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March 2020
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China is one of the largest producers, exporters and consumers of toy products in the world. In order to ensure the quality and safety of toys, and to promote the development of toys industry, China implements a series of related laws, regulations and standards, with many authorities participate in the supervision and management of toys industry.However, there are still gaps between China and the European Union in terms of the limits of chemicals in toys and the management of new
Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
EIT_RM_PARADE_Hazardous_substances_in_construction_Final_2019
Report

Hazardous Substances in Construction Products and Materials

December 2019
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This guidance document aims to give an overview of potential hazardous substances that might occur in construction products and when appearing as waste need attention during renovation and demolition activities. Focus in this guideline is on hazardous substances regulated by EU or international agreements or national legislation.

Although the present legislation restricts the use of many hazardous substances in new building products, there is a considerable concern for compounds present in old construction products, since their presence in construction and demolition waste may limit the recyclability of the material and potentially cause waste management problems. One group of substances that has recently received attention are persistent organic pollutants (POP substances) such as e.g. some brominated flame retardants.

Important characteristic of the construction and building products is the relatively long life span. Because of long lifespan the restricted substances will enter the waste stream many decades after a ban has been placed on their use and they can therefore be found in renovation or demolition waste for a long time. Many of these substances provide important functionality in a wide range of products, e.g. flame retardants.

Besides hazardous substances also degradation in composition and quality aspects (e.g. mould) of construction products needs to be considered.

This document is part of the pre-demolition overall guidance document developed in the PARADE project.

Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
SAICM-USEtox_D2.1
Report

List of Chemicals of Concern and of potential alternatives for toys sector, with supporting information on criteria and selection

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September 2019
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In this report, we present a list of Chemicals of Concern (CoCs) in plastic toys, with supporting information on the applied selection criteria. To identify the CoCs, we started from a literature review of available plastic toys compositions studies, and obtained the chemical mass fraction in plastic toy as well as the chemical functions. The chemical emissions from the plastic toys and subsequent human exposures were then estimated using a series of models and the coupled nearfield and far-field exposure assessment framework. Finally, the human exposure doses were compared to toxicity measures such as the reference dose (RfD), or median effective dose (ED50) for cancer effects, to evaluate the health risks on children. Chemical-material combinations that have a hazard quotient (HQ) > 10, a margin of exposure (MoE) < 100, or a lifetime cancer risk > 10-6 were included in the list of CoCs. In total, 35 (less than 10%) of all chemical-material combinations studied were identified as CoCs. The results indicate that a relevant amount of chemicals used in plastic toys may pose a non-negligible health risk to children, calling for more refined investigations and more human- and eco-friendly alternatives.

This document has been developed within the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project ID: 9771 on Global Best Practices on Emerging Chemical Policy Issues of Concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). This project is funded by the GEF, implemented by UNEP and executed by the SAICM Secretariat.

Emerging Policy Issues: Chemicals in products
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