Towards safer products for our environment and health 

Component 1 : Lead in paint 

The lead in paint component promotes regulatory and voluntary action by government and industry to phase out lead in paint.

OUTCOME 1

At least 40 countries to legislate and implement legislation to restrict the use of lead in paint. The first project output will address the technical barriers in the manufacture of paints with no lead additives. The second project output will address the barrier on lack of capacities in developing countries to introduce and enforce lead paint limits. The main activity is advocacy with governments for policy development and assistance in drafting lead paint laws.

OUTPUT 1.1

Paint reformulation demonstrations with paint manufacturers in Small and Medium Sized enterprises (SMEs) executed in seven countries.

• National baseline/Market Analysis with all existing information on lead in paint in seven project countries where paint reformulation demonstrations are being executed

• China
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Nigeria
• Peru

Technical Guidelines on Paint Reformulation (Draft) for the substitution of lead compounds in paints with focus on SMEs needs for the effective and efficient reformulation of paint.

Validation Workshop on the Paint Reformulation Guidelines with SMEs participating in the paint reformulation demonstrations and using the paint reformulation technical guidelines

OUTPUT 1.2

Policy support and awareness raising generate support for lead phase out.

• Regional workshops to provide an overview of the Lead Paint Alliance, the recommended actions and available advice to support the establishment of lead paint laws
• Provision of technical assistance by the project execution partners to over 60 countries.
• Interactive visualisation of the status of lead paint laws

Component 2 : Chemicals in products 

Component 2 on "life cycle management of chemicals present in products", focuses on chemicals of concern in three sectors (building products, electronics and toys) and how to minimize the adverse effects of chemicals of concern.

OUTCOME 2

Governments and value chain actors in the building products, toys, and electronics sectors to track and manage chemicals of concern (CoC) in their products. The component is developing new tools and guidance to reduce the use of chemicals of concern in the building products, electronics and toys sectors and provides training and support for government and value chain actors to trial and adopt new guidance and tools.

OUTPUT 2.1

New tools and guidance to reduce the use of chemicals of concern (CoC) in the building, electronics and toys sectors.

Guidance/tools for building sector

• Report on chemicals of concern and potential alternatives in the building sector.

• Development of a USEtox-based model to assess chemicals in building products in the context of life cycle assessment (LCA).

• Global guidance for sustainable public procurement and for eco-innovation in the building products sector.

• Creation of a global guide for banks on setting up green mortgages.

Guidance/tools for electronics sector

• Global guidance for sustainable public procurement and for eco-innovation in the electronics sector.

• Report on regulatory approaches addressing CoC in electronics and policy recommendations.

• Regional studies (Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern European regions) on life cycle management of electronics.

• Analysis on how ecolabels address the issue of CoC and recommendations for further harmonization and integration.

Guidance/tools for toys sector

• Toolkit to support regulation and compliance in the toy sector 

• Report on regulations for chemicals in toys in China.

• Report reviewing toy safety policies and regulations in selected Low- and Medium-Income Countries (LMIC).

OUTPUT 2.2

Training and support for government and value chain actors to trial and adopt new guidance and tools.

• Training on USEtox model for companies of building products and toy sectors in Sri Lanka and China.

• Eco-innovation and/or Sustainable Public Procurement pilot projects in Colombia and Sri Lanka.

• Sustainable finance pilot project in Sri Lanka.

• Training and consultations on regulatory and compliance approaches for toys and electronics sectors.

Project-sponsored events on Chemicals in Products:

• Workshop on Toys: “Virtual Expert Group”
• Workshop on Electronics: “Addressing the challenge of chemicals of concern, enabling circular electronics”

Component 3 : Knowledge Management and Stake-holder Engagement

The third component explores ways to create, manage and disseminate knowledge on chemicals of concern. 

OUTCOME 3

A broad group of SAICM stakeholders access information and participate in communities of practice for peer-to-peer learning exchanges. This project component supports the development and dissemination of knowledge on chemicals of concern. The knowledge platform saicmknowledge.org is a key tool developed within this component.

OUTPUT 3.1

Collaboration and engagement with the SDG agenda and scientific community to promote Emerging Policy Issues (EPIs).

• The production of publications on chemicals-related topics.

                  Policy briefs on chemicals and SDGs

• Gender and the sound management of chemicals and waste
• Understanding Chemicals in Products
• Plastics and chemicals of concern in consumer products
• Eliminating Lead Paint: The role of the Paint Industry
• A review of PFAS as a Chemical Class in the Textile Sector

Thematic papers

• Global elimination of lead paint – why and how countries should take action Technical brief and policy brief published by WHO
• Brief guide to analytical methods for measuring lead in paint – Second edition
• Brief guide to analytical methods for measuring lead in blood - Second edition
• Chemicals of concern in plastic toys
• Exposure and Toxicity Characterization of Chemical Emissions and Chemicals in Products: Global Recommendations and Implementation in USEtox
• Case studies on the implementation of the WHO Chemicals roadmap

• Presentations on SAICM at scientific community events and related policy events.

• Convening of side-events to raise awareness on emerging policy issues.

OUTPUT 3.2

Development of a Knowledge Management platform provides a repository of information and forum for exchange of scientific and policy information.

• A SAICM Knowledge Management Strategy.
• The development of a new dynamic platform to facilitate knowledge sharing on the sound management of chemicals and waste – saicmknowledge.org
• Establishment of four Communities of Practice to enable dialogues amongst SAICM stakeholders on relevant chemical issues.

Stakeholders

The project involves the following groups of stakeholders for a successful implementation:

Project partners

American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI)

Green Electronics Council

Global Green Knowledge Platform

International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN)

World Coatings Council (previously IPPIC)

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3)

National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs)

One Planet Network

Secretariat of the Economic Organization of West African States (ECOWAS)

UN Environment Chemicals and Health Branch

UN Environment Resources and Market Branch

UN Environment Finance Initiative

University of Cape Town

US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

World Health Organization

USEtox International Center

Life Cycle Initiative