Global Best Practices on Emerging Chemical Policy Issues of Concern under SAICM

Global environmental problems

Global contaminants such as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) or mercury are regulated by Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), namely the Stockholm and Minamata Conventions respectively. A number of additional ‘Emerging Policy Issues’ (EPIs) have been nominated for voluntary, cooperative risk reduction actions by countries through the Strategic Approach for International Chemicals Management (SAICM). These EPIs are:

• Hazardous chemicals in electronics
• Endocrine-disrupting chemicals
• Pharmaceutical pollutants
• Perfluorinated chemicals
• Nanotechnology
• Highly hazardous pesticides
• Lead in paint
• Chemicals in products
• Knowledge management

The SAICM GEF 9771 project focuses on two EPIs: Lead in paint and Chemicals in products, which generate particular environmental and health challenges. The project also addresses the need for knowledge management, information exchange and strategic planning to ensure concerted and coordinated action on all EPIs. 

The project objective is to accelerate adoption of national and value chain initiatives to control Emerging Policy Issues (EPIs), and contribute to the 2020 SAICM goal and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The project focuses on 3 components:

The map below showcases the 40 countries where the SAICM GEF 9771 project is supporting activities to address lead in paint and chemicals in products:

*Map tooltip indicates 6 stages of drafting lead in paint laws: #1 No progress; #2 Government interest; #3 First steps taken; #4 Early stages of drafting; #5 Final stages of drafting, and #6 Final lead paint law.

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.

Outcome 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 and Peru
• Lead Paint Reformulation Technical Guidelines 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 visualization of the status of lead paint laws

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.

The component is guided by a value chain approach and the Component Summary Document provides an overview of the approach and the interventions in the three sectors.

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 / Summary
• 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
• Information Hub on Building Materials

Guidance/tools for electronics sector

• Global guidance for sustainable public procurement in the electronics sector
• Eco-Innovation Manual for Electronics
• 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

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

Additional documents

• Market and Sector Analysis Report of the Chemical Supply Chain of the Construction Sector in Sri Lanka
• GREEN^SL® Rating System for New Constructions
• GREEN^SL® Labelling System for Sustainable Building Materials and Products
• List of Chemicals of Concern and of potential alternatives for toys sector, with supporting information on criteria and selection

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”

Overview and lessons learnt on Chemicals in Products:

• Understanding chemicals in products: SAICM Policy Brief
• Addressing Chemicals of Concern: Key messages and lessons learned

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).

• 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
• Addressing Industry Involvement in the Funding of Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste
• Towards a Lifecycle, Circular Approach to Combating Plastics Pollution

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 building materials: A high-throughput screening
• Chemicals of concern in plastic toys
• Estimating mouthing exposure to chemicals in children’s products
• 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

• Gender Review Mapping with a Focus on Women and Chemicals: Impact of Emerging Policy Issues and the Relevance for the Sustainable Development Goals

• 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.