Environment
Hazardous Chemicals
The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides
The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade is an international instrument that aims to promote shared responsibility and co-operation among parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to the environmentally sound use of hazardous chemicals and pesticides. The legally-binding Convention:
- facilitates information exchange about the characteristics of certain potentially hazardous chemicals and pesticide formulations;
- Provides for a national decisionmaking process on their import and export; and,
- facilitates the dissemination of decisions to other countries
The Convention covers industrial chemicals and pesticides (including in specific circumstances, severely hazardous pesticide formulations). The Convention does not allow parties to institute international bans. Decision-making on whether or not to import a chemical included in the Convention lies with each Party participating in the Convention. The core of the Rotterdam Convention is to facilitate information exchange, thus ensuring that governments have the information they require about hazaradous chemicals, on order to assess the risks and to take informed decisions on chemical imports.
The Rotterdam Convention was adopted and opened for signature at a Diplomatic Conference held in September 1998, after the conclusion of three years of negotiations. Australia signed the Convention in July 1999, and ratified the Convention on 20 May 2004. The Rotterdam Convention entered into force on 24 February 2004, and there are currently 91 Parties to the Convention.
The first Conference of the Parties (COP1) to the Rotterdam Convention was held on 20-24 September 2004 in Geneva. At COP1, Parties to the Convention decided on a range of issues, including non-compliance and operational procedures, and which chemicals to include in PIC procedure (now that the Convention has entered into force). The second Conference of the Parties (COP2) to the Rotterdam Convention will take place in Rome from 26-30 September 2005.
At the time the Rotterdam Convention was adopted in September 1998, 17 pesticides, 5 severely hazardous pesticide formulations and 5 industrial chemicals were included in Annex III of the Convention. Additional chemicals were added to Annex III of the Convention under the interim PIC procedure.
Further information about the Convention can be found on the following internet sites:
- Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
- Earth Negotiations Bulletin
- Australia Ratifies Convention on Toxic Pollutants , media release by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer and Minister for the Environment and Heritage Dr David Kemp , 21 May 2004
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are pesticide and industrial chemicals that are toxic, persist in the environment and animals, bioaccumulate through the food chain, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment, even at low concentrations. They include aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin and dioxins.
POPs have been linked to adverse effects on human and animal health such as cancer, damage to the nervous system, reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune system. POPs circulate globally via a number of pathways, including through the atmosphere, meaning that those released in one part of the world can travel to regions far from their source of origin.
Many developed countries, including Australia, have taken strong measures to reduce and eliminate releases of POPs. However, many developing countries still use and produce POPs, for example in agriculture for disease control. In addition, stockpiles of unwanted POPs exist in many parts of the world. In developed and developing countries, some infrastructure and industrial equipment, including electrical transformers and capacitors, contains POPs.
The Stockholm Convention aims to protect human health and the environment from POPs. It includes measures to eliminate production and use of a number of POPs, to regulate imports and exports, and to facilitate information exchange about the characteristics of POPs to ensure appropriate decisionmaking by Convention Parties.
The Stockholm Convention currently provides control measures for twelve POPs - DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, toxaphene, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans - identified for international action because of their persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range dispersion and toxicity.
The Convention also includes provisions for further chemicals with similar toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative properties to be added to the twelve existing POPs after a science-based review and assessment process and a decision by the Conference of the Parties. Article 8 and its related annexes include a science-based process for assessing chemicals nominated for addition to the Convention.
There are currently 102 Parties to the Stockholm Convention. Australia ratified the Convention on 20 May 2004, and the Convention entered into force 17 May 2004. The first Conference of the Parties (COP 1) to the Stockholm Convention will be held on 2 - 6 May 2005 in Punta del Este, Uruguay. At COP1, Parties to the Convention decided on a range of issues, including non-compliance, the POPs Review Committee and other operational matters.
Further information the Stockholm Convention can be found on the following internet sites:
- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
- United Nations Environment Program
- Earth Negotiations Bulletin
- Australia Ratifies Convention on Toxic Pollutants , media release by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer and Minister for the Environment and Heritage Dr David Kemp , 21 May 2004
Contact
Environment Strategies Section
Environment Branch
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Barton ACT 0221
Phone: + 61 2 6261 2647
Fax: + 61 2 6112 2647