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Bureau for Chemical Substance

International Sound Management of Chemicals

International Inter-Organisation Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, IOMC

Tasks of the President of the Bureau for Chemical Substances include cooperation with international organizations in the field of substances and their mixtures, associated under the Inter-Organisation Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals, IOMC.

IOMC was established in 1995 as an international coordinating group to promote sound management of chemicals worldwide, following recommendations of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and in particular those in Chapter 19 of Agenda 21 about toxic chemicals.

The objective of the IOMC is to strengthen international cooperation in the field of management of chemicals.

IOMC associates the following organizations: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), World Health Organization (WHO), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Information on the IOMC’s activities is available HERE

Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

SAICM is a policy framework to promote sound management of chemicals at a global level. SAICM is closely linked to the goals agreed at the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development.

SAICM is an international voluntary initiative with the overall objective to ensure that by the year 2020, all chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on human health and the environment. SAICM is based on previous international initiatives in the field of chemical safety, and promotes strategic multi-sectoral approach, with emphasis on the engagement of all stakeholders. SAICM Secretariat is provided by the United Nations Environment Programme – UNEP in cooperation with the World Health Organization – WHO.

Information on the SAICM’s activities is available HERE

Information on the SAICM national helpdesks is available HERE

 

 

IOMC and SAICM

IOMC was a co-convenor, together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS), of the first International Conference on Chemical Safety (ICCM) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2006 that finalized the work on the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

Currently IOMC plays a key role in the implementation of priorities agreed for SAICM at a global level. 

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

President of the Bureau for Chemical Substances cooperates with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) within the Environment, Health and Safety Programme, EHS, which is a part of the Programme for Sound Management of Chemicals.

Cooperation with the OECD involves participation in the activities of the Chemicals Committee, the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology, and working groups overseen by the two above-mentioned bodies, whose scope of work includes:

  • Methods used to test chemical substances (Test Guidelines Programme),
  • Good Laboratory Practice (Good Laboratory Practice and Compliance Monitoring),
  • Assessment of hazards posed by chemical substances (Exposure Assessment Programme, Risk Management Programme, Hazard Assessment Programme),
  • IUCLID (International Uniform Chemical Information Database)
  • (Q)SAR method (Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship)
  • Nanomaterials (Safety of manufactured nanomaterials).

The objective of the Committee and the Party is to support development, harmonisation and enhancement of management of chemicals (including nanomaterials, pesticides and biocides) and modern biotechnology products in the OECD member states and partner states to ensure sustainable development addressing the protection of human health and the environment against threats posed by chemicals and modern biotechnology products.    

As of 1 January 2021, the Chemicals Committee will be transformed into the Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee, and its mandate will cover the current work and tasks of the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology, which is overseen by the Environment Policy Committee, EPOC. This transformation has no impact on the scope of the cooperation of the President of the Bureau for Chemical Substances with the OECD under the EHS Programme.

Results and progress of the Committees and Party’s work are posted on the OECD webpages HERE and on the EHS Programme webpages HERE 

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