1 International Chemicals Management Activities SMOC WG Public Meeting Tucson, Arizona March 5-6, 2008

2 Overview The SMOC program’s new direction strives The SMOC program’s new direction strives to better align with international commitments and North American priorities This is evidenced through its linkages with: This is evidenced through its linkages with:  Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)  Key Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)  International organizations, such as UNEP  Outcomes of the Leaders Summit

3 SMOC: A new direction This new direction focuses on 4 areas: 1. Establish a foundation for chemicals management across North America 2. Develop and implement a sustainable regional approach to monitoring 3. Reduce the risk from chemicals of concern to North American 4. Improve environmental performance of sectors Through this approach, the SMOC program will: Help advance international goals (WSSD/SAICM) Help advance international goals (WSSD/SAICM) Build stronger outreach to stakeholders as partners Build stronger outreach to stakeholders as partners Align linkages with North American priorities, such as the Leaders Summit Align linkages with North American priorities, such as the Leaders Summit

4 Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) “The Elements of SAICM”: Dubai Declaration: Dubai Declaration: MinistersMinisters Civil SocietyCivil Society Private sectorPrivate sector Overarching Policy Strategy: Overarching Policy Strategy: Risk reductionRisk reduction Knowledge and informationKnowledge and information GovernanceGovernance Capacity-building and technical cooperationCapacity-building and technical cooperation Illegal international trafficIllegal international traffic Global Plan of Action Global Plan of Action Quick-Start Fund Quick-Start Fund

5 SMOC & SAICM: A convergent path SMOC and SAICM share common historical roots reflecting the global will to improve international chemicals management as outlined by the WSSD 2020 goal: “to ensure that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways “to ensure that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways that minimize adverse effects on human health and the environment” SMOC: A Regional Model for SAICM SMOC can serve as a vehicle to implement SAICM Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS) objectives in North America SMOC can serve as a vehicle to implement SAICM Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS) objectives in North America SMOC 2020 four areas of work support the five goals of SAICM (e.g. establishing a foundation for chemicals management can support knowledge and information; reduce risk of chemicals of mutual concern supports risk reduction, etc.) SMOC 2020 four areas of work support the five goals of SAICM (e.g. establishing a foundation for chemicals management can support knowledge and information; reduce risk of chemicals of mutual concern supports risk reduction, etc.)

6 SMOC & MEAs SMOC work is contributing to the implementation of key MEAs by: Assisting Mexico in implementing its National Implementation Plan (NIP) for Dioxins, Furans and Hexachlorobenzene (DFH) under the Stockholm Convention Assisting Mexico in implementing its National Implementation Plan (NIP) for Dioxins, Furans and Hexachlorobenzene (DFH) under the Stockholm Convention Building Mexico’s capacity in Lindane has led to the Mexican proposal to add lindane to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention Building Mexico’s capacity in Lindane has led to the Mexican proposal to add lindane to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention

7 UNEP: Chemicals Management UNEP aims to: Help countries build their national capacity to ensure the safe production, use, and disposal of chemicals Help countries build their national capacity to ensure the safe production, use, and disposal of chemicals Promote and disseminate information on chemical safety Promote and disseminate information on chemical safety Facilitate global action needed to reduce and /or eliminate risks from chemicals Facilitate global action needed to reduce and /or eliminate risks from chemicals

8 SMOC & UNEP: e.g. Mercury Current SMOC activities in Mercury: Reduce mercury emissions from human sources Reduce mercury emissions from human sources Increase knowledge on inventories Increase knowledge on inventories Support UNEP mercury program partnerships on products Support UNEP mercury program partnerships on products Future opportunities within UNEP: Enhance and expand partnerships Enhance and expand partnerships Improve data on imports and exports of mercury, products, emissions, contaminated sites Improve data on imports and exports of mercury, products, emissions, contaminated sites Progress report from ad hoc open ended work group (OEWG) was received at UNEP in February 2008; next steps include an ad hoc OEWG meeting in October 2008, in preparation for GC in February 2009 Progress report from ad hoc open ended work group (OEWG) was received at UNEP in February 2008; next steps include an ad hoc OEWG meeting in October 2008, in preparation for GC in February 2009

Leaders Summit At Leaders Summit in August 2007, Heads of States from the US, Canada and Mexico committed to “undertaking trilateral cooperation to accelerate and strengthen our national and regional risk-based chemical assessment and management efforts” At Leaders Summit in August 2007, Heads of States from the US, Canada and Mexico committed to “undertaking trilateral cooperation to accelerate and strengthen our national and regional risk-based chemical assessment and management efforts” Recognizing regulatory authority of States, a trilateral framework was developed to implement this commitment. Its main goals include: Recognizing regulatory authority of States, a trilateral framework was developed to implement this commitment. Its main goals include: Enhance regulatory cooperation among Canada, Mexico, U.S. to:Enhance regulatory cooperation among Canada, Mexico, U.S. to: Accelerate and improve effectiveness of actions to safeguard health and environment Accelerate and improve effectiveness of actions to safeguard health and environment Provide cost-effectiveness for business and government Provide cost-effectiveness for business and government This collaboration entails exchange of information and knowledge leading to increased capacity-building, better alignment of country work programs, and enhanced coordination of chemical assessment and management programs across North AmericaThis collaboration entails exchange of information and knowledge leading to increased capacity-building, better alignment of country work programs, and enhanced coordination of chemical assessment and management programs across North America

Leaders Summit (cont’d) Leaders Summit Commitments By 2012: By 2012: Risk assessment and management well advancedRisk assessment and management well advanced Coordination is enhanced in areas including data-sharing, development of a knowledge-base, exchange of expertise for assessment and management of chemicalsCoordination is enhanced in areas including data-sharing, development of a knowledge-base, exchange of expertise for assessment and management of chemicals By 2020: By 2020: Chemicals inventory are in place in all 3 countries:Chemicals inventory are in place in all 3 countries: Canada & U.S. to work with Mexico to establish a Mexican chemicals inventory Canada & U.S. to work with Mexico to establish a Mexican chemicals inventory North American chemical regime strengthened and regulatory capacity is increasedNorth American chemical regime strengthened and regulatory capacity is increased WSSD and SAICM implementation 2020 goal are metWSSD and SAICM implementation 2020 goal are met

Leaders Summit & SMOC Implementation of the North American trilateral framework provides another avenue to complement SMOC's efforts and realize progress: Implementation of the North American trilateral framework provides another avenue to complement SMOC's efforts and realize progress: Foundation to help develop comparable chemicals management toolsFoundation to help develop comparable chemicals management tools Mexican chemicals inventory Mexican chemicals inventory Joint focus on chemicals of mutual concernJoint focus on chemicals of mutual concern Sustainable regional monitoring effortSustainable regional monitoring effort Biomonitoring Biomonitoring Joint Focus on chemicals of mutual concern Joint Focus on chemicals of mutual concern Sector-based partnershipsSector-based partnerships