Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales Werner H. Braun for Council of Great Lakes Industries

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales UNEP POPs LRTAP POPs PIC CONVENTION BARCOM HELCOM OSPARCOM IPCSGHS/IOMC IFCS AMAP [WHO] NACEC U.S. Canada Binational Strategy Cartagena Convention

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales Focus: what industry is for Goal: find common ground

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales UNEP POPs: >110 governments are negotiating a global convention aimed at: –eliminating the production and use of certain POPs products –reducing releases of certain by-product POPs –criteria and procedures for identifying and listing additional POPs in the future.

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales UNEP POPs: What industry’s for: –elimination of production and use of POPs –reducing releases of by-product POPs –focus on substances that are of priority concern at the global level –obligations for the control of by-product POPs –restrictions on development and marketing of new chemicals with POPs characteristics –numeric criteria for persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity and long-range transport

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales NACEC: What industry’s for: –NARAPs: PCBs, Chlordane, DDT, and Mercury –NARAPs: dioxins/furans and HCB –NARAP: environmental monitoring and assessment –review of lindane and lead –criteria and process used to identify additional substances –opportunities for substantial public participation –regulatory harmonization, with an emphasis on raising standards and regulatory capacity building

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales NACEC: –Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Council established a Sound Management of Chemicals Program in Under that Program, the US, Mexico and Canada cooperatively address substances of regional concern, focusing upon PBTs.

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales U.S./Canada Binational Strategy: What Industry’s for: –Level 1: virtual elimination of Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes Basin: reduction “challenges” –Level 2: encourage stakeholder action to reduce environmental releases –participation of all stakeholders –focus upon cost-effective responses –voluntary approaches

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales U.S./Canada Binational Strategy: –US and Canada signed the Canada-United States Strategy for the Virtual Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes Basin (the Strategy) on April 7, –Strategy sets reduction “challenges” for each country, initially for the period

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales Cartagena Convention: What Industry’s for: –protecting wider Caribbean region from wide array of pollutants –address PBTs in the future –innovative approach to control technology, recognizing most Appropriate technology

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales BARCOM: addresses environmental threats to the Mediterranean Sea region What Industry’s for: –regional approach for limiting marine pollution affecting the Mediterranean Sea

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales HELCOM: pledge to prevent and eliminate pollution of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea Area What Industry’s for: –realize the ultimate goal of sustainable development in the Baltic Sea Region

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales OSPARCOM: program aims to prevent pollution of maritime regions by reducing discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances What Industry’s for: adopt programs and measures based on Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Practices (BEP)

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales IPCS: Programs addressing PBTs include: –Endocrine Disruptors –Health risk of Dioxins –IPCS/OECD Joint Project on Harmonization of Chemical Hazard/Risk Assessment Terminology What Industry’s for: –Global inventory of ongoing research on EDCs –International Assessment of the State-of- the-Science of Endocrine Disruptors –Harmonization of Chemical Hazard/Risk Assessment Terminology –reliance on sound science

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales IFCS: aim of integrating and consolidating national and international efforts to promote chemical safety and sound chemical management What Industry’s for: –integrating and consolidating national and international efforts –sound chemical management –full participation of stockholders –regulatory harmonization, chemical management training and capacity building –establishment of risk reduction programs –prevention of illegal international traffic in toxic and dangerous products

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales AMAP: provide information on threats to Arctic and advice governments concerning remedial and preventative actions What Industry’s for: –efforts to assess geographic distribution, transport patterns, levels and effects of POPs and heavy metals in Arctic

Toxics Programs at the Global and Continental Scales Village or separate camps? Progress is fastest where we pull together Partnerships promote progress and focus