Governments
unable to resolve issue of chrysotile asbestos
- Decision on inclusion in trade “watch list”
to be revisited in two years
Geneva, 11 October 2006 – Unable
to reach a consensus yet on adding chrysotile
asbestos to a global trade “watch list”, the member
Governments of the Rotterdam Convention have decided
to postpone a final decision to their next meeting
in 2008.
The Rotterdam Convention on
the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for
certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in
International Trade promotes transparency and
information sharing about potential risks to human
health and the environment. Its so-called PIC
list currently contains 39 hazardous substances,
including all other forms of asbestos.
"The international community
has agreed on the need to strengthen global cooperation
on managing chemicals risks,” said Executive Director
Achim Steiner of the United Nations Environment
Programme, which, together with the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the UN, provides the Convention’s
secretariat.
“The lack of a decision at this
time to list chrysotile asbestos raises concerns
for many developing countries that need to protect
their citizens from the well-known risks of this
hazardous substance. While discussions continue
over the next two years, exporters should feel
a special responsibility to help importers manage
chrysotile safely," he said.
“The inclusion of chrysotile
in the Convention would improve the ability of
countries to address its potential risks; it would
not constitute a recommendation to ban its global
trade or use. With many more actively traded chemicals
likely to be considered for inclusion in the future,
it is important now to think through the precedent
that we may be setting for the Convention,” said
Alexander Müller, Officer-in-Charge of FAO’s
Department of Agriculture, Biosecurity, Nutrition
and Consumer Protection.
During the conference, many
governments expressed serious concern about the
failure to list chrysotile asbestos at this time.
The World Health Organization made a statement
reminding participants that chrysotile is a human
carcinogen and that at least 90,000 people die
every year of asbestos-related diseases such as
lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Last February, a panel of experts
determined that chrysotile, which is used primarily
in cement products and accounts for some 94% of
global asbestos consumption, meets the Convention’s
conditions for listing. A key requirement is that
two countries from two different regions must
have banned or severely restricted the particular
chemical (in the case of chrysotile, these countries
are Australia and Chile, as well as the EC). Today’s
conference accepted the panel’s conclusions.
Under the Convention, exports
of chemicals and pesticides on the PIC list require
the prior informed consent of the importing country.
This gives developing countries in particular
the power to decide which potentially hazardous
chemicals or pesticides they want to receive and
to exclude those they cannot manage safely.
Exporting countries are responsible
for ensuring that no exports leave their territory
when an importing country has made the decision
not to accept the chemical or pesticide in question.
In this way the Convention establishes a first
line of defense against the kinds of accidents
and tragedies that have occurred too frequently
in the past.
The asbestos issue will be reconsidered
in 2008 at the Fourth Meeting of the Conference
of the Parties (COP-4). At this conference Governments
will also decide on the next round of proposed
additions to the watch list. One of these proposals
involves tributyl tin (TBT), which is used in
anti-fouling paints for ship hulls and is toxic
to fish, molluscs and other organisms. The other
addresses endosulfan, an insecticide that is widely
used around the world, particularly for cotton.
In addition to the binding PIC
list, the Convention establishes a non-binding
information-exchange system. The conference encouraged
governments to use this system to inform others
about their national decisions on the import and
management of chrysotile asbestos.
Some 70,000 different chemicals
are available on the market today, and around
1,500 new ones are introduced every year. This
can pose a major challenge to regulators charged
with monitoring and managing these potentially
dangerous substances. Many pesticides that have
been banned or whose use has been severely restricted
in industrialized countries are still marketed
and used in developing countries.
FAO: Media Relations Officer
John Riddle of FAO in Rome at (+39 06) 5705 3105
or john.riddle@fao.org.
Footnote: The Convention’s list includes the following
hazardous pesticides: 2,4,5-T, aldrin, binapacryl,
captafol, chlordane, chlordimeform, chlorobenzilate,
DDT, DNOC and its salts, ethylene dichloride,
ethylene oxide 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB), dieldrin,
dinoseb, fluoroacetamide, HCH, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene,
lindane, mercury compounds, monocrotophos, parathion,
pentachlorophenol and toxaphene, plus certain
formulations of methamidophos, methyl-parathion,
and phosphamidon, as well as dustable-powder formulations
containing a combination of benomyl at or above
7 per cent, carbofuran at or above 10 per cent
and thiram at or above 15 per cent. It also covers
eleven industrial chemicals: five forms of asbestos
(actinolite, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite
and tremolite), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB),
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polychlorinated
terphenyls (PCT) tetraethyl lead, tetramethyl
lead and tris (2,3 dibromopropyl) phosphate.
Chrysotile Asbestos to be Added
to Trade “Watch List”?
Protecting human health and environment from hazardous
chemicals
11 October 2006, Geneva/Rome
– Officials from over 100 Governments are meeting
in Geneva this week to decide whether to add chrysotile
asbestos – which accounts for some 94% of global
asbestos consumption – to a trade “watch list”
that already contains 39 hazardous substances,
including all other forms of asbestos.
Established under the Rotterdam
Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
Procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and
Pesticides in International Trade, the so-called
PIC list promotes transparency and information
sharing about possible risks. It does not impose
any bans.
Last February, a technical panel
of experts determined that chrysotile meets the
Convention’s conditions for listing. A key requirement
is that two countries from two different regions
of the world must have banned or severely restricted
the particular chemical.
“Protecting people and the environment
from hazardous chemicals and pesticides requires
a robust system for sharing information about
risks and safety procedures. To remain relevant,
the Convention will need to evolve to address
commercially valuable substances that can be dangerous
unless the necessary precautions are understood
and adopted,” said Executive Director Achim Steiner
of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
“The implementation of the Rotterdam
Convention enables parties to protect human health
and the environment from unwanted pesticides.
We need to build a strong and effective regime
at national level that can keep pace with the
dramatic growth in both world trade and chemicals
use,” said Alexander Müller, Officer-in-Charge
of the Department of Agriculture, Biosecurity,
Nutrition and Consumer Protection, of the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), which, together with UNEP, provides the
Convention’s secretariat.
Under the Convention, exports
of chemicals and pesticides on the list require
the prior informed consent of the importing country.
This gives developing countries in particular
the power to decide which potentially hazardous
chemicals or pesticides they want to receive and
to exclude those they cannot manage safely. Exporting
countries are responsible for ensuring that no
exports leave their territory when an importing
country has made the decision not to accept the
chemical or pesticide in question.
The International Labour Organization
(ILO) adopted a Resolution earlier this year calling
for the elimination of all uses of chrysotile.
The resolution reflected the World Health Organization's
concern that chrysotile is associated with many
thousands of deaths around the world from lung
cancer and mesothelomia.
Other issues on the agenda of
the Third Meeting of the Conference of the Parties
to the Rotterdam Convention (COP 3) are technical
assistance, financing, non-compliance, and cooperation
with other treaties and organizations.
The Fourth Meeting of the COP will take place
in 2008, when Governments will decide on the next
round of proposed additions to the watch list.
One of these proposals involves tributyl tin (TBT),
which is used in anti-fouling paints for ship
hulls and is toxic to fish, molluscs and other
organisms. The other addresses endosulfan, an
insecticide that is widely used around the world,
particularly for cotton.
Some 70,000 different chemicals
are available on the market today, and around
1,500 new ones are introduced every year. This
can pose a major challenge to regulators charged
with monitoring and managing these potentially
dangerous substances. Many pesticides that have
been banned or whose use has been severely restricted
in industrialized countries are still marketed
and used in developing countries.
The Geneva conference runs from
9 to 13 October at the Geneva International Conference
Center. For more information, please see www.pic.int
or contact the UNEP or FAO press office.
