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International Chemicals International Chemicals Management ActivitiesManagement Activities

SMOC WG Public MeetingSMOC WG Public Meeting

Tucson, ArizonaTucson, Arizona

March 5-6, 2008March 5-6, 2008

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OverviewOverview The SMOC program’s new direction strivesThe SMOC program’s new direction strivesto better align with international commitments to better align with international commitments and North American prioritiesand North American priorities

This is evidenced through its linkages with:This is evidenced through its linkages with: Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Strategic Approach to International Chemicals

Management (SAICM)Management (SAICM) Key Multilateral Environmental Agreements Key Multilateral Environmental Agreements

(MEAs)(MEAs) International organizations, such as UNEPInternational organizations, such as UNEP Outcomes of the Leaders SummitOutcomes of the Leaders Summit

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SMOC: A new directionSMOC: A new directionThis new direction focuses onThis new direction focuses on 4 areas:4 areas:1.1. Establish a foundation for chemicals management across Establish a foundation for chemicals management across

North AmericaNorth America2.2. Develop and implement a sustainable regional approach to Develop and implement a sustainable regional approach to

monitoringmonitoring3.3. Reduce the risk from chemicals of concern to North Reduce the risk from chemicals of concern to North

AmericanAmerican4.4. Improve environmental performance of sectorsImprove environmental performance of sectors

Through this approach, the SMOC program will: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 partnersBuild stronger outreach to stakeholders as partners Align linkages with North American priorities, such as the Align linkages with North American priorities, such as the

Leaders SummitLeaders Summit

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Strategic Approach to International Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)Chemicals Management (SAICM)

““The Elements of SAICM”:The Elements of SAICM”: Dubai Declaration:Dubai Declaration:

• MinistersMinisters• Civil SocietyCivil Society• Private sectorPrivate sector

Overarching Policy Strategy:Overarching Policy Strategy:• Risk reduction Risk reduction • Knowledge and informationKnowledge and information• Governance Governance • Capacity-building and technical cooperationCapacity-building and technical cooperation• Illegal international trafficIllegal international traffic

Global Plan of ActionGlobal Plan of Action Quick-Start FundQuick-Start Fund

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SMOC & SAICM: A convergent pathSMOC & SAICM: A convergent pathSMOC and SAICM share common historical roots reflecting the global SMOC and SAICM share common historical roots reflecting the global

will to improve international chemicals management as outlined will to improve international chemicals management as outlined by the WSSD 2020 goal:by the WSSD 2020 goal:

““to ensure that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in to ensure that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways ways

that minimize adverse effects on human health and the that minimize adverse effects on human health and the environment”environment”

SMOC: A Regional Model for SAICMSMOC: A Regional Model for SAICM SMOC can serve as a vehicle to implement SAICM SMOC can serve as a vehicle to implement SAICM

Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS)Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS) objectives in North objectives in North AmericaAmerica

SMOC 2020 four areas of work support the five goals of SMOC 2020 four areas of work support the five goals of SAICM (e.g. establishing a foundation for chemicals SAICM (e.g. establishing a foundation for chemicals management can support management can support knowledge and information; knowledge and information; reduce risk of chemicals of mutual concern supports risk reduce risk of chemicals of mutual concern supports risk reduction, etc.)reduction, etc.)

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SMOC & MEAsSMOC & MEAsSMOC work is contributing to the SMOC work is contributing to the implementation of key MEAs by:implementation of key MEAs by:

Assisting Mexico in implementing its Assisting Mexico in implementing its National Implementation Plan (NIP) for National Implementation Plan (NIP) for Dioxins, Furans and Hexachlorobenzene Dioxins, Furans and Hexachlorobenzene (DFH) under the (DFH) under the Stockholm ConventionStockholm Convention

Building Mexico’s capacity in Lindane has Building Mexico’s capacity in Lindane has led to the Mexican proposal to add lindane led to the Mexican proposal to add lindane to Annex A of the to Annex A of the Stockholm ConventionStockholm Convention

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UNEP: Chemicals Management UNEP: Chemicals Management

UNEP aims to:UNEP aims to: Help countries build their national capacity Help countries build their national capacity

to ensure the safe production, use, and to ensure the safe production, use, and disposal of chemicalsdisposal of chemicals

Promote and disseminate information on Promote and disseminate information on chemical safetychemical safety

Facilitate global action needed to reduce Facilitate global action needed to reduce and /or eliminate risks from chemicalsand /or eliminate risks from chemicals

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SMOC & UNEP: e.g. MercurySMOC & UNEP: e.g. Mercury

Current SMOC activities in Mercury:Current SMOC activities in Mercury: Reduce mercury emissions from human sourcesReduce mercury emissions from human sources Increase knowledge on inventoriesIncrease knowledge on inventories Support UNEP mercury program partnerships on productsSupport UNEP mercury program partnerships on products

Future opportunities within UNEP:Future opportunities within UNEP: Enhance and expand partnershipsEnhance and expand partnerships Improve data on imports and exports of mercury, products, Improve data on imports and exports of mercury, products,

emissions, contaminated sitesemissions, contaminated sites Progress report from ad hoc open ended work group Progress report from ad hoc open ended work group

(OEWG) was received at UNEP in February 2008; next steps (OEWG) was received at UNEP in February 2008; next steps include an ad hoc OEWG meeting in October 2008, in include an ad hoc OEWG meeting in October 2008, in preparation for GC in February 2009preparation for GC in February 2009

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2007 Leaders Summit2007 Leaders Summit

At Leaders Summit in August 2007, Heads of States from At Leaders Summit in August 2007, Heads of States from the US, Canada and Mexico committed to the US, Canada and Mexico committed to ““undertaking undertaking trilateral cooperation to accelerate and strengthen our national and trilateral cooperation to accelerate and strengthen our national and regional risk-based chemical assessment and management efforts”regional risk-based chemical assessment and management efforts”

Recognizing regulatory authority of States, a trilateral Recognizing regulatory authority of States, a trilateral framework was developed to implement this commitment. framework was developed to implement this commitment. Its main goals include: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 Accelerate and improve effectiveness of actions to safeguard health and environment and environment

Provide cost-effectiveness for business and governmentProvide cost-effectiveness for business and government

• This collaboration entails exchange of information and This collaboration entails exchange of information and knowledge leading to increased capacity-building, better knowledge leading to increased capacity-building, better alignment of country work programs, and enhanced alignment of country work programs, and enhanced coordination of chemical assessment and management coordination of chemical assessment and management programs across North America programs across North America

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2007 Leaders Summit (cont’d)2007 Leaders Summit (cont’d)

Leaders Summit CommitmentsLeaders Summit Commitments

By 2012:By 2012:• Risk assessment and management well advancedRisk assessment and management well advanced• Coordination is enhanced in areas including dCoordination is enhanced in areas including data-sharing, ata-sharing,

development of a knowledge-base, exchange of expertise for development of a knowledge-base, exchange of expertise for assessment and management of chemicalsassessment 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 Canada & U.S. to work with Mexico to establish a Mexican chemicals inventoryinventory

• North American chemical regime strengthened and regulatory capacity North American chemical regime strengthened and regulatory capacity is increased is increased

• WSSD and SAICM implementation 2020 goal are metWSSD and SAICM implementation 2020 goal are met

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2007 Leaders Summit & SMOC2007 Leaders Summit & SMOC

Implementation of the North American trilateral Implementation of the North American trilateral framework provides another avenue to framework provides another avenue to complement SMOC's efforts and realize progress:complement SMOC's efforts and realize progress:

• Foundation to help develop comparable chemicals Foundation to help develop comparable chemicals management toolsmanagement tools

Mexican chemicals inventoryMexican chemicals inventory• Joint focus on chemicals of mutual concernJoint focus on chemicals of mutual concern• Sustainable regional monitoring effortSustainable regional monitoring effort

BiomonitoringBiomonitoring Joint Focus on chemicals of mutual concernJoint Focus on chemicals of mutual concern

• Sector-based partnershipsSector-based partnerships