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PA EPA SUPPORTS GLOBAL AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE CHEMICAL INFORMATION TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Release Date: 04/03/98
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FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1998
EPA SUPPORTS GLOBAL AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE
CHEMICAL INFORMATION TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Representatives from the United States and 94 other countries reached an agreement last month to establish a prior informed consent (PIC) procedure for trade of certain banned and severely restricted chemicals and hazardous pesticide formulations. The purpose of the agreement is to provide chemical risk data to developing countries that generally do not possess or have access to this kind of information. Under the agreement, the U.S. and other participating countries will provide the data to developing countries that are importing certain chemical and pesticide products so that they can determine whether controls are needed to minimize health and environmental problems associated with the imports. If an importing country decides to prohibit import, an exporting country is then obligated to restrict export. Chemicals and pesticides are subject to the agreement if they have been banned or severely restricted by two or more countries, and certain pesticide formulations are subject if they are especially difficult to use in developing countries. In addition the products will undergo a science-based review prior to being placed on a PIC list. Twenty-seven chemicals or pesticide formulations are included in the current agreement. The agreement was reached through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organizatin (FAO) and the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP). It will be open for signature this September at a U.N. Conference in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. After the agreement is signed it will need to be ratified in the home countries of its signatories. EPA currently participates in a voluntary PIC program that is administered by the FAO and UNEP and which served as the basis for last month’s agreement.
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