Chemical Conventions

International Chemical and Waste Conventions

The sustainable and safe usage of chemicals and the environmentally sound management (ESM) of wastes are some of the great challenges of our time: On the one hand chemicals and wastes pose a threat to human health and the environment, but on the other hand sustainable chemical and waste management bears a great potential for the protection of resources, sustainable development, economic growth and wealth.

The management of hazardous wastes has been on the environmental agenda of the international community since the early 1980s. Substantial success has been achieved since the Rio Summit of 1992. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of gaps to be addressed, and there is great potential for new regulations to the benefit of both human health and the environment. 

Basel, Rotterdam (PIC), Stockholm (POPs) and Minamata Convention

The Basel Convention controls the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal (www.basel.int), the Rotterdam Convention regulates the trade with toxic pesticides and other hazardous chemicals (PIC – Prior Informed Consent procedure) (www.pic.int), the Stockholm Convention regulates the prohibition of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (www.pops.int), and the Minamata Convention protects human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury (www.mercuryconvention.org).

These four conventions share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.