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Ministry of Health of Brazil General Coordination on Environmental Health Surveillance. Global Thematic Workshop on Strengthening Capacities to Implement the GHS. Session 2 Panel: Regional Experiences with GHS Implementation Mercosul. André Fenner November - 2005. Outline.
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Ministry of Health of Brazil General Coordination on Environmental Health Surveillance Global Thematic Workshop on Strengthening Capacities to Implement the GHS Session 2 Panel: Regional Experiences with GHS Implementation Mercosul André Fenner November - 2005
Outline 1- Participation in the SCEGHS 2- Activites in the region 3- Regional Profile 4- Results from the Regional Workshop 5- Mercosul 6- Gaps
Participation in SCEGHS • Brazil • Vice-Chair of SCEGHS (2001-2005) • Ministry of Labour and Employement; • Ministry of Health; • Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade; • Road Transport National Agency • Argentina • Argentinian Naval City Hall • NGO • Industrial Federation Paints and Coats of Mercosur (IFPCM)
Activites in the Region • Argentina • held several GHS related workshops by the Chemistry Information Center for Emergencies (including Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Peru) • Brazil • many activites between 2001-2005 • Colombia • seminar on GHS with stakeholders on June 2005 • Uruguay • seminar on GHS with stakeholders
Activites in the Region • Guyana • ILO sponsor mission of a GHS expert from Finland in November 2002 to assist the Guyana Government to develop regulations for the safe use of chemicals at work. • (3 drafts proposals for regulations) • South American Sub-regional Workshop on Chemical Hazard Communication and GHS Implementation • São Paulo – Brazil, 29 November – 2 December 2004 (UNITAR/GTZ/BRAZIL/USA)
Activites in the Region • Side-event at Stockholm Convention COP-1 • Punta del Este - Uruguay, 3 May 2005 • Second Meeting of Health and Environment Ministries of America – HEMA - 17 June 2005 • Mar del Plata – Argentina • HEMA Declaration: 3 priorities • 1 – water • 2 – Chemicals • 3 – Environmental Health Children • Agenda : GHS implementation
Regional Profile • Argentina • 70% of South America Chemical production is concentrated on Argentina, Mexico and Brazil • 2004 – Emergency Response Guide • situation analysis – emergency response systems and GHS • indentification of suitable regulatory and administrative mechanisms to implement GHS • Bolivia • GHS not implemented • Legal framework and supporting regulation • Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
Regional Profile • Bolivia • National Profile and National Implementation Plan for POPs • develop strategies for managing Chemicals • work with the private sector and NGOs to draft materials on packaging and labellling • involve Ministry of Health to GHS Implementation • process of certifying laboratories • Chile • Established a sub-committee (health, labour, agriculture, transport, environment, economics, civil society and trade unions)
Regional Profile • Chile • reviewing the existing system for chemicals labelling and indentifying the gaps • lack of consistency systems for pesticides and transport sector • GHS implementation was supported by indutry sector • Ecuador • 1998 – established a National Programme for the Management of Hazardous Chemicals • lacked an integrated legal regime and technical infrastructures for the management of chemicals
Regional Profile • Ecuador • Ministry of Health – registration of pesticides and pharmaceuticals and awareness raising on risks related to pesticides • Colombia • Existing technical standards applying to classification of hazardous goods, the labelling of pesticides for agricultural use, the use of data safety sheets, and emergency procedure for transporting hazardous goods • Based in UN standards
Regional Profile • Colombia • Pesticides labelling were based on Croplife’s standards • GHS implementation required the participation of many different actors • Paraguay • National Commission for Chemical Safety not implemented • Uruguay • GHS not implemented due to the lack of a legal framework for classifying and labelling chemicals
Regional Profile • Uruguay • GHS not implemented due to the lack of a legal framework for classifying and labelling chemicals • Promote dissemination of the GHS, including awareness raising activities at the University of Uruguay • Venezuela • Legal framework – national standards for the classification and labelling, transport and handling of pesticides • Inter-ministerial Commission for Chemical Safety
Results from the Regional Workshop • Reaffirmation of the commitment to the WSSD target of GHS implementation by 2008; • Agreement on the benefits of appropriate GHS implementation to facilitate trade and improve the protection of human health and the environment • Agreement that national development mechanisms for multisectoral approaches, with relevant civil society organizations, is essential for GHS implementation
Results from the Regional Workshop • Agreement that the main obstacles to implementation include: lack of awareness; lack of knowledge and information about the GHS; non-existing or fragmented/conflicting national regulation/lesgislation; differing regional structures; lack of resources; and lack of training • Agreement to undertake activities (and improve upon existing activities) to overcome these obstacles at the national and regional levels • Identify a multi-sectoral GHS focal points
Mercosul • SGT-11 and RMS (Working Group and Ministries Meeting – Health) • 2 Commissions (Environemental Health and Risks Management) • SGT-10 (Working Group – Labour) • SGT-6 (Working Group – Environment) • Created Ad Hoc Group on Chemicals • Proposed a training periode for Mercosul Countries (UNEP support)
Gaps • No pilot country in the region • Venezuela – candidate to be a “pilot-country” • Consolidation the existing of regional legislation • Lack of human and financial resources • Donors reluctance – restrictive financial situations and decrease in funds available from donors
Gaps • Lack of capacity building and training programmes • Lack of coordination between sectors • Lack of communication • Lack of technical know-how and critical evalution • Education and Awareness raising programmes • Lack of expertise in GHS implementation
Thanks for your attention! andre.fenner@saude.gov.br andrefenner@hotmail.com Phone: 00 55 61 21 07 44 71