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STRATEGY ON MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES (SOMS)

STRATEGY ON MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES (SOMS). October 2003. Jan Suurland Counselor for Environment and Spatial Planning Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington en Ottawa. STRATEGY ON MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES (SOMS). Policy Paper (March 2001)

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STRATEGY ON MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES (SOMS)

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  1. STRATEGY ON MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES (SOMS) October 2003 Jan Suurland Counselor for Environment and Spatial Planning Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington en Ottawa

  2. STRATEGY ON MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES (SOMS) Policy Paper (March 2001) Introduction of new chemicals policy to deal with the wide gap in information on hazards of chemical substances and backlog of risk assessments and subsequent control measures. • Declaration of Intent Dutch Industry (April 2001) • Acknowledge responsibility industry for providing adequate information and safe handling of chemicals throughout life cycle. • Actual implementation to be harmonized within EU.

  3. ESSENTIALS SOMS Quick Scans Producers/Importers to assess hazards on the basis of available information of intrinsic properties of substances. • Public Right to Know Industry to ensure public availability of quick scan results and other relevant information regarding the safe use of substances. • Product Chain Reponsibility Industry responsible for prevention and risk management throughout life cycle of substances (Duty of Care). • Precautionary Principle Industry required to take ‘in principle measures’ in conformity with the classification of substances in various levels of concern as defined by the quick scan methodology. • Balancing Risks versus Cost-Benefits Actual implementation of ‘in principle measures’ will take into account socio-economic consequences.

  4. QUICK SCAN APPROACH Objective To use available information on intrinsic properties of all substances as a basis for decision making on the need for (additional) testing and risk assessment on the implementation of bans or other restrictions on the use of those substances. • Methodology • Development of independently verified substances profiles containing essential hazard information (P,B,T,He,C,R,M,Ho). • Application of criteria to allocate a particular substance in a specific category of concern. • Linking concern categories to use categories to identify ‘in principle measures’ to be taken.

  5. Very High Concern Substances • Provisional List by RIVM-CEC. • Application of quick scan methodology to high concern substances on OSPAR list. • 48 out of 79 substances qualify as VHC (including 19 pesticides). • 22 to be considered POP like substances (VPVB) qualifying for immediate ban (including 6 pesticides). • 7 substances qualify as VHC because of insufficient data. • 20 VHC substances are High Production Volume Chemicals. NB: None of the 48 substances are yet included in current EU priorities programme for existing substances.

  6. Implementation Status - SOMS • Quick Scan (Industry wait for outcome REACH). • Establishment Chemical Data Bank (Industry wait for outcome REACH). • Establishment Chemicals Expertise Center (2003). • Pilot projects product chain responsibility (7 sectors). • Implementation agreements industry (dependent on REACH). • Back stop regulation to enforce quick scans (shelved awaiting REACH). • Incorporating precautionary principle and product chain responsibility in Environmental Management Act (in progress).

  7. Quick Scan as instrument for prioritization REACH? Quick Scan (prioritization) of substances on basis of data on hazard and use (measure of exposure) Risk Registration Evaluation Authorization Measures assessment prioritization industry authorities authorities authorities authorities REACH (EU) system (under construction) = prioritization

  8. Quick Scan as instrument for prioritization REACH? Quick Scan (prioritization) of substances on basis of data on hazard and use First step Towards Estimating the risk of Substances Necessary/desired activities Limited risk Measures profile sufficient authorities Complete risk Measures profile if authorities and need be substance/ product management by industry No or limited Substance/ risk profile product needed management by industry Allocation to categories of concern on basis of hazard and use very high concern high concern concern low concern

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