The sound management of chemicals is essential to sustainable
development and is a fundamental
underpinning human health and environmental protection. All those responsible for chemicals,
throughout their life cycle, bear the responsibility for achieving this. Substantial progress on the
sound management of chemicals has been made since UNCED, in particular through the
establishment of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) and the Inter-
Organizational Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC). In addition, domestic
regulations have been complemented by the Code of Ethics on the International Trade in Chemicals
and by voluntary industry initiatives, such as Responsible Care. Despite substantial progress, a
number of chemicals continue to pose significant threats to local, regional and global ecosystems
and to human health. Since UNCED, there has been an increased understanding of the serious
damage that certain toxic chemicals can cause to human health and the environment. Much
remains to be done and the environmentally sound management of chemicals should continue to
be an important issue well beyond 2000. Particular attention should also be given to cooperation in
the development and transfer of technology of safe substitutes and in the development of capacity
for the production of such substitutes. The decision on the sound management of chemicals
adopted by the Governing Council of UNEP at its nineteenth session should be implemented in
accordance with the agreed timetables for negotiations on the prior informed consent (PIC) and
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) conventions. It is noted that inorganic chemicals possess
roles and behaviour that are distinct from organic chemicals.
