The Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ), with the support of UNITAR, launched a new project to “Strengthen Capacities for Implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and support GHS capacity building” at a workshop in Lusaka on 24 September 2010. Speaking at the workshop, Acting Director of ECZ, Mr Edwin Soko, said that the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) is a new international tool that can be effectively used as a basis for developing comprehensive national chemical safety programmes in countries like Zambia.

 As part of the two-year project, training will be conducted in order to define and classify hazards and communicate hazard information on labels and safety data sheets; the GHS covers all hazardous chemicals including substances, mixtures, and preparations. The target groups for the training will include agricultural workers, industrials workers, consumers, transport workers, emergency response teams and other relevant stakeholders. The project is supported by the SAICM Quick Start Programme Trust Fund, with technical support from the UNITAR/ILO GHS Capacity Building Programme.

  For more information about the UNITAR/ILO GHS Capacity Building Programme, please visit: http://www.unitar.org/cwm/ghs.   For more information about SAICM: www.unitar.org/cwm/saicm/enabling-activities; www.saicm.org