Background

A procedure to manage issues of international concern that warrant concerted action is discussed as part of the governance structure of the beyond 2020 framework. One issue of concern is hazardous substances or groups of substances with transboundary movement that are not covered by other international agreements such as the Stockholm and Minamata conventions and the Montreal protocol. The current SAICM emerging policy issues concern broad policy areas in general, and are not necessarily restricted to substances. The criteria are also focused on providing information on an issue, but do not focus on what criteria should be used to decide if an issue is of international concern or not, and therefore would need to be further developed.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

To inform and contribute to the intersessional process considering the Strategic Approach and the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020, the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KemI), in cooperation with Centre for Future Chemical Risk Assessment and Management Strategies, University of Gothenburg (FRAM) and UNITAR, hosted a technical workshop on criteria for identification of substances of international concern.

The purpose of the workshop was to present and discuss criteria suggested in a study commissioned by KemI and conducted by Professor Thomas Backhaus, University of Gothenburg and Professor Martin Scheringer, ETH Zürich.