Programs: Global Chemical Safety Program: Our Goals

The Global Chemical Safety Program promotes NGO efforts to advance chemical safety in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. It also promotes chemical safety objectives in international policy-setting arenas. “Chemical safety” is a broad concept that encompasses all the measures that are required to protect human health and the environment from toxic and dangerous chemicals. Key components of “Chemical Safety” include: food safety, consumer safety, community safety, worker safety, and ecosystem protection. The Environmental Health Fund (EHF) puts special emphasis on human health concerns associated with toxic chemical pollution, and it promotes the phase-out and elimination of all persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other persistent toxic substances (PTS).

OUR GOALS

Promote chemical safety, advocating for and promoting

Pollution prevention and waste prevention;
Replacing, phasing-out, and banning unmanageable toxic or dangerous chemicals, materials, products, and processes;
Clean and safe alternative processes, practices, materials, and products;
Sustainable agriculture, including reducing and eliminating toxic and/or unsustainable chemical inputs;
Effective legislation, regulations, and other government measures; and
A future world that is free from toxic chemical pollutants in food, homes, communities, workplaces, human bodies, and in the broader environment.

Work to establish a strong and effective implementation regime for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

We played an active NGO leadership role in the preparation and negotiation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and in the creation of the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) — a large, global NGO network dedicated to the global elimination of POPs and other persistent toxic substances. The Stockholm Convention is a legally binding agreement of more than 160 countries to ban or restrict chemicals which do not break down readily in the environment, travel long distances by wind and water, accumulate in the food chain, and are harmful to human health and the environment.

We now work to “Keep the Promise,” that is, to assure that the treaty is implemented effectively, driving a serious global effort to eliminate POPs from the planet. To do that, EHF leads NGO participation in the POPs Review Committee, which is the Stockholm Convention’s expert committee to review candidate chemicals to add to the convention. We also help the IPEN network craft positions on implementation for international negotiations. Within individual countries, we work with NGOs and civil society organizations to help assure that governments implement the Stockholm Convention effectively. In many cases, these interventions are an important component of longer-term efforts within the country toward the establishment of a more generalized national chemical safety regime.

Support efforts to advance chemical safety objectives in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

We work with numerous NGOs in developing countries and countries in transition in all parts of the world in support of their chemical safety objectives. We help NGOs enhance their capacity, expertise, and effectiveness so they can better advance the cause of chemical safety within their countries and regions. At times that means providing connections to technical experts or documents, and at other times it means helping organizations get access to funding. We also support international, intergovernmental efforts aimed at strengthening the capacity and commitment of developing country governments to advance chemical safety in their countries.

Build a strong global NGO movement for chemical safety.

We help develop programmatic and strategic objectives that can advance chemical safety through global or regional interventions by public interest NGOs. We help NGOs achieve their objectives and increase their influence by enhancing their capacity to intervene effectively in international and intergovernmental processes. We help plan, initiate, facilitate, and implement strategically selected international projects, programs, interventions, and other activities that globally advance chemical safety. In the context of these efforts, we work to build a strong global NGO movement aimed at protecting human health and the environment from injury caused by toxic or dangerous chemicals.

Support effective implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

EHF has also played in an important leadership role among NGOs in the development and implementation of SAICM, which goes beyond the 21 substances in the Stockholm Convention to deal with all chemicals at all stages of their lifecycles. SAICM is a strategic approach of governments, industry, and civil society acting together to solve chemical safety problems.


Programs Overview Global Chemical Safety Program Our Goals Stockholm Convention Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management Global Mercury Treaty Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Safer Substitutes to Brominated Flame Retardants Equitable and Sustainable Economy		Global Chemical Safety Program The Global Chemical Safety Program promotes NGO efforts to advance chemical safety in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. It also promotes chemical safety objectives in international policy-setting arenas. “Chemical safety” is a broad concept that encompasses all the measures that are required to protect human health and the environment from toxic and dangerous chemicals. Key components of “Chemical Safety” include: food safety, consumer safety, community safety, worker safety, and ecosystem protection. The Environmental Health Fund (EHF) puts special emphasis on human health concerns associated with toxic chemical pollution, and it promotes the phase-out and elimination of all persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other persistent toxic substances (PTS). OUR GOALS Promote chemical safety, advocating for and promoting Pollution prevention and waste prevention; Replacing, phasing-out, and banning unmanageable toxic or dangerous chemicals, materials, products, and processes; Clean and safe alternative processes, practices, materials, and products; Sustainable agriculture, including reducing and eliminating toxic and/or unsustainable chemical inputs; Effective legislation, regulations, and other government measures; and A future world that is free from toxic chemical pollutants in food, homes, communities, workplaces, human bodies, and in the broader environment. Work to establish a strong and effective implementation regime for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants We played an active NGO leadership role in the preparation and negotiation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and in the creation of the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) — a large, global NGO network dedicated to the global elimination of POPs and other persistent toxic substances. The Stockholm Convention is a legally binding agreement of more than 160 countries to ban or restrict chemicals which do not break down readily in the environment, travel long distances by wind and water, accumulate in the food chain, and are harmful to human health and the environment. We now work to “Keep the Promise,” that is, to assure that the treaty is implemented effectively, driving a serious global effort to eliminate POPs from the planet. To do that, EHF leads NGO participation in the POPs Review Committee, which is the Stockholm Convention’s expert committee to review candidate chemicals to add to the convention. We also help the IPEN network craft positions on implementation for international negotiations. Within individual countries, we work with NGOs and civil society organizations to help assure that governments implement the Stockholm Convention effectively. In many cases, these interventions are an important component of longer-term efforts within the country toward the establishment of a more generalized national chemical safety regime. Support efforts to advance chemical safety objectives in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. We work with numerous NGOs in developing countries and countries in transition in all parts of the world in support of their chemical safety objectives. We help NGOs enhance their capacity, expertise, and effectiveness so they can better advance the cause of chemical safety within their countries and regions. At times that means providing connections to technical experts or documents, and at other times it means helping organizations get access to funding. We also support international, intergovernmental efforts aimed at strengthening the capacity and commitment of developing country governments to advance chemical safety in their countries. Build a strong global NGO movement for chemical safety. We help develop programmatic and strategic objectives that can advance chemical safety through global or regional interventions by public interest NGOs. We help NGOs achieve their objectives and increase their influence by enhancing their capacity to intervene effectively in international and intergovernmental processes. We help plan, initiate, facilitate, and implement strategically selected international projects, programs, interventions, and other activities that globally advance chemical safety. In the context of these efforts, we work to build a strong global NGO movement aimed at protecting human health and the environment from injury caused by toxic or dangerous chemicals. Support effective implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) EHF has also played in an important leadership role among NGOs in the development and implementation of SAICM, which goes beyond the 21 substances in the Stockholm Convention to deal with all chemicals at all stages of their lifecycles. SAICM is a strategic approach of governments, industry, and civil society acting together to solve chemical safety problems.