Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

BRS NEWSLETTER

Assisting parties to protect human health and the environment

September/October 2017 - No. 15

Welcome

Dear Readers,

Much is happening in the world of sound management of chemicals and waste, as this edition of our newsletter will show. Below you will find details of the latest country to become a Party to one of the #Detox conventions, upcoming scientific subsidiary body meetings, the entry into force of the decision to list 4 new chemicals, and much more. #Detox!

 

News
COMING SOON: new improved electronic reporting system for the Basel Convention

COMING SOON: new improved electronic reporting system for the Basel Convention

Parties will make use of a new electronic reporting system, including new questions, live soon on the Basel Convention website, for 2016 national reports (deadline December 31).

Science for Sustainable Oceans meeting held in Geneva

Science for Sustainable Oceans meeting held in Geneva

BRS is contributing to GESAMP – the UN-wide, global scientific initiative on protecting the marine environment – reflecting the mandate to work on marine litter given at the last COPs.

The Rotterdam Convention now has 159 Parties, with Turkey depositing its instrument of ratification on 21 September 2017

The Rotterdam Convention now has 159 Parties, with Turkey depositing its instrument of ratification on 21 September 2017

Turkey has ratified to the Rotterdam Convention, with an entry into force of 20 December 2017.

Listing of four new chemicals in Annex III of the Convention

Listing of four new chemicals in Annex III of the Convention

The amendments to list carbofuran, trichlorfon, short-chain chlorinated paraffins and tributyltin compounds enter into force on 15 September 2017. Parties are invited to provide import responses by 15 June 2018.

Draft reports now online ahead of Rotterdam Convention scientific committee meeting

Draft reports now online ahead of Rotterdam Convention scientific committee meeting

Preliminary reviews of chemicals to be considered by the next meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC-13) are online.

Sudan transmits its national plan for implementing the Stockholm Convention

Sudan transmits its national plan for implementing the Stockholm Convention

Sudan has transmitted its updated National Implementation Plan (NIP), addressing amendments made by COPs 4 and 5.

Maldives transmits its national plan for implementing the Stockholm Convention

Maldives transmits its national plan for implementing the Stockholm Convention

Maldives has transmitted its National Implementation Plan (NIP), which also addresses amendments made by COPs 4 and 5.

 

Technical Assistance
Online training available on sound management of chemicals and waste

Online training available on sound management of chemicals and waste

UNITAR, the UN’s training and research institute, and the BRS Secretariat, together offer a range of online training modules of relevance for implementing the conventions.

Technical Assistance

Upcoming webinars

 

Upcoming workshops

 

Emerging issues
Kei Ohno: Upcoming milestones POPRC/CRC and Minamata Convention on Mercury

Kei Ohno: Upcoming milestones POPRC/CRC and Minamata Convention on Mercury

It’s that season again. It’s the season for the two @UN #Detox technical committees, the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention and the POPs Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention, to meet in the FAO headquarters in Rome to review chemicals for listing under the conventions

 

Forthcoming meetings
Busy agenda for Rotterdam Convention’s scientific body (CRC) meeting in Rome, October 2017

Busy agenda for Rotterdam Convention’s scientific body (CRC) meeting in Rome, October 2017

Scientific experts of the Chemicals Review Committee will meet from 23 to 27 October to, inter alia, consider final regulatory actions for 13 chemicals.

Busy agenda for Stockholm Convention’s scientific body (POPRC) meeting in Rome, October 2017

Busy agenda for Stockholm Convention’s scientific body (POPRC) meeting in Rome, October 2017

Scientific experts of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee will meet from 17 to 20 October to discuss, inter alia, the toxic chemicals dicofol, PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS.

 

Postcard from Cabo Verde
Farmers’ Field Schools assist rural communities in Cabo Verde

Farmers’ Field Schools assist rural communities in Cabo Verde

Secretariat staff from FAO are assisting the Government of Cabo Verde protect rural communities and the environment from the potentially harmful effects of pesticides.

 

Our Regional Centres
Regional focus switches to Indonesia

Regional focus switches to Indonesia

Read about the BRS regional centre for South-East Asia, in Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

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