Governments To Debate Trade Rules On Asbestos, Pesticides
Monday, November 17, 2003

Governments will debate this week whether all forms of asbestos and two hazardous pesticides should be added to a list of chemicals subject to regulated trade under the terms of the 1998 Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.

In 2001, the Convention's Interim Chemical Review Committee recommended that asbestos be included in the PIC list, meaning that it could be exported only if specifically approved by the importing nation. Delegates will decide whether to adopt the resolution while meeting in Geneva as part of the convention's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee.

Once widely used in insulation, asbestos was eliminated in many countries after it was found to cause cancer and other health problems.

Debate will also take place on whether to include DNOC, used as a weed-killer, insecticide and fungicide, as well as several powder formulations made up of a number of pesticides.

Negotiated under the auspices of the U.N. Environment Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Rotterdam Convention is to enter into force next year, at which point governments would formally transfer asbestos and other recent additions from a voluntary PIC list to the legally binding list if approved (FAO/UNEP release, Nov. 17).

Copyright, National Journal Group, Year 2003 .