Association ‘UCAB’ will join the interagency working group that will work on implementation and to bring our standards in line with the provisions of the World Agreement on Control of Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (Rotterdam Convention).  Illegal trafficking of chemicals

On May 31, the first meeting of the Project under the UN Special Program on Environment ‘Strengthening Enforcement of the Rotterdam Convention in Ukraine and Building Capacity to Counteract Illegal Trafficking of Chemicals’ was held. The project objective is to support implementation of international agreements in Ukraine related to the issues of chemicals and wastes. The project duration is two years. It was agreed at the meeting to establish a working group including representatives of the state institutions in the areas of environment, healthcare, agriculture, labor safety and customs law as well as science and private sector.

The working group aims to formalize the process of implementing Convention in Ukraine and address numerous existing gaps in its enforcement. Its functions will comprise intersectoral communication, submission of import responses, notifications on final regulatory actions, national confirmation of export notification, evaluation of formulas of extremely hazardous pesticides and their prohibition, ensuring of synergy between conventions, specializing in wastes.

The Project under the UN Special Program on Environment stipulates train-the-trainer and training workshops, drafting a concept for an interagency tracking e-data system and development of rules for application of the pesticides for fumigation. It also envisages development of e-learning module on the Rotterdam Convention and institutional strengthening / awareness campaign on illegal pesticides in two pilot region of Ukraine - Odesa and Zakarpattia regions.

The overall objective is to improve chemical safety of Ukraine by strengthening national institutions and legislation for effective implementation of the Rotterdam Convention, and to build capacity on detection and prevention of illegal trafficking and counterfeit chemicals.

For reference: Rotterdam Convention defines a list of substances that have been banned or which circulation is restricted. According to the convention before any company in the country that is a Party of the Convention will be able to export chemical from the Convention list to a third country, it shall notify government of that country who can refuse to import this substance. Ukraine joined the Rotterdam Convention in compliance with the Law of Ukraine dated September 26, 2002. In total, Ukraine has signed ‘three chemical conventions’: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.