Sound Management of Chemicals

Purpose of Project

Mainstreaming Sound Management of Chemicals into MDG-Based National Development Planning aims to assist the Royal Government of Cambodia to integrate Sound Management of Chemicals (SMC) into Cambodia’s national development plans and strategies. It also aims to support national and sectoral authorities in planning and implementing a joint approach to environmental management and energy development that responds to the needs of the poor. With the support of the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate (KemI) and in cooperation with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UNDP aims to help Cambodia to assess its approach to chemicals management in relation to the overarching policy strategy of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, and to begin addressing gaps in Cambodia’s existing approach. The project will also help Cambodia to incorporate priorities for SMC into the national development discussion and planning agenda. The project will contribute to the international testing and revision of the UNDP Technical Guide for Mainstreaming Sound Management of Chemicals in MDG-Based Policies and Plans. The guide aims to help developing countries to recognize and assess opportunities for incorporating SMC into national development policies and planning, in order to achieve the MDGs. It will be piloted in conjunction with the guide Chemicals Management: The Why and How of Mainstreaming Gender in Chemicals Management.

Main Activities

• Bring together the 14 ministries with responsibilities in the area of chemicals management to establish an Inter-Agency Cooperation Mechanism for making decisions and forming policies and plans across all sectors.
• Conduct research and analysis in support of better chemicals governance that is consistent with the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).
• Identify the links between major problem areas in chemicals management and human health and environmental quality.
• Pilot the analytical tools in the UNDP Technical Guide for Mainstreaming the Sound Management of Chemicals in Millennium Development Goal (MDG)-Based Policies and Plans by developing a National Situation Report, Economic Analysis, Action Plan, Roadmap, and Lessons Learned for Cambodia.
• Contribute technical feedback for the revision of the UNDP Technical Guide.

Key Results

Key Results

Five key reports were produced by applying the analytical tools in the UNDP Technical Guide to the Cambodian context.

• National Situation Report on Chemicals Management in Cambodia identified the areas in the existing regulatory regime for chemicals that most need to be strengthened. A multi-stakeholder workshop on the National Report was held to disseminate its findings.
• Economic Analysis of SMC in Cambodia was developed based on the National Situation Report and additional field surveys, concentrating on use of agro-chemicals.
• Action Plan for National SMC Governance, designed to strengthen the chemicals management regime, integrated analyses of chemicals management in the environment and agriculture, industry and health sectors.
• Roadmap for Mainstreaming Priority SMC Issues in Cambodia’s Planning Process outlined ways to integrate the highest priority issues into Cambodia’s MDG-based development planning processes.
• Lessons Learned outlined lessons drawn from the process of piloting the Technical Guide, and challenges that remain in integrating SMC into policies and plans.

Sound Management of Chemicals was incorporated in the national policy framework, and institutional and individual capacity for SMC was improved.

• An Inter-Ministerial Coordination Mechanism was established to enable consultation and decision-making by the 14 ministries involved in managing chemicals.
• SMC was integrated into the National Strategic Development Plan Update (2009-2013). The NSDP Update included a proposal that the Ministry of Environment should develop a unified law on chemicals management.
• Two training courses for 100 officials from line agencies and local authorities in 10 provinces were held to raise local awareness of chemicals in the agricultural, industrial and health sectors, including chemical waste disposal. Participants asked for further training on using organic compost as an alternative to chemical fertilizers.

Key messages about SMC were disseminated.

• Plain language summaries of the National Situation Report, Economic Analysis, Action Plan, Roadmap and Lessons Learned were published as leaflets.
• A 2010 calendar with messages for the agriculture, industry and health sectors, and posters promoting natural pesticides and organic compost rather than agro-chemicals, were produced and distributed.
• A current affairs programme on issues in chemicals management was prepared by the Equity Weekly team for broadcast on national television network TVK.

Background

Chemicals are a vital element of human development, affecting virtually all sectors of human activity. Increasingly, however, it is recognised that the poor management of chemicals adversely affects human health and the environment, disproportionately affecting the urban and rural poor, particularly women and children. Therefore, promoting the sound management of chemicals is an important aspect of efforts to reduce global poverty and promote human health. The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), which was adopted by the international community in 2006, aims to ensure that by 2020, chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse effects on the environment and human health. Cambodia is one of six countries (along with Belarus, Ecuador, Macedonia, Uganda and Zambia) chosen to implement the pilot project Sound Management of Chemicals, jointly led by UNDP and UNEP, with the goal of providing the guidance required for incorporating SMC into national development plans. Experience gained from the six pilot projects will help refine the UNDP/UNEP SMC technical guide, and will lay the foundation for replication in other countries.