Chapter 20. ECOLOGICALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF TOXIC CHEMICALS
20.2 Reduction of Dangers from Toxic Chemicals and Creation of an Information Exchange System
20.3 Strengthening the Chemical Management Capacity
20.4 Prevention of Illegal International Toxic and Hazardous Chemical
In modern manufacturing systems, it is virtually impossible to avoid the use of chemicals. Mongolia will implement strategies that protect people and environment from the effects of those chemicals. Strict rules and environmentally sound management of toxic chemicals must be strongly reflected in our actions.
The consumption of toxic chemicals and chemicals products is increasing rapidly during the last years. Mongolia imported approximately 1,000 different types of chemicals from more than 10 countries in the early 1990s. In 1994, 7,276 different chemicals representing 3, 774.4 tones of chemical substances were used in 1,297 entities and factories. Estimates suggest that 54.4 tones of chemical substances are released into Mongolia’s environment each year. About 68 varieties of chemical substances are discarded into the atmosphere, 790 varieties into water, and 600 varieties into the soil.
The storage and protection from chemicals are not yet at an acceptable level. For instance, 56.7 percent of used chemicals are stored in warehouses with relatively higher level safeguards, 20.8 percent in non standard and separate warehouses, 11.7 percent in open storage, and 9.8 percent in work places.
A primary objective for Mongolia is to reach the point where we not only import chemical substances and products from other countries for use in manufacturing and services but satisfy a reasonable amount of our international needs by efficiently using the country’s natural resources and technical capacities, at least in certain areas.
This chapter consists of the following areas:
20.1. Assessment and Classification of Chemical Risks;
20.2. Reduction of the Dangers from Toxic Chemicals and Creation of an Information Exchange System;
20.3. Strengthening the Chemical Management Capacity;
20.4. Prevention of Illegal International Toxic and hazardous Chemical Exchange.
Basis for action
Assessing the risks to human health and the environment hazards that a chemical may cause prerequisite to planning for its safe and beneficial use. There are many cases in Mongolia of discarding chemical wastes without cleaning and the demonstrated result can be poisoning of ordinary people and workers who unknowingly meet the chemical. The country is faced with a lack of professionals who are experienced in toxity testing and exposure analysis, as well as the impact of chemical substance on human health and environment.
In developed nations, broadly followed stanmdards have been created on toxic chemicals and products labeling, warnings, and workplace safety. The international standards for dealing with toxic chemicals have been widely accepted and it is extremely important that Mongolia incorporate the standards into its own system. This includes the formulation of a national classification system for toxic chemicals and national participation in the internationally accepted classification and product labeling system.
Objectives
 | Create a risk assessment system for chemical substances consistent with international standards; |
| Develop a classification of chemical substances risk assessment system; |
| Establish a chemical labeling system compatible with world standards. |
Activities
| Strengthen and expand program on chemical risk assessment, particularly, in depth analysis of toxic chemicals and precautions to be taken to avoid their harmful consequences; |
| Collect detailed information from international organizations on the degree of chemical hazard associated with relevant chemicals; |
 | Develop national risk assessment methodologies and enable producers and consumers to identify or estimate the hazards of the chemicals they use in production and consumption; |
| Develop indicators for assessing chemical hazards and the consequences for human health end environment for each substance, create an information system that allows the exchange of information on chemicals between national and international legal organizations at the level of both producer and transporter; |
| Develop long term strategies for producing chemicals for natural resources requiring environmental impact assessments for larger scale uses of chemicals and upgrade the inspection, monitoring and risk assessment system; |
| Elaborate and implement a national classification and chemical labeling system compatible with international standards; |
| Participate in the development of international classification of chemical hazards and develop own standards of chemicals. |
20.2 Reduction of Dangers from Toxic Chemicals and Creation of an Information Exchange System
Basis for action
Among the chemical substances currently used in Mongolia, a wide range of human health effects can be identified. These include 350 chemicals that affect the nervous system; 720 that can be absorbed through the skin; 650 with the ability to inhibit breathing; 130 with the potential for producing psychological effects; and 2300 that can generate general toxic symptoms of someone is exposed. When these chemicals are used improperly or disposed of in ways that they enter the environment and human system health is at significant risk. For example, over the last 10 years there have been eight major episodes of poisoning from chemicals, an which 687 person suffered from some observable degree of symptoms and 17 people died.
One of the potentially most effective ways it reduce risks from toxic chemicals is to create incentives for user to replace hazardous chemicals with other substances, for instance, to replace toxic chemicals with less toxic or even non-hazardous substances. An alternative way to reduce toxic chemicals involves use of non-chemical technology. Or providing the chemicals safety, it is essential to follow the London Guidelines for the exchange of information on chemicals and improve the national data collection system on chemicals.
Objectives
| Reduce substanlially chemical hazards in all aspects of its "life cycle"; |
| Create systems that promote information exchange with other countries and international organizations on chemical security, hazards and waste. |
Activities
| Develop and implement a national program on chemical safety; |
| Reduce the chemical hazards in all aspects of its "life cycle" including: promotion of cleaner production; limitation of consumption of toxic chemicals; promotion of hazard free technology; reduction and restriction of chemicals that not yet gone through the in-depth testing processes; |
| Regulate the acceptable amount of chemical substances in food, control chemicals in food following international standards and recommendations; |
| Develop and implement program directed towards fast diagnosis of poisoning, establish preventive and curative centers for people exposed to chemical poisoning, string requirement for producer and importers in emergency cases and in elimination of hazards; |
| Promulgate regulation controlling storing, ordering, and utilization of fast acting toxic products; |
| Create information exchange networks on national and international activities to reduce chemical hazards, and accidents |
| Implement advanced technology and methods against harmful agricultural insects and species, encourage new technology to reduce the negative consequences of toxic chemical use; |
| Adopt regulations and guidelines on import and export of limited or prohibited toxic chemicals and chemicals that the effect the human health the environment; |
| Promote the alternative non-toxic chemical substances, develop and implement safe production technology; |
| Build the national capacity on development of toxic chemical data and information; develop appropriate international information network. |
20.3 Strengthening the Chemical Management Capacity
Basis for action
The laws, norms, standards, methodologies, education and training, and information systems that must provide the ability to achieve chemical safety are not on the appropriate level. It is important to carry out responsibilities of safe chemical use, train professionals, develop curriculum, and renew the environment that is already at risk from chemical use and disposal, and prevent people, as well as animal population from harm risk.
Objectives
| To create a national system for proper utilization and reduction of toxic chemicals ensuring the ecologically safe system, developing and implementing essential norms and standards. |
Activities
| Create a monitoring system on chemical safety; |
| Establish a management system of chemical consumption; |
| Analyze term chemical substance needs and develop a data base for monitoring of use, create methods and alternatives aimed at limiting and prohibiting toxic chemical consumption; |
| Strengthen the health care network, including poisoning treatment centers and centers for emergency cases; |
| Establish a national registration and information center on chemical substances; |
| Provide information on hazardous chemicals to the public and local communities potentially exposed to chemicals from nearby activity. |
20.4 Prevention of Illegal International Toxic and Hazardous Chemical
Basis for action
There is no international agreements at present that fully co-ordinates the exchange of toxic chemicals and hazardous substances. Many developing countries are exchanging toxic chemical and hazardous chemicals illegally. Consequently, human health and the environment are at risk and the international community is increasingly fearful about the effects of the activity. Eliminating such illegal actions relating to toxic chemicals is a primary concern for Mongolia.
Objectives
¨ To strengthen the national capacity to inspect and search for illegal transportation of toxic chemicals or hazardous products through the country’s border.
Activities
| Develop the necessary legal regulation for prohibition of illegal import and export of toxic chemicals and hazardous products; |
| Develop a national program for monitoring of legal regulations and acts, for crime prevention exposing the existing illegal activities; |
| Build a national system to display and collect information from individuals and entities on the illegal transportation of toxic chemicals and hazardous products; |
| Expand the integrated international efforts to prevent and eliminate the illegal transportation of toxic chemicals and hazardous products. |