IPEN

Guest Article #9 for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), 23 December 2014

by: Olga Speranskaya, IPEN Co-Chair, and Mariann Lloyd-Smith, IPEN Senior Policy Advisor

The global toxic threat is largely underestimated by many politicians and governments, despite it being a unique issue in that often one can point directly to those responsible for the pollution, degradation of the environment and the declining of human health. In 2001, Klaus Toepfer, then the Executive Director of UNEP, warned that basic human rights to life and health are ‘threatened by exposures to toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, and contaminated drinking water and food.'

Governments from all Regions of the World Urge Progressive Phase-Out

(communiqué de presse en français)

(Geneva) International delegates at a global forum set up to achieve sound management of chemicals worldwide, have agreed to address the problem of highly hazardous chemicals (HHPs). This action comes nearly thirty years after the role of pesticides in widespread sickness and death throughout the developing world was first revealed.

“These pesticides have caused millions of deaths worldwide and cause serious harm to farm animals, wildlife and the environment. Decades of experience has shown that, despite numerous ‘safe use’ programs, the ‘safe use’ of HHPs is not possible. We are extremely pleased to see the world community finally taking control of these substances seriously,” said Meriel Watts, Pesticide Action Network (PAN).

IPEN Y PAN proponen la formación de una Alianza Global para la eliminación de los plaguicidas altamente peligrosos,  en el inicio de una  reunión internacional de discusión sobre temas de seguridad química del convenio del SAICM en Ginebra, Suiza.



Ginebra Suiza, 15 dic.  Los países de América Latina hicieron un llamado para  realizar esfuerzos  de coordinación global que permita la sustitución gradual mundial de los plaguicidas altamente peligrosos en las declaraciones iniciales del primero de tres días de la reunión internacional para discutir los avances del convenio voluntario  sobre sustancias químicas, conocido por sus siglas en inglés como SAICM *

As governments, industry and public interest groups from across the globe prepare to meet next week to discuss endocrine disrupting chemicals and other international chemical safety issues, the Endocrine Society and IPEN released a new guide documenting the threat endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) pose to human health.

Press Release: New Resource on Health Threats Posed by Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals Released on Eve of International Chemical Safety Meeting (English / Español)