Transcript North American Sound Management of Chemicals Initiative Commission for Environmental Cooperation Ned Brooks, Chemicals Program Manager Commission for Environmental Cooperation 15 May 2012 Commission for Environmental.

North American Sound Management
of Chemicals Initiative
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Ned Brooks, Chemicals Program Manager
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
15 May 2012
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Overview
• Commission for Environmental
Cooperation
• Sound Management of Chemicals
Initiative
• Past Accomplishments
• 2011-2012 Projects
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
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North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation
Intergovernmental organization created by Canada,
Mexico and the United States by the North American
Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC).
NAAEC complements the environmental provisions of
the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in
1994.
The CEC was established to:
 address regional environmental concerns,
 help prevent potential trade and environmental
conflicts
 promote the effective enforcement of
environmental law.
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Sound Management of Chemicals
Initiative
• Established in 1995 to address risks related to
“chemicals of mutual concern”
– toxic, persist in the environment and travel long distances.
– “Persistent, Bioaccumulating Toxics” PBTs
– “Persistent Organic Pollutants” or POPs
• North American Regional Action Plans (NARAPs)
– Strategies to identify and reduce risks
– Developed to address DDT, Chlordane, Lindane, PCBs and
mercury and monitoring/assessment
• Substance-specific NARAPs phased out in favor more
focused strategies where CEC work continues
Sound Management of Chemicals
Initiative – past accomplishments
 Chlordane – elimination of the production
and use in North America
 DDT – Mexico stopped using DDT in 2000
 Lindane added to Stockholm Conventions,
uses very limited
 Mercury – Action plan supported
significant reductions in mercury use and
releases
 Capacity building in Mexico related to
monitoring and assessment
 Information exchange, program
consistency
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Tri-national cooperation
CEC Priorities for 2010-2015:
 Healthy Communities and
Ecosystems
 Climate Change – LowCarbon Economy
 Greening the Economy in
North America
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Sound Management of Chemicals
2011 – 2012 Projects
 Identifying and Tracking
Chemicals in Commerce
 Risk Reduction Strategies to
Reduce Exposure to Chemicals of
Mutual Concern
 Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment of Chemicals of
Mutual Concern
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Approaches for Identifying and
Tracking Chemicals in Commerce
 Complete work on Mexican national chemical
inventory
 Identify policy options to ensure a sustainable
inventory in Mexico
 Enhance compatibility of each country’s
inventories for more informed risk management
and transparency
 Develop the CEC Chemicals Management Forum
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Risk Reduction Strategies to Reduce Exposure
to Chemicals of Mutual Concern
Dioxins/Furans
• Improve air emissions inventory
• Identify populations with elevated exposure
• Public information for risk reduction
Brominated Flame Retardants
• Improve understanding of sources and fate
• Identify and promote alternatives
• Strategies to manage contaminated plastics
Mercury
• Develop a North American strategy
• Explore options for end-of life management
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Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
of Chemicals of Mutual Concern
 Comparable data needed to describe status of
chemicals in North American environment
 Information to assess status, track progress and
improve Sound Management of Chemicals
efforts
 Fill in Mexican monitoring data gap with
6 monitoring sites by 2013
 Training and standardization of Mexican
monitoring and analysis
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For more information about
the CEC’s Sound
Management Chemicals
Initiative
Ned Brooks
Program Manager,
Chemicals Management
Telephone: 514.350.4300
Email: [email protected]
www.cec.org/SMOC
Three countries. One environment.
© Commission for Environmental Cooperation / 2011
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