Transcript NICNAS Community Engagement Forum

NICNAS Community Engagement
Forum
Is the regulation of industrial
chemicals in Australia
effective?
Participatory democracy in chemicals
management
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SAICM
UN Convention on Human Rights
Bahai Declaration
Aarhus Convention
Chemicals – A human rights issue
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‘living in a pollution-free world is a basic
human right’ -2001 UNHRC
‘those who pollute violate human rights’
"Human rights cannot be secured in a degraded or
polluted environment….the fundamental right to
life is threatened by exposures to toxic chemicals,
hazardous wastes & contaminated drinking water."
Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 - child’s
right to health, adequate food and clean water
‘taking into consideration dangers & risks of
environmental pollution’
Environmental Justice
“…the principle that all people and communities are entitled to equal protection of
environmental and public health laws and regulations.“
Robert Bullard, Dumping in Dixie: Race,class, and Environmental Quality, 1990.
Drivers for change
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It is estimated that around one in three of all occupational diseases
recognised in Europe each year is due to exposure to hazardous chemicals.
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A wide range of chemical residues are now found in human breast milk with
Australia showing some of the highest levels. (ie flame retardants)
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Environmental monitoring is showing chemical residues extensively in the
environment. Air, water and soil.
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Most of the 38 000 industrial chemicals available for use in Australia have
not been adequately assessed for human health and environmental impacts.
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Insufficient volume and use data, critical for exposure assessments, has
been provided by industry to Australian regulators.
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Impending climate change impacts. Re-release of POP’s
EDC’s - Hormone disruption could pose a more imminent threat to
humankind than climate change. (Colborn and Clement 1992)
Community Engagement Forum
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Established 2003
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Representing:
-Worker health and safety (ACTU)
-Public health (PHAA and CHOICE)
-Environment and community interests (AEN)
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“…recognising the importance of effective
engagement in formulating regulatory policies
and practices that operate well and best meet
the needs of all stakeholders.”
CEF supporting NICNAS
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Community Engagement Charter
Community Engagement Framework
Developing Community Engagement Strategies
Facilitating ECR National Engagement Strategy
Review of ECR National Engagement Strategy
CEF E-Bulletin (quarterly)
Submissions- reforms/works, PEC’s, CRIS, Nano, Cosmetics,
Disinfectants, ECR, LRCC, COAG
Presentations – HAZMAT
Gateway engagement with sectors
Providing equitable representation – ECR, ISG, TWP, NAG, CAG
CEF Workplans
*CEF Appraisal (Sass)
Priorities 2011
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Implementation of the ECR
Regulatory Framework for Nanomaterials
International harmonisation
LRCC
NICNAS Website
Reforms
Issues of Concern for CEF
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LRCC evaluation
Assessment of Phthalates
Assessment of PBDE’s, HBCD’s
Prioritisation of AIC’s
Unassessed chemicals in use
(classified hazardous/restricted overseas)
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Community capacity building
-Chemical Safety Forum
Cause for concern?
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Approx 1500 new chems every year
6974 chemicals reported under
exempt categories 2010-11
38000 unassessed available for use
No data on LRCC program
Complicated regulatory framework
(More than nine separate government agencies involved)
Chemical risks in the environment
BTEX and fraccing chemicals
-LNG and CSG processing polluting air, water and soil
Lead
-children’s articles, playground equipment, residues in soil and waste streams
EPDM
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extensive use of Soft fall and fake turf, leaching into groundwater, residues
in waste streams
Plastics
-residual wastes pollute air, water and soil
Nano-materials
-No regulatory framework or nano-pollution monitoring
Chemical risks to children
BPA
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Aus voluntary 12 month phase-out vs overseas bans
Phthalates
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in use in Australia but restricted EU, US, Canada and Japan
Slow assessment of 25 priority
PBDE’s and PFOS
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Upholstery and Carpet underlay, babies exposed, high levels in Aus
breastmilk/blood
Unassessed chemicals is domestic products
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No exposure assessments, control of use data leaves children
vulnerable.
Regulatory Failure
Chemical assessments often lack
consideration of 
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Critical exposure data
Ecotoxicological data
Epidemiology data
Children’s specific vulnerability
Environmental fate and disposal data
Body burden and Endocrine Disruption data
Multiple chemical, cumulative and synergistic
data
Community Expectations
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No National Adverse Reporting
Scheme
No annotation of AICs (ie substitution advice,
hazard warnings)
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No
No
No
No
Powers to ban or restrict
information gathering powers
toxics elimination strategy
Children’s Chemical Safety Act.
Climate Change and Chemicals
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Increased release of chemicals into the environment
Changes in :
temperature, precipitation affect long range transport &
distribution
temperature increases volatilizing & air emissions
primary & secondary remobilisation
release from melting snow, ice, permafrost soils, glaciers
extreme weather events, flooding
salinity - bioavailability of substances
degradation rates
toxicity of some chemicals
sensitivity of wildlife to exposures
Synergy of exposures & climate environmental
stresses, affect adaptability, immune function,
reproductive viability