Box 38A International programmes on chemicals

UN, OECD and EU initiatives in the field of chemical risk control are compared in Figure 38.4. The horizontal arrows show the cooperations and exchange of data between the different organisations.

The left-hand column shows the UNEP dependent programmes. IRPTC was founded in 1975 to establish and operate a data bank on chemicals. IPCS deals with risk evaluation and development of methodologies for such evaluation and related matters based on these data (see Chapter 17).

The centre column shows the EU system, which is explained in detail in Figure 38.5.

The right-hand column contains the OECD strategy to overcome the lack of information and to find target chemicals.