7 December 2012: A national forum hosted by the Dominican Republic’s Environment Ministry, with technical support from the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), has set priorities for national chemicals management.

The National Forum on Governance and Priority Setting for Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) Implementation was held from 29-30 November 2012 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The Forum, attended by some 50 representatives of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), industry and academia, discussed and endorsed the national chemicals profile, proposed terms of reference for an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism, and a proposal for a national website on chemicals management. Based on the national profile, the forum agreed on 12 national chemicals management priorities, including: registration of hazardous chemical imports; control and audit; response to chemical emergencies; chemical risk communication to workers; management of hazardous wastes; and facilities for hazardous waste disposal.

During the second day UNITAR walked participants through the steps of elaborating action plans, after which the forum drafted such plans for five of the 12 priorities: control and audit; registration of hazardous chemical imports; mechanisms to coordinate chemical emergency response; hazardous waste disposal facilities; and hazardous waste management. The draft action plans will be revised and finalized in coming months and be incorporated into the National SAICM Implementation Plan. [UNITAR Press Release]