The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management's (SAICM's) Quick Start Programme (QSP) has been supporting enabling activities for the sound management of chemicals since 2006.
The QSP was due to expire this year, but ICCM-3's agreement to extend the QSP until 2015 will allow additional countries to make use of the facility which funds enabling activities to improve chemicals management.
24 September 2012: The third session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM-3) agreed to extend the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management’s (SAICM’s) Quick Start Programme (QSP) Trust Fund until 2015, and also recognized the need to better understand and communicate risks posed by endocrine disrupting chemicals. The meeting convened in Nairobi, Kenya, from 17-21 September 2012.
The SAICM QSP has been supporting enabling activities for the sound management of chemicals in developing countries, least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS) and countries with economies in transition since 2006, and has provided over US$31 million to date. The QSP was due to expire this year, but ICCM-3’s agreement to extend the QSP until 2015 will allow additional countries to make use of the facility which funds enabling activities to improve chemicals management.
ICCM-3 also agreed to “build awareness and promote actions on endocrine disrupting chemicals by improving the availability of and access to information on chemicals that are proven or suspect of having endocrine disruptive potential.” Endocrine disruptors affect the endocrine (hormonal) system, may interfere with important developmental processes in humans and wildlife, and may be linked to infertility and cancers. [UNEP Press Release] [IISD RS Meeting Coverage]