![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Information Sharing and Technical Assistance
Pesticide Management Resource Guide (PMReG)
Pesticide Disposal in Developing Countries
Pesticide Regulatory Strengthening in Central America
U.S. National Profile on the Management of Chemicals
OPP International Visitors Program
Chemicals Information Exchange Network
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)
International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS)
While EPA's focus is on domestic issues, environmental protection must
be increasingly global in order to be most effective. Pollution and chemical
risks do not respect international borders. Developing countries are increasingly
interested in strengthening their capabilities to address pesticide problems
and, resources permitting, EPA helps other countries improve their capacity
to make decisions on pesticide use, regulation, and disposal, in keeping
with that country's own conditions and capabilities. In addition to the
benefits of such information sharing and technical assistance realized
by the other country, there are also direct benefits to the U.S. For example,
EPA/OPP provides extensive information on U.S. pesticide regulatory actions
as well as the U.S.
standards for pesticide residues (tolerances or Maximum Residue Limits)
to countries that export food to the United States. The benefits of such
information sharing and technical assistance include improved food safety
in the U.S., reduced risk to pesticide users and consumers in developing
countries, and fewer rejections of commodities exported to the U.S.
EPA/OPP's strategy for sharing information with other countries about
pesticide data, U.S. policies, and regulatory status focuses on the Internet,
in two ways: 1) we are publishing more and more information on the Net,
and 2) we are helping our customers to better find the information they
need using the Internet. All parts of OPP are increasingly using the Internet
to disseminate documents and data of all types, meaning more and more
of OPP's information is becoming freely accessible electronically. This
better meets the needs of all of OPP's customers, both domestic and international.
But in order to get that information to our regulatory counterparts in
other countries, two problems remain. First, in many countries, chemicals
management officials do not yet have Internet access. Secondly, there
is the problem of information overload -- with all the chemicals information
that is available via the Internet, it is often difficult for an Internet
user to find the particular information that they seek.
Pesticide Management Resource Guide
In addition, OPP has developed some web-based assistance tools for chemicals
management specialists who are looking for good sources of information.
One product coming out of OPP's technical assistance efforts in recent
years is the "Pesticide
Management Resource Guide (PMReG)." This web-based database describes,
categorizes, and provides access to information for many key chemicals
management information resources, both on and off the Internet.
Pesticide Disposal in Developing Countries
EPA/OPP has also been active in global efforts to manage obsolete pesticides that are often stockpiled in developing countries. EPA/OPP has been a leader in the U.N. FAO workgroup that is developing global strategies to address the risks posed by obsolete pesticides. OPP has also developed an international train-the-trainer course "Pesticide Disposal in Developing Countries," based on the growing international problem and demand for technical assistance in this area. This course, designed for delivery on a regional basis, provides a framework for effective decision-making for countries and regions faced with the disposal of large quantities of obsolete or unwanted pesticides. The course teaches participants how to conduct and evaluate pesticide inventories, select appropriate disposal methods, dispose of empty containers, protect workers entering storage sites, stabilize and clean up storage sites, develop a communication strategy, and prevent the buildup of unwanted stocks in the future.
Pesticide Regulatory Strengthening in Central America (PMReG)
Working with other EPA offices and U.S. AID, OPP is providing technical asssistance to countries in Central America on the management and use of pesticides. This has involved training countries in the disposal of obsolete pesticides and strengthening laboratory analytical capacity to monitor pesticide residues on food. Currently, efforts are focused on assisting the countries in implementing international chemical conventions such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent.
U.S. National Profile on the Management of Chemicals
As called for by the IFCS, the U.S. and a number of other countries
developed National Profiles on the Management of Chemicals in January
1997. These National Profiles are intended to indicate current capabilities
and capacities for management of chemicals and identify program needs.
For a list of countries with national profiles, refer to UNITAR/IOMC
National Profile Programme. 
The U.S. National Profile is available for viewing or downloading in the
following formats:
1. Executive
Summary in HTML (view with a web browser); (50 K)
2 .Full Document
in Adobe Acrobat PDF; (380 K) [which require the Acrobat
Reader]
The U.S. National Profile is maintained here only as an example of the activity; some of the information may be outdated and thus other sources should be considered.
OPP International Visitor Program
OPP also maintains an extensive international visitor program, including arranging meetings for foreign visitors on specific topics of interest ranging from regulatory policies to scientific evaluation procedures. OPP is host to approximately 100 foreign guests each year. For more information, contact Richard Biava (biava.richard@epa.gov), 703-305-6405.
Chemicals Information Exchange Network
The EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances in which OPP is located, is addressing both of these problems as part of its technical assistance activities. In collaboration with the EPA Office of International Activities, the Agency for International Development (USAID), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), OPPTS is working to help regulatory officials in developing countries gain access to the Internet. OPPTS is also helping these persons to find the information they need, by providing training in the use of the Internet for targeted chemicals management information searches, and by creating better web-based guidance material.
OPPTS has developed a training program, "Using the Internet to Research Chemicals Management Questions," and has delivered this program in Mali, Nigeria, and Cote D'Ivoire as part of the pilot Chemicals Information Exchange Network project. UNEP will be delivering that same program in several other African countries. OPP trainers will also deliver courses in Mexico and Central America in the near future.
Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)
The IFCS was created at an intergovernmental meeting in Stockholm, Sweden in April 1994. An intergovernmental mechanism to better coordinate the international work on chemical safety was called for in Chapter 19 of the 1992 Agenda 21 report of the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development (U.N. CED or Rio Summit). The Forum strives to increase cooperation among governments for promotion of chemical risk assessment and the environmentally sound management of chemicals, including pesticides. The Forum is a non-institutional arrangement whereby representatives of governments meet together with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations with the aim of integrating and consolidating national and international efforts to promote chemical safety. IFCS work focuses on five program areas of Chapter 19:
(a) expanding and accelerating international assessment of chemical risks;
(b) harmonization of classification and labeling of chemicals;
(c) information exchange on toxic chemicals and chemical risks;
(d) establishment of risk reduction programs, including the disposal of obsolete chemicals and pesticide risk reduction; and pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTRs); and
(e) strengthening national capabilities and capacities for management of chemicals.
The IFCS fosters global and regional cooperation and coordination to
strengthen the sound management of chemicals. In FY 1996, the Forum worked
to build international consensus on the need to minimize use of twelve
persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are mostly banned by EPA but
are still used in a number of other countries (ref.
POPs section). IFCS also built international consensus to turn the
Prior Informed Consent voluntary process into a legally-binding instrument
(ref. PIC section). A number of other IFCS
initiatives are underway. For more information about the IFCS, refer to
the IFCS home page.
International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS)
The IPCS was created in 1972 to help achieve the early warning and prevention of harmful effects of chemicals to which humans were being increasingly exposed, and for the assessment of the potential risks to humans. The United Nations Environment Program (U.N. EP), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and World Health Organization (WHO) cooperate in the IPCS. A network of national, regional and international Participating Institutions, either governmental, intergovernmental or nongovernmental, participate in the IPCS by undertaking specific scientific or technical activities and providing financial and human resources.