Chemicals Management

Chemicals Management is one of the key issues in the area of environmental management. Chemicals management refers to the use of chemicals in a way that does not result in adverse impacts on human health and the environment. Although this issue is fairly new and still emerging, the Swaziland Environment Authority is already taking steps towards addressing it.
Currently SEA is implementing enabling activities towards the achievement of sound management of chemicals. One of these is the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).
SEA & UN Institute for Research & Training

Currently the Swaziland Environment Authority with the technical assistance of the United Nations Institute for Research and Training is running a project that is aimed at creating enabling environment for the implementation of sound management of chemicals in the country.

Part of the focus of this project was to compile a national chemicals profile which would be an indication of the current status of chemicals management in the country. This document was compiled through a multi-stakeholder consultation process and is available from the website under Projects.

Following the compilation of the National Chemicals Profile was followed by the drafting of the National Implementation Plan for Sound Management of Chemicals. This document has been recently validated by stakeholders and it outlines Swaziland’s roadmap towards achieving sound management of chemicals.

Two Partnership projects are also being run alongside, these are the Strategy for Eliminating Lead in Paint and the Strategy to Implement the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. These two documents are still in the draft stage.

POP’s

The current work that is being done includes developing the updated and reviewed NIP (National Implementation Plan). The process of doing so is being divided into five components or phases:
• The establishment of a coordinating mechanism and a process organization
• The establishment of POPs inventories and assessment of national infrastructure and capacity
• Priority assessment and objective setting
• Formulation of the NIP
• Endorsement and submission of the NIP

The ongoing work is now being focused on the establishment of POPs inventories and establishment of national infrastructure and capacity, as well as priority assessment and objective setting.

Chemicals Management

• The National Chemicals Profile is being finalized
• The National Implementation Plan has been validated by Stakeholders and at its final stages
• The two proposed partnership projects which are the Strategy to Eliminate Lead in Paint and the Strategy to Implement the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, are still in draft stage