Global policy perspectives on hazardous chemicals in the lifecycle of electronic products

In 2009, more than 100 governments declared hazardous chemicals in the lifecycle of electrical and electronic products to be an emerging policy issue meriting global action under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). Subsequently, four UN regions passed resolutions on the topic and an international expert workshop was convened in Vienna by the Basel Convention Secretariat, Stockholm Convention Secretariat, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The Vienna workshop gathered 32 government representatives from both electronics manufacturing countries and countries affected by electronic waste along with industry and NGO representatives. The group reached consensus agreement on 13 Key Messages along with detailed recommendations on upstream (design), midstream (production and use), and downstream (wastes) issues. The presentation will discuss key policy issues and proposals on this topic from the perspective of developing and transition countries where most electronic products are manufactured and where millions of tons of products are illegally dumped as wastes.