M8.4 Chemical Policy Reform



What is the Louisville Charter for Safer Chemicals? 
The Charter is consists of six background papers that describe the six key principles needed to regulate chemicals and change the economy for clean and safe chemical production and distribution. Implementation of these principles will require polices that mirror the principles to protect the health and well-being of people, provide information for both consumers and manufactures to make sounds decisions regarding the chemicals they choose to utilize and cause change in the economy by providing incentives for environmentally conscious businesses.

Background Paper #2
Of the six background papers, I've chosen to focus on Background Paper #2 which focuses on the phasing out of persistent organic pollutants, Bioaccumulative and/or Highly Toxic Chemicals which are also known as PBT. 

1.What are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP): Defined by the Stockholm Convention asToxic
  • Has the potential to accumulate in unhealthy quantities in humans and animals
  • They are stable and thus resistant to natural breakdown
  • They can be transported over long distances through the atmosphere and oceans
POPs have been shown to adversely affect human health and the environment. They have been linked to cancer, damage to the nervous system, reproductive disorders, and weakening of the immune system.
2.What, how and why are Chemicals  Bioaccumulative: 
The accumulation of chemical contaminants by the species in concentations that are orders of magnitude greater than in the surrounding environment.
Bioaccumulation is the sum of two processes: bioconcentration and biomagnification.
  • Bioconcentration is the direct uptake of a substance by a living organism from the medium (e.g., water) via skin, gills, or lungs, whereas Biomagnification results from dietary uptake.
Problem Statement :Chemicals such as lindane, lead compounds, and some brominated flame retardants and organophosphate pesticides are examples of persistent, bioaccumulative, and/or highly toxic chemicals that continue to be used in commerce, although strong evidence exists that they pose threats to human and ecosystem health.
Due to the nature of these chemicals it is challenging to monitor their presence to eliminate them, therefore a policy is needed to mandate the complete elimination of these chemicals. PBT pollutants need to phased out and this is a laborious process that will require extensive regulatory measures by the government.National initial assessments will need to conducted to determine the extent of PBT pollutants in the environment. Data from the assessment will be used to determine the manufacturers of the pollutants, what bans need to be placed on the production and exportation of the pollutants and how the pollutant can to be cleaned up.
References:
https://smartpolicyreform.org/the-charter/background-papers-for-the-louisville-charter/background-paper-2
https://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/chemicalpollution/83009.htm


Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 20, 2018 at 2:15 PM

    Hi Claudia,

    Thanks for sharing additional information about POPs and bioaccumulation. This made me realize that I was using bioaccumulation and biomagnification interchangeably when they aren't in fact interchangeable. As I previously mentioned, my lit review was focused on DDT which is known as one of the most harmful POPs.

    You mention, "PBT pollutants need to phased out and this is a laborious process that will require extensive regulatory measures by the government. National initial assessments will need to be conducted to determine the extent of PBT pollutants in the environment." Although I agree with you that it may be challenging to phase out POPs, especially because they are so widely used in many industries, we have been able to successfully do it before. I'd suggest looking into the strategies that were used to ban DDT and approach the ban of other POPs in a similar manner.

    ReplyDelete
  2. snaymallickOctober 21, 2018 at 7:38 PM

    Hi Claudia,

    Most definitely that due to the nature of the chemicals, it can be extremely difficult to monitor them. Researchers and public health officials must take the proper precautions to eliminate chemical exposure and try their best to eliminate the potency of chemicals in the environment.

    ReplyDelete

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