Regional Workshop for Central and Eastern Europe 19-20 March 2019, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Friday, 29 March 2019
IPENers from ten countries participated in a regional workshop organized by UNEP on the theme of promoting regulatory and voluntary action by government and industry to phase out lead in paint. IPEN's work, together with its participating organizations, was highlighted throughout the workshop, including presentations of the role of civil society, paint studies conducted in the region and working with SMEs to facilitate the phase out of lead from paint. Activities to eliminate lead paint by Greenwomen in Kazakhstan and Mama-86 in Ukraine were also presented, along with with information shared from the floor by several IPEN POs. Group discussions during the second day of the workshop provided additional opportunities for IPENers to provide their experiences and expertise in order to develop national approaches mapping out how new regulations on lead paint could be adopted, or existing ones strengthened.
Please note that some versions include track changes. Tracked changes were used to signal text proposals for the Co-Chairs’ paper. This was done so that people did not think the document was unfinished.
Read more about IPEN's vision for the future of chemical safety in our Perspectives for OEWG-3here.
Learn more about IPEN's activities during the OEWG-3 here.
The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) will hold its 3rd Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-3) from 2- 4 April, 2019 in Montevideo, Uruguay and IPEN will participate. SAICM is the only international agreement that addresses the full range of known and newly discovered health and environmental concerns associated with the production and use of chemicals. The 2006 decision that established SAICM expires in 2020 and now there is a global process (the "Beyond 2020" process) to determine what comes next.
The Beyond 2020 process has one required result: It must, “develop recommendations regarding measurable objectives in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” In response, the IPEN Steering Committee adopted a one-page Toxics-Free Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Pledge in October 2018 that explains actions for a toxics-free future that are essential for sustainable development. This reflects a series of papers on relevant Beyond 2020 topics developed by IPEN and the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) in 2017, including measurable objectives in support of Agenda 2030.
Public Interest Organizations Cheer “Big Win” for Health and the Environment
Thursday, 07 March 2019
Press Release
Gothenburg, Sweden A European Commission decision to allow a Canadian company to sell pigments for paints containing highly dangerous chemicals has today been deemed illegal.
Environmental organisations have welcomed a ruling by the Tribunal of the EU that overturns the authorisation granted to Dominion Colour Corporation (DCC) to supply red and yellow lead chromate pigments to European markets.
IPEN and its partner organisations are continuing the fight against the use of lead chromates in paints.
The legal challenge brought in 2017 by IPEN, the International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec), ClientEarth and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is still ongoing. The case challenges a decision of the European Commission allowing the use of two highly hazardous pigments in road markings and painting industrial machines.