ICCA makes commitment to UNEA-3 to expand its Responsible Care program to combat pollution
At the third UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) meeting taking place this week, ICCA will make a commitment to combat pollution by expanding its Responsible Care program to continuously reduce emissions and increase global capacity to manage chemicals safely.
UNEA-3, held in Nairobi from 4-6 December under the theme “Towards a pollution-free planet”, has called on governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and other interested groups or institutions to join the fight against pollution.
ICCA is making its commitment on behalf of the global chemical industry. It recognizes that, as part of our everyday lives, chemistry is essential for sustainable development – and to realize the benefits of chemistry, we must handle chemicals safely.
ICCA promotes RC to continuously improve the implementation of sound chemicals management globally. The RC Pollution Prevention Code focuses on reducing contaminants and pollutants released to air, water, and land, as well as the amount of waste generated at facilities. The ICCA commitment to UNEA-3 is to work with members to:
- Continuously improve environmental, health, safety, and security performance
- Report on industry emissions (KPI and including through SAICM on its 20 indicators)
- Expand RC to five countries lacking chemicals management infrastructure by establishing local associations by 2030
- Deepen RC implementation in China and India, as Asia accounts for more than 60% of global chemicals production
- Support 30 capacity building workshops every year
- Develop computer-based trainings to reach SMEs
- Generate toxicological data on issues of human and environmental concern
- Innovate products and technologies that require fewer raw materials, contribute to emission reduction, and enable recycling/reduce waste
Resources to deliver the commitment have already been mobilized. ICCA already purposes over 50% of its annual budget to the implementation of RC and capacity building for safe chemicals management worldwide, and it also provides financial support to the SAICM Secretariat. The commitment is both financial and technical, with staff working as technical experts, serving as trainers and developing training materials. More than 220 workshops have been delivered over the past 10 years, and RC has been implemented by 62 associations in 67 economies.