Abstract
The sustainable management of chemicals and their associated wastes—especially legacy stockpiles—is always challenging. Developing countries face particular difficulties as they often have insufficient treatment and disposal capacity, have limited resources and many lack an appropriate and effective regulatory framework. This paper describes the objectives and the approach of the Egyptian–German Twinning Project under the European Neighbourhood Policy to improve the strategy of managing hazardous substances in the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) between November 2008 and May 2011. It also provides an introduction to the Republic of Egypt’s legal and administrative system regarding chemical controls. Subsequently, options for a new chemical management strategy consistent with the recommendations of the United Nations Chemicals Conventions are proposed. The Egyptian legal and administrative system is discussed in relation to the United Nations’ recommendations and current European Union legislation for the sound management of chemicals. We also discuss a strategy for the EEAA to use the existing Egyptian legal system to implement the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, the Stockholm Convention and other proposed regulatory frameworks. The analysis, the results, and the recommendations presented may be useful for other developing countries in a comparable position to Egypt aspiring to update their legislation and administration to the international standards of sound management of chemicals.
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Notes
A recent screening for potential persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals using thresholds defined under the European Chemical legislation REACH concluded that 2,930 chemicals (3.1 %) of the 95,000 assessed chemicals may exceed the persistent, toxic and bioaccumulative (PBT) criteria of REACH (Strempel et al. 2012).
The MED POL Programme (the marine pollution assessment and control component of the Mediterranean Action Plan) is responsible for the follow up work related to the implementation of the Land-Based Sources Protocol, the Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution from Land-Based Sources/Activities and of the dumping and Hazardous Wastes Protocols.
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We gratefully acknowledge the correction reading by Tim Newfield (www.tnewfields.info).
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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Burkhard O. Wagner is a former member of the German Federal Environment Agency (retired)
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Wagner, B.O., Aziz, E.R.A., Schwetje, A. et al. Recommendations on chemicals management policy and legislation in the framework of the Egyptian–German twinning project on hazardous substances and waste management. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 2087–2097 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1523-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1523-2