Sweden is hosting an international conference on chemicals

Sweden will be hosting an international conference on chemicals and waste on 13–15 March. The conference is about developing a new global goal structure for chemicals and waste that is to apply beyond 2020.

Approximately 400 stakeholders from around the world will be convening in Solna, near Stockholm, on 13–15 March to discuss how to give shape to a new global framework for chemicals. Sweden is hosting the meeting together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment). The Swedish Chemicals Agency is arranging the meeting on behalf of the Government of Sweden. Before the start of the conference, the Minister for the Environment Karolina Skog will host an informal high-level segment on Monday 12 March in which government representatives will participate.

The current global goal for the safe handling of chemicals was adopted in 2002 and is valid until 2020. In order to spur efforts to achieve this goal, an international chemicals strategy has been in place since 2006: the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). An international process has been initiated under the UN Environment Programme with the aim of producing recommendations regarding a new global goal for chemicals and waste beyond 2020 as well, together with a strategy for its implementation. The meeting in Sweden is the second in a series of meetings during this process. By the time of the next SAICM meeting in 2020 the new goal structure and the new strategy should have been fully developed.

For further information visit the SAICM website External link.

Press release from the Government of Sweden (in Swedish) External link.