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Canada and Russia have again taken the lead in blocking the listing of chrysotile asbestos on a major international toxics convention, despite the clear obligation for the listing based on scientific evidence of the substance's harm.
"Canada and Russia's objections to listing chrysotile asbestos are embarrassingly self-interested, protecting domestic exporters interested in selling this dangerous chemical abroad," said Clifton Curtis, Director of WWF's Global Toxics Programme. "Chrysotile unequivocally meets the Rotterdam Convention's requirements, and those governments opposing its listing blatantly disregarded the treaty obligations."
At a special, one-day meeting today in Geneva under the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, participating governments were asked to include the chrysotile asbestos on Annex III of the Convention - an early warning "watch-list" that alerts governments to chemicals of special concern.
Under Convention rules, such a listing must be based on a finding that governments in at least 2 regions have taken action to restrict or ban the substance, subject to agreed criteria, and that the Convention's chemical review committee agrees that those actions were taken to protect human health. Governments from 3 regions - Australia, Chile, and the European Community - notified the Convention Secretariat of their regulatory actions, based on findings that chrysotile asbestos is carcinogenic to humans, and the review committee found their actions provided a basis for its listing on Annex III.
Nonetheless, the governments of Canada and Russia took the lead in blocking its listing, based on their efforts to protect domestic exporters of chrysotile asbestos, replicating a similar blocking action taken on the same substance at the previous convention meeting in July 2003. Several governments from developing countries and countries with economies in transition joined them in opposition to the listing.
Under Rotterdam Convention rules, once a substance is listed on Annex III's watch list, Parties are requested to make an informed decision whether they consent to the future import of the chemical. Following the one-day meeting, the Convention's Parties will meet in Geneva on 20-25 September 2004 for the first Conference of Parties (COP), given that the Convention reached the required 50 government ratifications for its entry into force in November 2003. Over 75 countries have now ratified the Rotterdam Convention.
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