Chemicals have been widely used in the industry and agriculture and the household lives and have thus become indispensable for developing the social productivity and improving the living quality of the people. Nevertheless, the chemicals is characterized by various categories and complex natures, in that, any negligence from the process of production, transportation and use will result in critical threat to the human health and ecological environment. The shadow from the disasters brought by the chemical pollution accidents is still lingered in the heart of the people. With the introduction of stringent management system and the progress of technologies, how to make the maximum use of the chemicals in an environmentally friendly manner, and seek for the benefit while avoiding the harm have become one of the major concerns for the international community.

The first meeting of the Intergovernmental Forum for Chemicals Safety was held in 1994. It was put forward that in order to strengthen the capabilities for chemical management of each country. A survey of the status quo on chemical management in each country should be conducted as soon as possible, so as to acquire the information on the source, nature, major purpose for use of chemicals in each country. And then make an overall assessment of the legislation, institutions, technologies, and infrastructure in this field, in a view of identifying the weak points and working out the measures for improvement. It was based on that, the National Profile on Chemical Safety Management should been brought about.

State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) of China has been attaching great importance to the management of chemicals and has taken part in all the important activities of IFCS, together with all the other competent departments. SEPA has conducted a survey of the status quo of the domestic chemical management and is now engaged in setting up the chemicals management system. In 1996, SEPA took the lead in organizing the experts and evaluated the major content, and expertise and funding needs for compiling China's Chemicals Management Profile. It has also translated the Technical Guidelines for Compiling the National Profile and Assessing the Capability of the Domestic Chemicals Management published by UNITAR into Chinese. By the end of 1998, SEPA and UNITAR signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Compiling China's Chemical Safety Management Mini-Profile.

And consecutively, SEPA, together with the State Trade and Economic Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, and State Chemicals and Petroleum Bureau set up the Coordinating Group for Compiling the National Profile and invited all the departments to recommend experts to form the Compiling Group for National Profile. Since then, the compilation of the mini national profile was formally launched. In the process of the compilation, the coordinating group convened many working group meetings for solving the specific problems encountered; and based on the broad solicitation of suggestions and advice from the competent departments and experts and with several redrafting, the National Mini-Profile for Sound Management of Chemicals was finally brought about after one year’s efforts.

This National Mini-Profile for Sound Management of Chemicals has systematically reflected the status quo of the chemical management in China, and filled up one of the vacuum in the field of chemical management. Presently, SEPA is conceiving the enactment of the law on chemical management, and while exploring the modes of environmental management, SEPA is planning to establish primarily the chemical environmental management system. It is convinced that the National Mini-Profile will play a positive role for the legal and capacity building in terms of chemical management in China.

                                                                                                                          Wang JiRong

                                                                                                                   Vice Minister of SEPA

                                                                                                                           Aug., 2000