The Workshop on the Implementation of the Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances Held in Shanghai Shanghai, Feb. 22, 2006----The Workshop on the Implementation of the Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances (ICPEANCS), which was organized by the Chemical Registration Center of SEPA (State Environmental Protection Administration of China) and DSM China, was held in DSM China Headquarters in Shanghai this morning. This is the first time that the SEPA has cooperated with an enterprise and carried out training and communication on the topic of the regulation of chemicals. The workshop aims to promote the Implementation of the Provisions on Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances and other related regulations. It also focuses on the communication between government and enterprises about the experience of governing chemical substances. Executives from Division of Solid Wastes and Toxic Chemicals Management in SEPA’s Pollution Control Department, the Chemical Registration Center of SEPA and the Chemical Registration Center of State Administration of Work Safety attended the two-day workshop together with over 30 delegates from different related operation departments in DSM Group and DSM China. The chemicals discussed play an essential role in people’s daily lives. Although these chemicals have satisfied human needs, the chemicals also bring negative effects to the environment. Therefore, chemical governing has become one of the hottest issues in global environmental protection. “How to effectively capitalize on the benefits of chemicals while simultaneously minimizing the risks they pose has become the basic guideline for countries all over the world. It is a goal that the Chinese Government is committed to pursuing in the future,” said the Solid Waste and Chemical Governing Management in SEPA’s Pollution Control Department. Properly declaring and checking chemical substance is one of the most important acts our country must put in place to meet the needs of global chemical regulation and our commitments to the WTO. On September 12th, 2003, SEPA issued Regulations on the Environmental Administration of New Chemical Substances, requiring that companies register with SEPA before importing or producing new chemical substances in China. The registration of chemical substances is a new management area in China, and it will require further promotion of the systems, processes, and frameworks and so on. By collaborating with enterprises on further improvement and introduction of new rules, the Government is very active in making the current regulation practical. DSM warmly welcomes and supports collaboration with the government on this legislation “DSM integrates the Triple P ambitions of People, Planet and Profit into its strategic sustainable development,” said Stefan Sommer, president of DSM China. “The policy focuses on environmental protection and safety for DSM’s workforce while achieving continued business growth. As a world-leading chemical specialty company, DSM is fully aware of its responsibility to the community and the environment and this is recognized by our No. 1 position in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for Chemical Companies worldwide. Here in China we are also committed to complying with Chinese environmental laws and regulations and giving Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) the highest possible priority.” “This seminar represents a start in the establishment of a beneficial relationship between specialty chemical companies and the State Environmental Protection Administration of China (SEPA). Such a relationship encourages companies to learn about and voluntarily abide by the regulations. The seminar also initiated an interactive model, which combines government monitoring and voluntary involvement by the companies,” a relative personnel in SEPA says, ”In many foreign countries, management principles such as ‘public-private partnership’, ‘voluntary involvement by companies’ and ‘the extension of manufacturers’ responsibilities’, have proved successful. This is also in line with concepts advocated by the Chinese government, such as ‘the scientific development principle’ and ‘the establishment of an environmentally friendly society’. In recent years, SEPA has published a series of related laws and regulations, such as the Regulation on prevention and control of hazardous chemicals, Measures on Prevention and Control of Pollution from Disused Hazardous Chemicals, etc. In addition to this, following The State Council’s Decision on Implementation of the Scientific Development Principle and Reinforcement of Environmental Protection, China will launch laws on forbidding chemical pollution and establish strict admittance rules. -Ends- For More Information: State Environmental Protection Administration of China Liu Chunxin TEL: 010 6655 6259 FAX: 010 6655 6252
DSM China Robyn Wang TEL: 021 6141 8003 EMAIL: Robyn.wang@dsm.com |