抄録
With the “World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)” held in Johannesburg in 2002 as a turning point, today's chemicals management is based on agreement aiming that by 2020 chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse effects on human health and the environment, taking into consideration precautionary principles using risk assessment and management methods based on transparent science. A “Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)” has therefore been developed resulting in a clear paradigm shift from hazard-based management focusing only on conventional chemical substance-specific hazards to a risk-based management grounded on comprehensive scientific methods. In line with these trends and moves, both government and private sectors are developing various measures, while the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and the Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) are conducting various activities to resolve the challenging issues encountered. The ICCA has pledged practice of a “Responsible Care (RC) Global Charter” and a “Global Product Strategy (GPS)” to achieve the 2020 goal in 2006. In addition, the JCIA has commenced the “Japan Initiative of Product Stewardship (JIPS)” as a voluntary effort for chemicals management and issued risk assessment guidances to promote this approach. The present article first outlines risk management of chemicals and then introduces the risk assessment method using the ECETOC TRA tool for voluntary activity of the chemical industry (GPS/JIPS).
