dc.description.abstract | Currently in Taiwan, industrial chemicals are regulated by different government authorities according to their applications and properties. However, effective chemical substances management is highly challenging due to large quantities of existing and new chemicals, wide scope of chemical use, and complexities for regulating the import and export of chemical substances. This study attempts to develop an integrated management scheme and approach to achieve effective management of industrial chemicals to prevent harms to the general public and the environment in the life cycle of high-risk industrial chemicals.
Basis for this study are international chemical management systems or directives such as SAICM (Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management), REACH(Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances), GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals), ILO Convention, IPCS (International Programme on Chemical Safety), OECD (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD), RC (Responsible Care), and regulations on chemical substances of developed countries such as America, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia. The proposed integrated management scheme of industrial chemicals is designed after careful comparision of national industrial chemicals management regulations, chemicals registration and database requirements, chemical risk assessment management, workplace safety rules on the use of chemical substances and competent authorities for chemical management in Taiwan. A case study, using the chemical substances management practices of a world class chemical company, is conducted to outline the basic principles of the proposed management system. It is expected to provide the experience of the established integrated industrial chemicals management system and approach to industrial chemicals enterprises by its characteristics of the international chemical management tendency compliance.
It is believed that objectives of integrated industrial chemicals management can be achieved through registration and a chemical substances database, risk assessment and management, regulations, implementation of chemicals self-management system, establishment of chemical hazard analysis labs and a centralized chemicals management organization, etc. Implementation strategy, benefits and limitations of the proposed integrated industrial chemicals management system are also presented. | en_US |