The Commonwealth of Dominica is signatory to a number of multilateral environmental agreements including Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel conventions. In support of this goal, the Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS) in collaboration with the GEF SGP will focus on implementing the national initiative towards the management of chemicals on island. The National Chemicals Management Program aims to build country’s capacity to manage chemicals and waste, in line with the UNEP Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management objectives. Such a programme will address chemicals of concern including those in promotion of chemicals management measures through the revision of relevant laws and regulations in support of its concept, while positioning chemical management as a measure with international viewpoint based on SAICM and setting up the Inter-Ministerial Meeting on SAICM within the Government in order to implement better communication and coordination of the programme’s activities.
The Dominica Bureau of Standards is therefore working with all relevant Ministries and Agencies involved with environment development, sustainable livelihoods and socio-economic development. In compliance with this aim, the Dominica Bureau of Standards is currently conducting a national awareness programme with respect to a “strategic approach to chemicals management programme” on the basis of UNEP SAICM Implementation policy. SAICM, “Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)” is a global policy framework for implementation and action plans with reference to the management of Chemicals. The policy was initially adopted at the First International Conference on Chemicals Management in 2006 to address the World Summit on Sustainable Development Goal, “that chemical are utilized and produced in ways that lead to the reduction of substantial adverse effects on human health and the environment.”
As part of the general development directive detailed by the National Resilience Development Strategy 2018 – 2030 and the Dominica National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2014-2020, initiatives to reduce environmental degradation and improve methods of protection of natural resources are in continuous development in Dominica. To date, Dominica has faced a number challenges with reference to the availability of technical capacity, which preclude the baseline assessments essential for the implementation of a national approach to the sound management of chemicals and waste. Accordingly, a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to strengthen the regulative framework and capacity for chemicals management is currently being undertaken.
One of the key objectives of the Inter-Ministerial Meeting on SAICM is to review the recommended measures for chemicals management based on SAICM and SAICM National Implementation Plan of the Commonwealth of Dominica as the future strategy for addressing the “World Summit on Sustainable Development Goal.”
