Monitoring toxic chemicals during their entire life cycle

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends undertaking concerted activity to reduce risks for toxic chemicals, taking into account the entire life cycle of the chemicals. These activities could encompass both regulatory and non-regulatory measures, such as: promoting the use of cleaner products and technologies; emission inventories; product labelling; use limitations; economic incentives; the phasing out or banning of toxic chemicals that pose an unreasonable and otherwise unmanageable risk to the environment or human health, and those that are toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative and whose use cannot be adequately controlled.

Agenda 21 also recommends cooperating with international organizations, where appropriate, to effectively monitor and control the generation, manufacturing, distribution, transportation and disposal activities relating to toxic chemicals, to foster preventive and precautionary approaches and ensure compliance with safety management rules, and to provide accurate reporting of relevant data.