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Chemicals management Community awareness A strategy has been developed and published. Programmes are being carried out by MARGs. Current comprehensive activities Two comprehensive activities are being implemented to develop off-site emergency plans, provide training to Local Crisis Groups, enforcement officials and MAH units, and give guidance on testing of plans. It is also planned to establish an APELL Sub- Centre in Tuticorin. The Trans-Hazmat experiences will be implemented in two districts: one in Tuticorin, south India, and the other in Haldia, West Bengal The NAC newsletter, specific case studies, information sheets and our regular periodicals are being used to propagate lessons learned at the national level. 8 These lessons will also be discussed at our National Conference in 2005 in New Delhi. Notes 1. For UNEP’s APELL programme (including TransAPELL), see www.uneptie.org/pc/apell. 2. The Manali-Ennore Industrial Area near Chennai, southern India; the Thane-Belapur Industrial Area near Mumbai, western India; Cochin, southern India; Kanpur, northern India; Haldia, eastern India; Vadodara, western India. 3. Under India’s Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, notified in 1996 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 4. MAHs are statutorily identified. 5. Under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. 6. Benzene is a clear, colourless liquid used in production of plastics, paints, rubber and resins. It is highly flammable. Inhaling benzene can also have harmful health effects. 7. Their combined fleet strength was 2000 and 3000 vehicles, respectively. 8. Publications developed, published and disseminated at the national level include: a list of approved Hazmat Driver Training Centres under the CMV Rules, 1989 (copies available from different States); NAC newsletter, begun in June 2002 (two issues have been published and 7000 copies have been mailed to key APELL Partners, including members of Crisis Groups and NSCI members); information sheet giving a résumé of important statutory provisions on Trans-Hazmat under different legislation, based on feedback from the traffic police officers’ workshop; case study on the Hazmat emergency response van, based on successful experience in the Patalganga- Rasayani area. ◆ 64 ◆ UNEP Industry and Environment April – September 2004
Chemicals management Transparency and communities’ right-to-know: working towards better disaster management through the OECD Marie-Chantal Huet, Administrator, OECD Chemical Accidents Programme, Environment, Health and Safety Division, OECD, Paris, OECD, 2 rue André Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France (marie-chantal.huet@oecd.org) Summary Governments and industry are increasingly making efforts to share information on chemical safety. There are many national and international legal tools to ensure communities’ rightto-know. In this regard, the OECD has developed guidance and adopted a number of Decisions and Recommendations related to chemical safety. Communication with the public is a joint responsibility of government, industry and the community, and public-private partnership is essential. Society generally benefits when information about the risks of chemical operations is shared broadly. Nevertheless, there is concern that making certain types of information publicly available could endanger security. Résumé Les gouvernements et l’industrie font de plus en plus d’efforts pour échanger l’information sur la sécurité chimique. Il existe de nombreux instruments juridiques nationaux et internationaux pour garantir aux citoyens le droit de savoir. De son côté, l’OCDE a émis des avis et a adopté un certain nombre de décisions et recommandations relatives à la sécurité chimique. La communication avec le public est la responsabilité conjointe du gouvernement, de l’industrie et des citoyens et la coopération entre secteur public et secteur privé est, à cet égard, essentielle. La société a généralement tout à gagner à échanger le plus largement possible l’information sur les risques liés aux activités impliquant des produits chimiques. Le risque que la communication au public de certaines informations mette en péril la sécurité suscite cependant certaines inquiétudes. Resumen Los sectores gubernamentales e industriales dedican cada vez más esfuerzos al intercambio de información sobre seguridad en la gestión de sustancias químicas. Existen múltiples herramientas legales nacionales e internacionales para proteger el derecho de las comunidades a estar informadas. En este sentido, la OCDE ha publicado directrices y ha adoptado una serie de Decisiones y Recomendaciones vinculadas a la seguridad en la gestión de sustancias químicas. La comunicación con el público en general es responsabilidad conjunta de los gobiernos, las industrias y las comunidades, y el establecimiento de alianzas entre el sector público y el sector privado desempeña un papel crucial. Por regla general, la sociedad se beneficia cuando se difunde ampliamente la información acerca de los riesgos que implica la gestión de sustancias químicas. No obstante, existe el temor de que difundir cierto tipo de información podría poner en riesgo la seguridad. Members of the public who might be affected in the event of an accident at a hazardous installation have a right to the appropriate information, so that they will be aware of the hazards and risks arising from such installations in their community, and so that they can act appropriately should an accident occur. Communication with the public is a joint responsibility of government, industry and the community. Communication channels need to be two-way. Members of the community should participate in the development and implementation of communication programmes. Governments and industry are increasingly making efforts to share with the public information on chemical safety, including preparedness and response. One of the main topics concerns the possible effects of chemical releases caused accidentally. Governments and industry also agree that decisions on the management of related risks should be made transparent to the public. Community right-to-know: a legal requirement There are a number of national and international legal tools to ensure the community’s right-toknow. Examples are: ◆ The EC “Seveso II” Directive on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances includes Article 13, on information on safety measures and availability of safety reports to the public; ◆ The UNECE “Aarhus” Convention is built on three pillars: access to information (article 4-5), public participation in decision-making (article 6- 8) and access to justice in environmental matters (article 9); ◆ The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Programme (RMP) includes a part on public availability of information; ◆ Through the Responsible Care Programme (developed and adopted by chemical industry associations), companies agree to report their goals and progress to the public; ◆ The OECD Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response includes a chapter on communication with the public. Sharing information: communication with the public The OECD Chemical Accidents Programme works on developing guidance on prevention of, preparedness for and response to chemical accidents, and on facilitating sharing of information and experience among both OECD and non- OECD countries. This work is carried out in cooperation with other international organizations, including UNEP, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). Its major products include: the Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response (which consists of guidance for public authorities, industry and communities); the Guidance on Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) to help those stakeholders develop safety programmes; and the Chemical Accident Risk Assessment Thesaurus (CARAT), a data base containing analyses of laws, regulations, policies, definitions and case studies. All these tools are easily accessible on the internet (see References below). The OECD has also adopted a number of Council Acts related to chemical safety. Two of them are relevant to information exchange: ◆ The Decision on the Exchange of Information concerning Accidents Capable of Causing Transfrontier Damage requires that member countries exchange information and consult one another, with the objective of preventing accidents capable of causing transfrontier damage and reducing damage should an accident occur. Member coun- UNEP Industry and Environment April – September 2004 ◆ 65
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