On Tuesday, the 18th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC-18) considered follow-up to Monday's contact group discussions on two chemicals and started reviews of notifications of final regulatory action (FRA) on three more chemicals.
Chair Noluzuko Gwayi opened Tuesday's session by reminding all members that they must come prepared and serve in their personal capacity as experts, not representing national interests, and that CRC-18 cannot open decisions taken by past CRCs. She further explained that while their technical training may prompt them to always seek risk assessments, the Rotterdam Convention calls for a risk evaluation, which is different than risk assessment. She also reminded observers that when the Committee is in decision-making mode, only members can take part in deliberations.
The plenary heard reports back from contact groups regarding FRAs for the pesticides chlorfenvinphos and methidathion. On the former, the contact group reported that they decided Mozambique's FRA on chlorfenvinphos did meet all Rotterdam Convention criteria. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to draft a rationale on the Mozambique FRA. Since this FRA’s acceptance now means there are two FRAs accepted from two regions, the Committee further agreed to draft a Decision Guidance Document (DGD), which, if agreed, would recommend to the Convention's Conference of the Parties (COP) that they list the chemical under the Convention’s prior informed consent (PIC) procedure. An afternoon contact group session edited the draft DGD on chlorfenvinphos prepared by the Secretariat.
Regarding methidathion, the contact group reported that Mozambique's FRA meets all criteria, so the Committee tasked the Secretariat with drafting a rationale for its use in a future DGD once a second FRA is accepted from another region.
In its review of FRAs involving three other pesticides, the Committee examined those on carbaryl, paraquat, and thiodicarb. On carbaryl, the Committee decided that FRAs from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey do not meet all Convention criteria and referred the Mozambique FRA to a contact group for further discussion. In an afternoon contact group session, no consensus was reached on the Mozambique FRA.
On paraquat, the Committee agreed that Malaysia's FRA meets all criteria, but referred Mozambique's FRA to an evening contact group for further discussion. Similarly on thiodicarb, the Committee said Turkey’s FRA did not meet all the criteria, but referred Mozambique's to a contact group for more discussion.
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Selected Images
Victorine Augustine Pinas, Suriname - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Carles Escriva, Germany - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Clorence Matewe, Zimbabwe - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Judite Dipane, Latvia - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Jonah Ormond, Antigua and Barbuda - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Qinghong Pu, Australia - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
The observer from the Camara de Industria de Guatemala seeks to intervene - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Hassan Azhar, Maldives - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco
Christian Sekomo Birame, Rwanda - Photo courtesy of José Pinto-Bazurco