IFCS Indicators of Progress
Priorities for Action beyond 2000
and
Forum Recommendations
QUESTIONNAIRE
Please provide the information described on the following pages concerning your country,
giving the current status, and, to the extent possible, that foreseen in the near future.
Important Note:
At its 63rd meeting, the IFCS Forum Standing Committee (FSC) recommended that the
IFCS Secretariat post completed questionnaires on the IFCS website, to increase
transparency and for ease of reference.
Please check the following box if your country does NOT wish to have its completed
questionnaire posted for public viewing on the IFCS website: □
If you do not check this box, your completed country questionnaire will be posted at
www.ifcs.ch following its submission.
Please complete:
COUNTRY: Republic of Latvia
Reporting year:
2006
(circle appropriate year)
2007
2008
1
1.
NATIONAL CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES FOR CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT
Priorities for Action E1 and E21
1a)
Has a comprehensive National Chemicals Management Profile, or other
equivalent strategic national plan, been developed
through a multi-stakeholder process2?
National Profile
Yes
□
Other equivalent strategic national plan
No
X
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes" to either of the above, please indicate the original publication date and
the date(s) of any revisions.
National Environmental Policy Plan (2004 – 2008)
If "Yes" to either of the above, please list all ministries, agencies and
organizations that participated:
Ministry of the Environment, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology
Agency (LEGMA), State Environmental Service, Environmental Impact
Assessment Bureau
Ministry of Health, Health Inspectorate, Public Health Agency
Ministry of Welfare, State Labour Inspectorate
Ministry of Economics, Consumer Rights Protection Centre
If "No", is your country in the process of developing or planning on developing a
Comprehensive National Chemicals Management Profile?
Yes
□ Expected completion date ___________ No □
If "No", have equivalent measures such as a government investigation on
chemical safety followed by legislative measures been undertaken?
Yes
□
No
□
If "Yes", please describe:
1
The Priorities for Action Beyond 2000 may be viewed on the IFCS website at www.ifcs.ch.
A multi-stakeholder process is a process involving all concerned national ministries and other government
institutions, as well as other interested national parties.
2
2
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
1b)
Has your country developed any of the following on the sound management of
chemicals?
National Policies
If yes, please
provide year
completed.
2004 (part of the
National
Environmental
Protection Policy
Plan (20042008))
If development is in progress,
please provide the expected
completion year?
No
National Priorities
National Strategies
National Action Plans
1c)
2002 (guidelines
version)
2006 – Safe
Chemicals
Management
included as part
of the
Government
Action Plan
Has your country established an inter-ministerial/intersectoral coordinating
mechanism (e.g. committee or body) to facilitate the comprehensive treatment of
chemical safety issues?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes":
What is the name of the "mechanism"?
Working Group on Chemical Safety
When was it established?
March 2004; strengthened in 2006, involving higher policy level stakeholders.
2.
CLASSIFICATION AND LABELLING OF CHEMICALS
Priority for Action B1
2a)
Has your country initiated work to adopt and implement the Globally Harmonized
System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)?
Yes
X
No
□
3
If "Yes", what is the expected date (year) GHS will be fully operational?
EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 is in
force since 20 January 2009. It foresees transitional periods 1 December 2010 and
1 June 2015 for substances and mixtures respectively.
2b)
Has your country ratified and implemented ILO Convention 170 on Safety in the
Use of Chemicals at Work3, or instituted comparable measures?
Yes
3.
X
No
□
NATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON HAZARDOUS
CHEMICALS
Priority for Action C1
3a)
What arrangements are operational in your country for the exchange of
information on hazardous chemicals? Please describe.
Please indicate if the established infrastructure includes:
1) website where national partners can gain access to chemical information
sources,
Yes
X
No
□
2) institutional directory listing sources of information
Yes
4.
X
No
□
NATIONAL PROCEDURES ON SAFETY INFORMATION FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN
CIRCULATION
Priority for Action C3
4a)
Does your country have procedures in place to ensure that any hazardous material
put into circulation is accompanied, at a minimum, by appropriate and reliable
safety information that is easy to access, read and understand?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes":
Are the procedures consistent with the safety data sheets of the 1990 International
Labour Organization Chemicals Convention (No.170)?
3
ILO Convention 170 may be viewed on the ILO website at:
http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm
4
Yes
X
No
□
Do they conform to the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification and
Labelling Of Chemicals?
Yes
5.
X
No
□
ECOLOGICALLY SOUND AND INTEGRATED STRATEGIES FOR PEST MANAGEMENT
Priority for Action D1
5a)
Has your country prepared integrated pest management strategies?
Yes
□
No
X (partly covered by the Public Health Strategy)
If "Yes", were national studies done to develop the strategies?
Yes
6.
□
No
□
OBSOLETE STOCKS OF PESTICIDES AND OTHER CHEMICALS
Priority for Action D2
6a)
Are there any obsolete stocks of pesticides and/or other chemicals in your
country?
Yes
*
X*
No
□
Stocks of PCBs containing oils are meant here. Previously reported stocks of waste,
containing DDT and Toxaphene, are already completely destroyed.
6b)
Has your country prepared an action plan for disposal of obsolete stocks of
pesticides and other chemicals?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes", has the action plan been implemented?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes", has the action plan been completed?
Yes
□
No
X
If "No", is work in progress to prepare complete an action plan?
Yes
X If yes, what is the expected completion date (year)?
5
__2009__
No
7.
□
If no, why not? _________________________________________
NATIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PREVENTION OF MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS AND
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE
Priority for Action D4
7a)
Has your country implemented a national system for emergency preparedness and
response, in accordance with international principles 4?
Yes
X
No
□
If "No", is work in progress to implement the system?
Yes
7b)
No
□
Is there a national law requiring the system?
Yes
7c)
□ expected completion date (year)? _______________
X
No
□
Has your country ratified and implemented ILO Convention 174 5 on Prevention
of Major Industrial Accidents?
Yes
X
No
□
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
8.
□
No
□
INTERNATIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF PESTICIDES
8a)
Has your government implement the revised International Code of Conduct on
the Distribution and Use of Pesticides (November 2002) 6 as the basis for a
comprehensive life cycle approach to pesticide management ?
Yes
X
No
□
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
4
Ref. OECD Second Edition 2003 Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and
Response, undertaken in cooperation with other international organizations, including ILO, IMO, UNECE,
UNEP, UNOCHA (UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit) and WHO.
5
ILO Convention 170 may be viewed on the ILO website at:
http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/english/convdisp1.htm
6
The International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides may be viewed at:
http://www.fao.org/AG/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/
6
Yes
8b)
□
No
□
Have the provisions of the Code of Conduct been implemented through other
pieces of legislation or by other means?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes", please briefly describe.
Plant Protection Law and series of Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers issued
in accordance with this Law.
Law on Chemical Substances and Chemical Preparations.
______________________________________________________________
9.
POISON CENTRES
Priority for Action D7
9a)
Have poison centre(s) been established in your country?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes", please indicate classification level for each poison centre:
WHO Status of Development Classification
well-established centres, the full range of clinical analytical and other relevant facilities
A
and cover the whole country.
well-established centres, but lack some of the related facilities or do not provide full
B
coverage to the country. These centres require further development in order to meet
the ideal criteria for centres given in the IPCS Guidelines
certain facilities for poison control, but require major support to develop further areas
C
of activities, according to the criteria in the IPCS Guidelines, and should expand
coverage through the country.
Centre (Name &
location)
Poison Centre,
Clinic
“Gailezers”, Riga
Eastern
Unisversity
Hospital,
2 Hipocrate
Street, Riga,
Latvia, LV 1038
Date
Established
1987
Classification initial
B
State Poison
Centre
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Classification 2000
B
Poison Centre of
Riga
Municipality
Classification current
B
Poison Centre of
Clinical University
Hospital
9b)
Is strengthening of poison centers planned?
If "Yes", for what time period?
___________________________
9c)
If there are no established poison centres in your country, is work under way in
your country to establish a poison control centre with related chemical and
analytical facilities for the first time?
Yes
□
No
□
If "Yes" when do you expect the poison control centre to be operational? Please
provide location and date (year).
________________________________________________________
10.
POLLUTANT RELEASE AND TRANSFER REGISTERS/EMISSION INVENTORIES
Priority for Action D8
10a)
Has your country established:
An air emission inventory?
Yes
X
□
No
A land emission inventory?
Yes
X
No
□
A water emission inventory?
Yes
X
No
□
A waste inventory?
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Yes
X
No
□
A Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR)?
Yes
X
No
□
If "No", is work being initiated to design a PRTR or emission inventory
system?
Yes
□
No
□
10 b) Has your country implemented a system comparable to the PRTR (e.g. the
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)?
Yes
11.
X
No
□
PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL TRAFFIC IN TOXIC & DANGEROUS PRODUCTS
Priority for Action F
11a)
Has your country developed a national strategy, or other national measures (e.g.
legislation, action plans) for the prevention of illegal traffic in toxic and
dangerous products?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes", when was it prepared? Please indicate date (year)
National Customs Board ratified and sent to State Revenue Service customs
authorities special guidelines on customs controls on shipments of waste according to
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006 of the European parliament and of the Council on shipments
of waste.
There is export control measure of dangerous chemicals in the database of Integrated
Tariff of the European Communities (TARIC) from 1th of November, 2008.
Customs Offices of national administration have access to database of Export Import
of Dangerous Chemicals (EDEXIM) where the necessary data for box 44 of Single
Administrative Document are available. The national guidelines regarding application of
export control measure of dangerous chemicals in customs clearance process have been sent
to the local customs offices in the beginning of November, 2008.
12.
Children and Chemical Safety (Forum IV Recommendation)
12a)
Has your government prepared, through multi-stakeholder consultation,
initial national assessments of children’s environmental health and
chemical safety?
9
Yes
□
No
X
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
12b)
X
No
□
Has your government taken action to promote harmonized data collection,
research, legislation and regulations, and the use of indicators of children’s
environmental health?
Yes
X
No
□
If "Yes", please briefly describe:
Public Health Agency has provided investigation (questionnaire) “Impact of
Environmental Factors on the Health of inhabitants of Latvia”.
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
□
No
□
13. HAZARD DATA GENERATION (Forum IV Recommendation)
13a)
Has your government established national priorities for information
generation for chemicals that are not produced in high volumes?
Yes
□
No
X*
It is done within the EU system established by the REACH Regulation
(EC) No. 1907/2006.
If "No", are efforts under way to do so?
Yes
□
No
□
Other Forum IV Recommendations address:
Please provide brief information on specific actions your government has taken to
respond to the recommendations of Forum IV in these areas:
Occupational Safety and Health;
Acutely Toxic Pesticides – risk management and reduction;
Capacity building;
INFOCAP (Information Exchange Network on Capacity Building for the Sound
Management of Chemicals ) implementation.
10
GEF funded project “Latvia: Environmentally Sound Disposal of PCBs Containing
Equipment and Waste” completed.
Forum V Recommendations:
Please provide brief information on specific actions your government has taken to
respond to the recommendations of Forum V in these areas:
1. Applying Precaution in the Context of Chemical Safety


provision of information on tools and approaches
capacity building/skill sharing initiatives to support application of tools and
approaches
2. Heavy Metals (Mercury, Lead, Cadmium)




initiate actions that will address the health, including occupational health and the
environmental impact of mercury, lead and cadmium;
initiate, continue, and intensify actions, as appropriate, to address the excess
supply of mercury on a global scale through a variety of possible measures, such
as an export prohibition preventing excess mercury from re-entering the global
market and a global phase out of primary production of mercury;
activities, including environmentally sound use, storage, recycling and disposal
of mercury, lead and cadmium and partnerships programmes and voluntary
agreements to promote management of problems related to mercury, lead and
cadmium;
support and contribute to the Global Partnerships for Mercury Reductions;
Public Health agency has provided information on environmental and health
effects of mercury on their home page.
3. Toys and Chemical Safety






identify chemicals of concern used in toys, and potential substitution options,
develop strategies for sharing information on chemicals commonly used in toys and
adverse effects from their use,
encourage countries and regions to develop and share the results of surveillance of
chemical content of toys with other countries and all stakeholders,
promote research on impacts of chemicals on product safety and children’s health in the
context of toy use, and
support educational efforts to increase awareness of issues of chemical safety and toys
among critical groups such as parents and children, health care professionals, small and
medium scale manufacturers and the informal sector.
guidance for toy safety
In general Latvian legislation on chemicals management fully mirrors the EU
respective legislation.
11
Additional information regarding Consumer Rights Protection Centre: in 2008 has
performed testing of 58 samples of toys, in order to determine accordance with legal
requirements of chemical properties.
12
Details of person completing the questionnaire:
IFCS National Focal Point:
Yes
No
Arnis Ludborzs
Name:
Head of Chemicals Department
Title:
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Agency (LEGMA)
Ministry
Maskavas iela 165,
Address
Riga, LV-1019
Latvia
+371 67032028
Tel:
+371 67145154
02.03.2009.
Fax:
Date:
Arnis.Ludborzs@lvgma.gov.lv
Email:
[SIGNED]
Signature:
Please provide the following additional information:
Does the IFCS National Focal Point have direct access to the Internet in his/her office?
Yes
x
No
□
If "No", does he/she have access to the Internet in the building where he/she works?
Yes
□
No
□
13