Intergovernemental Forum on Chemical Safety

Sustainlabour participated as part of the Trade Union Delegation at the Forum VI of the IFCS.
The theme of these forums was “Global Partnerships for Chemical Safety– Contributing to the 2020 Goal”.
This forum is unique not only for integrating different dimensions or problems caused by chemical substances, such as public health, occupational health, environment, but also for its way of working which allows the active participation of any interested party in equal conditions and its decision making process by consensus. Despite their decisions are not binding, it has served to place in the international agenda problems caused by management of dangerous chemicals and initiate political processes in order to reduce the exposition to hazardous substances at a global level.

Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies is a subject growing importance and concerns within Trade Unions as hundreds of nanotechnology applications are already in commercial production despite a huge health and safety lack of information of the potential hazards.