Introduction
The Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) – the primary goal
of which is to complete the tasks and programmes defined in Chapter XIX
of Agenda 21(the programme that is officially called Tasks for the XXI.
Century, and pertains to the basic document of the World Conference on
the Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro on the 14th of June,
1992, is commonly known as Agenda 21.) – has emphasised the need to prepare
national profiles on the sound management of chemicals. The National
Profile(3) is the first document in Hungary that summarises the efforts
of governmental bodies and non-governmental organisations (of the industrial
sector, the scientific community, special interest groups, environmental
groups, public interest groups) to promote chemical safety and the sound
management of chemicals. The National Profile provides an overview
of the life-cycles (import, production, use, disposal, etc.) of the most
significant chemicals, by quantity, in Hungary, analyses the national infrastructure
meant to ensure the sound management of chemicals, the human resources
devoted to making this function, and the regulatory aspects of all this;
it also analyses the strong and weak points of these factors, and discusses
the possible social and economic advantages, the risks associated with
making mistakes, and the need to participate in international co-operation.
Furthermore, it contains recommendations on ways to improve chemical
safety in Hungary. It is our hope that the National Profile can be used
to inform both members of the professional community and the general public,
and that implementation of its recommendations will go a long way towards
improving the co-ordination of relevant tasks, and the level of chemical
safety in Hungary.
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