The regulation of pesticides in Hungary is the domain of eight ministries/agencies (MI, MA, MITT, MTTWM, MEPRD, ML-NLI, MW-NPHMOS, MF), the regulation of artificial fertilisers the domain of six (MA, MITT, MTTWM, MEPRD, ML-NLI, MW-NPHMOS), regulation of petroleum products, industrial chemicals and consumer chemicals the domain of seven apiece (MI, MITT, MTTWM, MEPRD, ML-NLI, MW-NPHMOS, MF), while the regulation of other chemicals concerns 4-6 of the aforementioned eight ministries/agencies in some form. The MTTWM, ML-NLI, and the MW-NPHMOS have tasks in connection with all groups of chemicals; of these, the MW-NPHMOS has the broadest range of tasks. Regulation of the individual life-cycle phases (import, production, storage, transport, sale, use/handling, disposal) of individual chemical groups also involves several of the aforementioned eight ministries/agencies (MI, MA, MITT, MTTWM, MEPRD, ML-NLI, MW-NPHMOS, MF). The MW-NPHMOS plays a role in the regulation and supervision of all life-cycle phases of all chemicals.
The following individusl ministries' role and authority are detailed.
In cases of serious levels of air pollution, the Environmental Protection Inspectorate and the NPHMOS co-operate with local municipal, and other affected authorities. The ministry operates a monitoring system to monitor the levels of background pollution, and formulates the policy, strategy, and tactical programmes aimed at reducing the levels of pollutants in the air.
Regulating, monitoring, and sanctioning emissions of sewage to safeguard the purity of waters (by specifying limits on emissions, and categorising pollutants according to geographical regions) is also the MEPRD's task.
With respect to surface waters that are suited to human activity, the ministry works in conjunction with the NPHMOS. In the case of licensing procedures, it co-operates with the NPHMOS, the Inspectorate for Water Management, municipal authorities, and the Ministry of Interior.
The MEPRD also has the task of preventing harm caused by wastes. It is responsible for regulating all aspects of waste management (and especially use and neutralisation). It works in conjunction with other ministries and agencies under their supervision (MI, MA, MITT, MW-NPHMOS, MF) during the course of various activities pertaining to waste management. Specific regulations govern the responsibilities and obligations of producers, and the tasks of the environmental authorities.
Regulations pertaining to waste management specify the scope of wastes, the criteria of classifying wastes as hazardous, the technical requisites of issuing a license for activities involving the treatment, use, and neutralisation of wastes, the role and form of supplying required information, and the obligations of preparing a waste management plan and keeping specified records. They also govern the transport, export and import of wastes. It is the MEPRD's task to formulate a strategy of waste management, and tactical plans to manage wastes from specific product categories in an environmentally sound manner.
The specialised administrative duties of the Minister of Environmental Protection are fulfilled through the National Environmental Protection Inspectorate and the environmental inspectorates under its direction.
Co-ordination of the approval of pesticides and artificial fertilisers, and the issuing of license documents takes place in the ministry itself. The ministry is assisted in this task by designated bodies under the direction of the MW and the MEPRD, that participate as specialised administrative agencies.
The storage, transport, and sale of pesticides and artificial fertilisers, the general rules regarding their use, and the management (treatment) of waste are governed by a decree issued by the minister. These areas are also affected by regulations drawn up by other ministries, which also participate in supervision (e.g. MW-NPHMOS).
There are parallelisms in the activities of the different ministries with respect to environmental impact analyses (e.g. toxicological studies involving wild animals, natural waters, bees, ecotoxicological and degradation-accumulation studies.)
The centres for plant protection oversee certain phases of the sale, use, and management of wastes, although the latter is primarily the task of the network of environmental institutions.
Although their roles overlap in several areas, the co-operation of the MW, the MEPRD, and the MA in the area of agrochemicals can be considered satisfactory. It should be noted however, that the role of the ministries in the process of licensing is not defined properly.
Personnel who possess special knowledge of customs administration are available to carry out the above tasks, and this work is also aided by the operation of a customs laboratory.
The customs and excise police has jurisdiction over the cross-border trade (export and import) of chemical products, and, in the case of petroleum products which are liable to excise, it has oversight authority over the entire life-cycle.
The customs authority has complete oversight authority over the import of chemical products.
Products which require an import license – the scope of which is specified by the MITT on an annual basis – are especially closely monitored by the customs and excise police.
The Budapest and the county institutes are divided into departments. Tasks pertaining to chemical safety are part of the everyday tasks of the department of public health and the chemical laboratory.
Local town institutes, and district institutes in Budapest do not have departments – personnel working here may take part in all tasks.
Tasks pertaining to chemical safety are a part of the basic scope of tasks of the NPHMOS.
The NPHMOS performs tasks pertaining to public health (environmental, community, food, occupational, and radiation health, epidemiology), health promotion (health protection, health education), health administration and co-ordination. Sub-tasks pertaining to chemical safety that fall under the authority of the NPHMOS pertain to environmental, community, occupational, and food health.
As part of its duties as an administrative agency, the NPHMOS oversees the general state of public health in Hungary. As part of this role, it supervises compliance with regulations pertaining to environmental, community, food, and occupational health (plus radiation health and epidemiology) in the entire country, with the exception of the armed forces. It also oversees those who are required to comply with these regulations, and takes or initiates the necessary measures if the need arises. As part of this role, it also supervises chemical safety in the aforementioned areas it oversees.
Its tasks include: providing certain services (setting limits, taking measurements, conducting analyses, tests), and supervision (inspections, taking necessary measures, sanctioning, licensing). These are carried out with respect to a number of areas. The following are the most noteworthy as far as chemical safety is concerned: the air (both indoors and outdoors), drinking water, public baths with pools, sewage, the soil, workplaces, foodstuffs meant for consumption by the public, drinks, consumer goods (e.g. coffee, alcoholic beverages), food wrapping materials, cosmetics, children's toys.
The NPHMOS carries out its legally designated tasks pertaining to dangerous substances and dangerous preparations, oversees the execution of regulations relating to these substances, and keeps the toxicological records and operates the information service pertaining to dangerous substances and preparations.
In compliance with separate regulations, it also makes decisions in cases involving the production, use and sale of new substances, preparations, and products meant to be used by the general public.
It also functions as a specialised administrative agency where required by ordinance. As such, its tasks include enforcement of occupational, food, community, and environmental health requirements, and participation in environmental tasks specified by other regulations.
Besides all this, it continuously monitors and evaluates the population's general state of health, and the environmental (in the natural, artificial, and work environment), lifestyle, and other risks that it sees as a health hazard. It also makes assessments regarding risks posed by environmental factors.
It lays the groundwork for requirements whose enforcement is meant to prevent health damage, preserve working capacity, safeguard the health of the individual, the community, and certain endangered groups of people within it, ensure the uninterrupted physical, emotional, and psycho-social development of future generations, and ensure that the environmental conditions necessary for all this are present.
In its activities pertaining to chemical safety, the NPHMOS is assisted by the national institutes of hygiene (NIOH, NIPH, NIFN). These provide laboratory services (conduct measurements, methodological work, provide quality control), provide expert opinion, training, information, and conduct research. They participate in formulating regulations and laying the professional groundwork necessary for conducting administrative activities. The NIOH houses the Health Toxicological Information Service which provides toxicological information to the general public free of charge.
According to Statute No. XCIII of 1993 dealing with labour protection, general supervision of compliance with labour protection regulations is the task of the NLI, together with the NPHMOS and the National Mining Authority. The minister directs this activity through the president of the NLI.
The central body of the CDF on the national level is the National Headquarters of Civil Defence, its regional bodies are the county headquarters and the Budapest headquarters, and its local bodies are the regional headquarters and offices. Regional and local bodies are under the direction of the NHCD, which also handles planning and organisation tasks in connection with the prevention of disasters and catastrophes (which may involve chemicals).
Regional, local, and workplace units of the Civil Defence handle the actual civil defence work.
Firefighting encompasses preventing fires, putting out fires, and conducting safety checks.
Rescue operations are aimed at protecting human life, human health and material wealth by intervening in case of an emergency caused by a natural disaster, accident, some form of damage, abnormal technical process, technical failure, the discharge of a dangerous substance, or some other factor.
The responsibility for executing the provisions of the Treaty lies with the National Authority (MITT – Office for the Ban of Chemical and Biological Weapons), the MITT's Export Control Office, and the Inter-Ministerial Commission for Non-proliferation and the Ban of Weapons co-chaired by persons from the Foreign Ministry and the MITT.
To summarise, we can note the following: seven ministries (MI, MA, MITT,
MTTWM, MEPRD, MW, MF) have explicit tasks with respect to the management
of chemicals; The ML does not have explicit tasks, but participates in
the oversight of the management of dangerous chemicals through the NLI;
three ministries (MJ, MCE, MFA) have no explicit or operative tasks, but
are involved with chemical safety through their participation in the legislative
process. No data is available with respect to the Ministry of Defence.
The most comprehensive oversight authority regarding chemical safety lies
with the NPHMOS, the NLI, and the Environmental Protection Inspectorate;
of these, the NPHMOS plays the largest role, and also provides relevant
services in this area.