National Consultation on Ratification and Implementation of the Rotterdam Convention
in Sri Lanka
17 – 21 April 2005
Organized by
Office of the Registrar of Pesticides
Department of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation
In collaboration with
Rotterdam Convention Secretariat
Table of Content
Introduction 1
Opening of the Meeting 2
Key Note Address 2
Address by the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat 3
Address by the Representative of FAO 5
Agenda 7
Conclusions 11
Results of Breakout Groups 14
Annex 20
List of Participants 20
17
Introduction
The objective of the Rotterdam Convention is to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties, when engaged in the international trade of hazardous chemicals, in order to protect human health and the environment. When the text of the Convention was adopted in Rotterdam in September 1998, the member governments also agreed to implement the Convention on a voluntary basis as the “Interim PIC procedure” until such time as the Convention entered into force. The Convention entered into force on 24 February 2004 and became legally binding for its Parties.
Though not as yet ratified the convention Sri Lanka has participated in the interim PIC procedure, by nominating designated national authorities and by submitting import responses for some of the chemicals in the PIC procedure. The objective of this consultation is to facilitate a national dialogue involving relevant stakeholders on the Rotterdam Convention as the basis for a national strategy on the ratification and implementation of the Convention. The meeting was organized by the Registrar of Pesticides of the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat.
The invitees to the meeting represented the range of stakeholders having a role to play in the ratification and implementation of the Rotterdam Convention in Sri Lanka. These included the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Health, Department of Import and Export, Department of Customs, NGOs and chemical importers. The meeting was structured around five sessions in plenary and three rounds of breakout groups. The forum identified and agreed on concrete follow up actions for the ratification and implementation of the Convention.
The proceedings include the agenda, presentations given in the plenary and the conclusions along with the consolidated results of break out group discussions.
Opening of the Meeting
Key Note Address
Representing the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Mr. R.M. Senanayake, Additional Secretary (Projects) welcomed the delegation from the Convention Secretariat, the expert from South Korea and the local participants to this very important national consultation. He first expressed the pleasure of the opportunity given, to voice some of the thoughts of the Ministry of Agriculture concerning matters relating to Agro chemicals.
Chemical pesticides had become an integral part of agricultural production in the challenge to meet the food and fiber requirements of increasing population. But, their inherent toxic proprieties, presence of hazardous residue in food, occupational exposure of factory and farm workers and the impact of these toxicants on the environment keep contributing to a growing social awareness and a sense of insecurity with respect to adverse health effects which calls for expeditious adoption of responsible management practices in the use of these chemicals.
Food security has been a major policy goal of successive governments. Our national agricultural policies for self-sufficiency in rice and legume crops, increased production of export crop commodities and the need to widen the import substitution base have been achieved by using some high yielding varieties and the promotion of improved production techniques. In exotic vegetables, chilies, onions and potato, the technology adopted by farmers is heavily weighted towards the use of the fertilizers and pesticides.
The use of pesticides has, as in other parts of the world, proved to be a mixed blessing. Sri Lankan farmers, who cultivate high value crops, tend to become over-reliant on pesticides, in spite of diminishing returns due to their excessive use.
To overcome the problems associated with pesticides, the government of Sri Lanka enacted legislation, entitled the Control of Pesticides Act No. 33 of 1980 which contains provisions relating to the regulation of all activities of pesticides, from the point of import until it reaches the hands of the end user. As the law requires every import of a pesticide to be approved, it is not possible for any foreign parties to use Sri Lanka as a dumping ground for undesirable or banned products.
Sri Lanka has come a long way in developing a comprehensive and extensive pesticide management scheme while allowing the use of pesticides suitable for conditions specific to Sri Lanka. Among the number of regulatory measures is the banning of all POPs pesticides more than a decade ago.
With respect to pesticides under PIC procedure; 21 out of the total of 30 pesticides formulations in the Annex III of the Rotterdam convention have either been banned or not used in the country. Some of the formulations with unacceptable risk under the conditions prevailing in developing countries such as monocrotophos and methamidophos were banned as far back in 1995.
In Sri Lanka, there are nearly 20,000 reported incidences of pesticide poisoning resulting in 1600-1800 mortalities every year. Over 75% is due to suicidal attempts. Recent studies on possible measures to reduce self inflicted pesticide poisoning deaths in the North Central Region of the country has highlighted the fact that the number of deaths reported by the Polonnaruwa hospital has markedly declined as a result of an embargo on the availability of two specific pesticides in the study area.
In conclusion, within the framework of present pesticide regulatory activities, the Ministry of Agriculture looks forward in confidence to work as a focal point with the FAO to address all issues identified in achieving the objectives of the Rotterdam Convention the betterment of our people and generations to come.
Address by the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat
Mr. William Murray, Senior Officer of the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention, welcomed the participants to the national consultation, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Rotterdam Convention, Mr. Niek Van der Graaff .
Mr. Murray briefly described the key objectives and scope of the Rotterdam Convention and benefits of its ratification.
Even though Sri Lanka has participated in the interim PIC procedure, the Convention makes no provision for the participation of non-Parties and hence continued benefits from the PIC procedure would be limited. In recognition of this the first meeting of the Conference of Parties agreed to a transition period that would allow non-parties or participating states to continue to benefit from some provisions of the Convention, but this transition period will end on 24 February 2006. Now, more than ever, countries like Sri Lanka need to take action to ratify the Convention in order to fully benefit from it.
As of today, 86 states have ratified the Rotterdam Convention. In the Asia region the pace of ratification has been slow, only 7 Parties or less than 30% of the countries in the region have ratified the Convention. The most recent ratification in this region was China in March of this year. In order to be effective, a Convention requires more than just entry into force. It needs implementation and enforcement. Only if the Convention is widely adopted and implemented will it make a contribution to the protection of human health and the environment.
The First Conference of the Parties of the Rotterdam Convention, agreed to include 14 additional chemicals in Annex III of the Convention. This brought the total number of pesticides and industrial chemicals subject to the PIC procedure to 41. The number of chemicals included in Annex III is expected to continue to increase
The fact that Sri Lanka ratified the Basel Convention in December 1992. Mr. Murray stated that he would like to emphasize how the Rotterdam Convention, in association with the Basel and Stockholm Conventions, provides a framework for the life cycle management of chemicals. Integrating the work of the Rotterdam Convention with that of the Stockholm and Basle Conventions would also provide an opportunity to fully benefit from the synergies that exist among these Conventions for example, in training of customs authorities, opportunities to review national legislation and regulations on chemicals management etc.
Such an integrated approach to the implementation of these Conventions is also consistent with ongoing discussions at the international level within the Preparatory Committee for the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and is increasingly viewed favourably by funding agencies and bilateral donors.
Sri Lanka participated in the UNITAR Program on Developing and Sustaining an Integrated National Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals. A key objective of this program was to establish a collaborative framework at the national level as a foundation for effective and coordinated action to address both the national chemicals management priorities as well as the implementation of international chemicals-related agreements. Ratification of the Rotterdam Convention should also help to strengthen national infrastructure for chemicals management.
Address by the Representative of FAO
The Representative of FAO in Sri Lanka, Dr. Pote Chumsri in his address stated that during the briefing in preparing for his post, the Rotterdam Secretariat at FAO headquarters in Rome informed him of this important consultation and requested to meet with participants.
As countries like Sri Lanka move to increase food production in response to the demands of a growing population there will be a need for the continued, and possible increased use, of agricultural chemicals including pesticides. It is important that in meeting this demand that health or environmental problems are not increased.
The Rotterdam Convention provides a mechanism for the Sri Lanka to receive information on potentially hazardous chemicals, both pesticides and industrial chemicals that may be in use in the country and for those chemicals included in the Prior Informed Consent or PIC procedure to decide whether or not Sri Lanka wishes to receive future imports. The Convention helps to control and monitor the import of hazardous chemicals by disseminating import decisions worldwide and by obliging exporting Parties to respect those decisions. The Convention builds on the chemicals management infrastructure in place and helps to share the responsibility for the sound management of hazardous chemicals between importing and exporting countries. As a net importer of chemicals, Sri Lanka is well positioned to fully benefit from the information exchange provisions of the Convention but also, and perhaps more significantly, from the PIC procedure.
The ratification of the Convention by China, Japan and the Republic of Korea is a significant step forward. As major manufacturers and exporters of chemicals in the region they are now legally bound by the import decisions of other Parties to the Convention for those chemicals subject to the PIC procedure and to provide export notifications when exporting chemicals banned or severely restricted in their country.
In order for Sri Lanka to fully benefit from such developments it is important that it becomes a Party to the Convention. This is important now more than ever given that the interim PIC procedure will cease to operate in February of next year.
Mr. Chumsri also stated that according to his understanding the main objective of the discussions during the meeting has been to develop the elements of a national action plan or strategy for the ratification and implementation of the Rotterdam Convention. Clearly the presence of the wide range of Ministries and agencies present here this week suggests the commitment to this goal.
He voiced congratulations on the substantial progress Sri Lanka had made so far in this connection and stated that he will be observing future progress with interest and in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention would be prepared to assist Sri Lanka as much as possible in its follow-up to this important meeting.
Agenda
Sunday 17 April5.15 pm / Registration of participants
5.30 pm / Inaugural session
· Welcome address - Director General of Agriculture
· An Introduction to the Consultation on the Rotterdam Convention by the RC Secretariat
· Message by the FAO local representative
· Address by the representative to the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation
· Vote of Thanks
7.00 pm / Reception
· Cocktail followed by dinner
Monday 18 April
8:30 – 8:45 /
Introduction of meeting structure and objectives
/ RC SecretariatSession 1 / Introduction to the Convention / Chair- Dr.S.L. Weerasena
8.45 – 9.15 / Overview of the Rotterdam Convention /
RC Secretariat
9.15 – 9.30 / Status of Ratification and Key Steps in the Ratification Process /RC Secretariat
9.30 – 9.45 / Status of Implementation and Current Activities /RC Secretariat
9.45 – 10.00 / Tea breakSession 2 / Issues associated with ratification of the Convention in Sri Lanka / Chair- Dr.(Mrs.)N. de Alwis
2.1 National administrative / legal capacity to meet the requirements of the Rotterdam Convention
10.00 – 10.30 / 2.1.1 Pesticides: Registrar of Pesticides / Dr. G. Manuweera
10.30 – 11.00 / 2.1.2 Industrial chemicals: Central Environmental Authority / Mrs. R. Ellepola
11.00 – 11.30 / 2.1.3.Import regulation: Controller of Imports / Mr. H.M. Wimalasena
11.30 – 12.00 / 2.1.4. Customs: Dept of Customs / Dr. N. Gunawardhane
12.00 – 13.30 / Lunch
13.30 – 14.00 / 2.2 Socio-economic impacts and financial implications of implementation of Rotterdam Convention: Dept. of Policy Planning
14.00 – 14.15 / Preparation and introduction to the Break Out Session / RC Secretariat
14.15 – 14.45 / BOG: 1st round of discussion: ratification process
14.45 – 15.15 / Tea Break
15.15 – 17.00 / BOG: 1st round of discussion: ratification process
17.00 – 17.30 / Plenary session: BOG Chairs to present each group’s work
Tuesday 19 April
8.30 – 8.50 / Plenary session: presentation of consolidated results of the 1st round BOG
Session 3 / Operational elements of the Convention and their implementation in Sri Lanka / Chair- Mr. W.R.M.S. Wickramasinghe
8.50 -9.20 / Introduction to the operational elements and what is required from a Party by the Rotterdam Convention / RC Secretariat
9.20 – 10.00 / Experiences from Rep. of Korea on ratification and implementation of the Rotterdam Convention / Mrs. Choi (DNA from Rep. of Korea)
10.00 – 10.30 / Tea
10.30 – 12.30 / Identification of the Role and responsibilities of DNAs and all other stakeholders, including an introduction by the RC Secretariat (15 min) and presentation by others in Plenary
12.30 – 14.00 / Lunch
14.00 – 14.15 / Preparation of BOG
14.15 – 15.15 / BOG 2nd round discussion: analysis of current capacities and challenges
15.15 –15.45 / Tea
15.45 – 17.00 / Cont. BOG 2nd round discussion: analysis of current capacities and challenges
17.00 – 17.30 / Plenary session: BOG Chairs to present each group’s work (tables)
Wednesday 20 April
Session 4 / Overview of experience with relevant multilateral environmental agreements and infrastructure development on chemicals management. / Chair- Dr. A.M.Mubarak
4.1 Review the relationship of the Rotterdam Convention to the Basel and Stockholm Conventions at the national level
8.30 – 9.00 / 4.1.1 The Stockholm and Basel Conventions: General Overview and Possible Synergies with the Rotterdam Convention / RC Secretariat
9.30 -10.00 / 4.1.2 Basel Convention: Ministry of Env. / Ms. L.P.Batuwitage
10.00 – 10.30 / 4.1.3 Stockholm Convention: Ministry of Env. / Ms. L.P.Batuwitage
10.30 – 11.00 / Tea
11.00 – 11.30 / 4.2 Experience gained by the UNITAR project in developing mechanisms: Central Environmental Authority / Mr.K.G.D.Bandarathilake
11.30 – 11.40 / Preparation of BOG / RC Secretariat
11.40 – 12.40 / BOG 3rd round of discussion: review the results of the 2nd round BOG taking into consideration of possible linkage and integration with relevant ongoing programmes
12.40 – 14.00 / Lunch
Session 5 / Consideration of next steps as a possible national strategy or action plan for the ratification and implementation of the Rotterdam Convention based on the key elements identified in Sessions 1 – 4.
14.00 – 15.00 / BOG chairs to prepare a consolidate table
15.00 – 15.15 / Plenary session: presentation of consolidated results of the 3rd round BOG discussion
15.15 – 15.30 / Tea
15.30 – 17.00 / Drafting Group : Preparation of a draft strategy with elements of action plan for ratification and implementation as the draft report of the meeting
Thursday 21 April
9.00 – 10.00 / Plenary: presentation of the draft report
10.00 – 11.00 / Discussion of the next steps and adoption of the report
11.00 – 11.30 / Tea
11.30 – 12.30 / Conclusion speech by:
· Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention
· FAO Representative
· Government representative
12.30 / Lunch
Conclusions