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The Chemical Substances Section deals with issues related to the monitoring and control of dangerous chemical products which are manufactured, imported, exported, used and placed on the Cyprus market. The Section aims to safeguard the safety and health of those who manage, place on the market or use dangerous chemical substances and mixtures in their working and domestic environment and to protect the environment.
The main objective of the Section is the enforcement of the national legislation on dangerous substances as well as of the following European Regulations:
- The European Regulation 689/2008/EC on the import and export of dangerous substances and mixtures). Regulation (EC) 689/2008 commonly known as the PIC Regulation incorporates in the EU Acquis the provisions of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent and affects all European Union based companies involved with the export or import of very dangerous chemicals or articles containing certain chemicals. This Convention promotes shared responsibility and co-operation among member countries, allowing them to specify the conditions to be fulfilled during the import of certain dangerous chemicals. It aims to protect human health and the environment by providing developing countries with information on how to store, transport, use and dispose dangerous chemicals safely. Regulation 689/2008/EC will be replaced by Regulation 649/2012/EC on the 1.3.2014. More information on PIC’s website: http://www.pic.int/
International Conventions
In addition to the above mentioned legislation, the Department is aiming to achieve complete control of the dangerous substances (either on their own or in mixtures and in products) that are imported, exported and/or placed on the Cyprus market through the implementation of two International Conventions. The Rotterdam Convention (PIC) which controls the import and export of certain dangerous substances and mixtures and the Stockholm Convention (POPs) which controls the chemicals characterised as Persistent Organic Pollutants. More information on the Conventions websites: http://www.pic.int/ and http://chm.pops.int/.
Collaboration with European and International Organizations
The Department of Labour Inspection actively participates to the majority of the meetings of the Committees of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in order to inform all importers, producers and users in Cyprus on any new developments concerning chemicals. During these meetings there is a close collaboration with the rest of the Member States in order to achieve a better and more harmonized implementation of the European Chemicals Legislation. In addition, the Department of Labour Inspection participates to the competent authorities meetings for the European Regulation 689/2008 and follows the international efforts undertaken by the United Nations to control and manage chemicals (Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management-SAICM).
Collaboration with other public services in Cyprus
The Department of Labour Inspection has close collaboration with other public services in order to achieve a better control of dangerous substances that may be imported and placed on the Cyprus market. In this context, a list of chemical substances, which according to the existing legislation and the European Acquis are prohibited or have restrictions to their placement on the market, has been prepared and sent to the Customs Department.
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