HOW DOES THE GHS RELATE TO THE STRATEGIC APPROACH TO INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT (SAICM)?
While the GHS is an important standard in itself that countries may integrate into national and regional legislation and standards, implementation of the GHS also facilitates the implementation of other international agreements concerned with chemicals management. A new policy framework for international action on chemicals management, is the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). The importance of implementing the GHS is recognised in the Overarching Policy Strategy (OPS) of SAICM – GHS implementation is identified under the overall objective of “knowledge and information”: (h) To promote implementation of the common definitions and criteria contained in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. GHS also included as a SAICM work area in the Global Plan of Action, including 8 distinct activities. In particular, SAICM GPA activity #250 states “Make available sufficient financial and technical resources to support national and
