Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; International Harmonization of Chemical Safety and Health Information

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Under the auspices of the State Department, an interagency committee has been working with international organizations and other countries to pursue harmonization of existing regulatory requirements or recommendations for chemical safety and health information. The authority for the State department, OES Bureau to convene this interagency committee is set forth at 22 U.S.C. 2655a. This includes, for example, provisions for classifying chemicals regarding their hazards, and the preparation and dissemination of information about the hazardous chemicals and appropriate safe handling procedures for them through labels, placards, material safety data sheets, or other written materials. Such requirements currently exist in the United States in laws or regulations that address worker protection, consumer protection, transportation of hazardous materials, and environmental protection. Harmonization of such requirements internationally has been a long- term goal for the United States Government (USG). It was initiated through a 1984 interagency policy on chemical labeling trade issues. This goal became global through an international mandate in 1992 as a result of agreements made by partici