The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), which provides secretariat services to the Economic and Social Council's Sub-Committee of Experts on the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, has released the publication Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

The GHS is the culmination of more than a decade of work. There were many individuals involved, from a multitude of countries, international organizations, and stakeholder organizations. Their work spanned a wide range of expertise, from toxicology to fire protection, and ultimately required extensive goodwill and the willingness to compromise, in order to achieve this system.

The work began with the premise that existing systems should be harmonized in order to develop a single, globally harmonized system to address classification of chemicals, labels, and safety data sheets.

The international mandate that provided the impetus for completing this work was adopted in the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), as reflected in Agenda 21, para.19.27: "A globally harmonized hazard classification and compatible labelling system, including national safety data sheets and easily understandable symbols, should be available, if feasible, by the year 2000".

The work was coordinated and managed under the auspices of the Interorganization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) Coordinating Group for the Harmonization of Chemical Classification Systems (CG/HCCS). The technical focal points for completing the work were the International Labour Organization (ILO); the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Sub Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCETDG).

Bearing in mind that, in paragraph 22 (c) of its Plan of Action adopted in Johannesburg on 4 September 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development encouraged countries to implement the new GHS as soon as possible with a view to having the system fully operational by 2008, the Committee hopes that countries and international organizations concerned with chemical safety will adopt it in the near future. Availability of information about chemicals, their hazards, and ways to protect people, will provide the foundation for national programs for the safe management of chemicals. Widespread management of chemicals in countries around the world will lead to safer conditions for the global population and the environment, while allowing the benefits of chemical use to continue. Harmonization will also have benefits in terms of facilitating international trade, by promoting greater consistency in the national requirements for chemical hazard classification and communication that companies engaged in international trade must meet.

The full text of the publication is available at www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs.html.

Additional information, including corrigenda if any, may be found on the UN/ECE Transport Division Web site.