Muscat: The Environment Authority will host a two-day international conference on the safe management of hazardous chemicals.
The seminar, which will be held in Muscat, will focus on good chemical management as a critical component of sustainable development, consistent with the strategic approach and goals of Oman Vision 2040.
The studio's establishment was presided over by Sayyid Saud Hilal Al Busaidi, Governor of Muscat.
The seminar, which is co-organized with the UN Environment Programme and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), marks progress toward the fulfillment of the Minamata Convention on Mercury's obligations. It provides practical advice on how to discover acceptable mercury replacements and reduce the risks associated with the use of this chemical, which is considered dangerous to health and the environment.
The workshop featured the introduction of the Sultanate of Oman's National Strategy for the Integrated Management of Hazardous Chemicals. It focuses on global practices and the findings of studies and research in the sector.
The "National Strategy for Integrated Management of Hazardous Chemicals" is a vital component of sustainable development. It plays an important role in attaining the desired balance between the three components of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental.
The Strategy has been developed as a national framework for the safe and orderly management of chemicals, including the manufacture, handling, transportation, storage, processing, and disposal of dangerous goods.
The workshop examines 18 working papers on Oman's experience with sound chemical and mercury management, the challenges involved in mercury management, the treatment systems and technologies used, and the connection between plastics and persistent organic pollutants.
The working papers also define the role of the Directorate General of Customs (which monitors chemicals at border crossings), standard processes for transporting and storing dangerous chemicals and mercury, and the hazards of using mercury in agriculture.
The workshop examines a study on the initial evaluation of mercury spread and describes the Sultanate of Oman's national chemical management strategy.
Oman does not make mercury or its compounds, but the material enters the country via imports of some industrial products and gadgets.
