Ozone Layer Protection and Chemicals Management

The assembly line at one of the manufacturing companies in Iran assisted by the National CFC Phase-out Project. Photo credit: UNDP Iran

Chemicals represent a vital element of human development, affecting virtually all sectors of human activity. However, poor management of chemicals adversely affects human health and the environment, compromises disproportionately the urban and the rural poor, particularly women and children. Asia and the Pacific is becoming a hub for chemicals manufacturing, and more and more hazardous chemicals are manufactured, used and disposed of inadequately into the environment. Countries are seeking support to build their capacities to manage these chemicals.

UNDP supports countries in formulating and managing projects and programmes for controlling and eliminating ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), promoting sound management of chemicals and for initiatives that cut across ozone, climate and chemicals conventions, such as the Montreal Protocol and the Stockholm Convention. For example, in China and Viet Nam, with GEF financing, 3,375 metric tons of Persistent Organic Pollutants were disposed of or safeguarded in 2012.