The United Nations Environment Organisation (UNEP), in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other organisations of the International Organisation Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC), is developing a Global Chemicals Outlook to frame current understanding of trends in chemical production, use and disposal, economic implications of these trends, and policy options.
Currently available is a Synthesis Report for Decision Makers in English (also downloadable in Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese) and the Full Report which is currently only available in English.
The trends currently show that patterns of global chemical production, trade, use and disposal are changing towards developing countries and economies in transition. It is stressed that understanding these changing patterns in chemical production, trade, use and disposal, and the potential risks these pose, is essential to ensure that chemicals are managed so that their contribution to improving quality of life is maximised and their related risks minimised.
These publications are packed with current data on different chemicals types and their uses throughout the world and are a valuable source for researchers seeking to understand chemical usage and quantify risks.