THE HAGUE, Netherlands–18 June 2021–The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) promoted the Responsible Care® Programme for Russian speaking chemical industry professionals during an online workshop held from 14 to 18 June.
The event, conducted in Russian, was co-organised by the Russian Chemists Union’s (RCU) in cooperation with the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia and supported by the International Council of Chemical Industries (ICCA) and European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC).
The RCU representative, Mr Igor Kukushkin, stressed: “Responsible Care® has already helped the Russian chemical industry move towards more sustainable development and we are happy to assist other countries in joining this programme.”
OPCW’s Senior Programme Officer, Mr Roman Warchol, expressed: “The workshop raises awareness on a broad range of topics related to sustainability, safety, and security in chemical industries and enhances national capacities of chemical industries in OPCW Member States in the implementation of Responsible Care®.”
The week-long workshop, in its fifth edition since 2016, comprised lectures and presentations on Responsible Care®, the global chemical industry’s voluntary initiative for continuous improvement in safe management of chemicals and excellence in environmental, health, safety and security performance. Attendees analysed case studies of the programme’s implementation in various enterprises and tested their skills in consensus finding for preventing environmental pollution and in strategic planning and decision making for the adoption of Responsible Care®.
The 20 attendees included environmental health and safety managers, qualified technologists, and representatives of chemical industry associations and governmental organisations, representing seven OPCW Member States: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Background
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
Over 98% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
More Information
- Russian Chemists Union’s (RCU)
- Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology
- International Council of Chemical Industries (ICCA)
- European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC)
- OPCW: The Chemical Industry’s Responsible Care® Programme Reflects its Commitment to Non-Proliferation
- Photos from the event
- OPCW Basics