- Department:Evaluation Management Division
The Ministry of Environment organized the 2024 Taiwan-Sweden Chemical Substance Prevention and Control Training - Non-Toxic Everyday Environment Construction and PFAS Management Course Program from May 21 to 23, 2024, Three chemicals experts officials from the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) were invited to Taiwan to share their views on the management of perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other topics. Mr. Peng Chi-Ming, the Minister of Environment, emphasized the importance of PFAS and chemical management issues and delivered a special speech supporting this training. He expressed hope that the training would promote the exchange of experience in chemical management between Sweden and Taiwan, enabling Taiwan to learn from Sweden's experience in PFAS management and improve its own PFAS management strategy.
According to the Ministry of Environment, the training includes inter-ministerial topics such as action plan for a non-toxic everyday environment, management of perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the European Union's regulation on registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals (REACH Regulation), the regulation on classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP Regulation) and the introduction of new hazard classifications, which are a series of activities of the National Chemical Substance Management Board.
The Ministry of Environment highlighted that Sweden has more than 10 years of experience in promoting the non-toxic everyday environment program, a national action plan aimed at reducing the risk of chemical hazards to humans and the environment. The core concept of the program is that “substances created or extracted by humans in the environment shall not pose a threat to human health or biological diversity”. Taiwan has also been promoting a similar non-toxic everyday environment program. The Ministry of Environment hopes that through this training and direct communication with experts from the Swedish Chemicals Agency, Taiwan can learn from Sweden's experience and continue to promote non-toxic everyday environment program, tailored to the country's specific circumstances.
According to the Ministry of Environment, PFAS, as defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), encompass more than 10,000 chemical substances. In line with the United Nations' Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as the Stockholm Convention), Taiwan has included perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, lithium perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorohexane sulfonate, their salts, and their compounds into the Elimination List of Annex A. Taiwan has declared these substances to be Class 1 toxic chemical substances, and have established the regulations for their operation and management. Sweden is one of the five countries that proposed the EU bill on the comprehensive management of PFAS, and has extensive experience in the management of PFAS substances. Taiwan hopes that this exchange will strengthen its PFAS management system.
The Ministry of Environment pointed out that chemical labeling is an important part of preventive management. Proper labeling can effectively reduce the risk associated with chemical operations . Sweden was invited to share the EU's experience in promoting the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) to further promote Taiwan align its chemical management with the international management requirements.
In his speech, Minister Peng expressed his hope that this training would enhance the communication between the Ministry of Environment and the Swedish Chemicals Agency. He aims to gradually establish a robust PFAS management policy and the national plan for a non-toxic everyday environment, improve the strategy and system of chemical substance management in Taiwan and contribute to the global chemical substance management framework, and to promote the globalized chemical substance management mechanism together with other countries in the world.
