I s s u e N o . 1 J u l y 2 0 0 2

Inside this issue :

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Newsletter

EGYPTIAN HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE INFORMATION & MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

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System DescriptionIn the frame of achieving the principals calledfor in the Earth Summit, held in Rio deJaneiro in 1992, and the Agenda 21 whichdedicated a whole chapter on the hazardouschemical substances (Chapter 19),cooperation has been done between the Swissside represented by the Swiss Agency forDevelopment and Cooperation (SDC) andthe Egyptian side represented by EgyptianEnvironmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) toimplement the Egyptian HazardousInformation and Management System(EHSIMS).The EHSIMS developed several productsand services to help and guide manufacturers,suppliers or importers of hazardoussubstances in Egypt.In achieving its objective, the systemdeveloped, completed and standardizedprocedures and information requiredpromoting the safe handling of HazardousSubstances in Egypt as well as ensuring thedissemination and wide accessibility of thisinformation.

Phase 1 Objective: The objective of this system is toinitiate a management system forHazardous Substances in Egypt byproviding basic information throughan information network. This system and guidelines are basedon already existing international ones,adapted to the Egyptian needs andconditions. This component would alsoaddress the permitting procedures asdetailed by Law No. 4 of year 1994and article 26 of its ExeclusiveRegulation, coordinating between thecompetent authorities (Six lineministries: Agriculture, Industry,Health, Interior, Petroleum, Electricityas well as the Civil Defense andCustoms Authority) with the purposeof developing one common format tobe used for permitting issuing.Moreover, it provides informationconcerning the properties of HazardousSubstances and methods of handlingthem in case of accidents. The Information disseminationcomponent comprises the installationof a computerized network betweenthe Egyptian Environmental AffairsAgency (EEAA) and the partnerauthorities, composed of the six line

ministries, as well as the CustomsAuthorities and the Authority for CivilDefense.Shown in details (see Figure 1)

Phase 2 of the System: The main goal of phase 2 is to increaseawareness of all people in thecommunity to hazards that may existand help the Civil Defense Authorityto be better prepared for emergenciesresulting from industrial accident thatthreaten to an extend beyond the fence-line of industrial facility. In addition tosupporting industrial facilities indeveloping their on-site emergencyresponse plans.

Phase2 Stage 1 activities have beenaccomplished, which includes :A.Developing on-Site EmergencyResponse Plan for HS IndustrialFacilities.B.Developing and Completing theNational Chemical Profile for Egypt.C. Development of Technical Guidefor Safe Warehousing of HSD.Interfacing HS DB with Internet

Services and ProductsThe services & products offered byEHSIMS are aimed to guide and savetime for people dealing, searching andseeking information about hazardoussubstances in Egypt and trying tocomply with the Egyptian Enviromentallaw No. 4.Our target audience: manufacturers,suppliers or importers who are dealingwith the Hazardous Substances inEgypt.Services provided by EHSIMS arelisted as follows:• Hazardous Substances InformationService- Providing technical Information:When requested by enterprises to doso, the EHSIMS provide technicalcomprehensive information on aspecific Hazardous Substances thatinclude:- On site evaluations: EHSIMS willwork with enterprises at the plant

level to resolve Hazardous Substancesrelated problems. An important formof this kind of technical assistance ison site Hazardous Substancesassessments.

• Emergency Response Sheet (ERS)ERS are documents that providesummaries of the relevant emergencyinformation concerning the potentialeffects of the Hazardous Substancesupon human health and environment.

• Internet Information Service

Check our web site if you need moreinformation about:1. Procedures of granting a license forchemical substances from each ministry.

2. Law No. 4 with its articles formanaging Hazardous Substances inEgypt.

System Description

Services and Products

National News

International News

Emergency Telephone

numbers to call in case of

chemical accident

Contact Info

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EHSIMS Web Site: http://www.ehsims.org

• Developing of labels and warning signs in Arabic languageA selection of compliance labels to help you meet all yourregulatory and safety requirements of the law No. 4. to ensurethe health and safety of workers at their work place.(The labels and warning signs we use follow the internationalstandard format) the health and safety of the workers and thework place.The label data helps you meet all your regulatory and safetyrequirements of the law No. 4.

• Awarness & Outreach: one of the activities of the EHSIMSis raising awareness levels about the use of hazardoussubstances through providing presentations that demonstratesthe project objectives and goals.• Development of a technical guide for Safe Warehousing ofHazardous Substances• Development of an on-Site Emergency Response Plan forHazardous Substances Industrial Facilities.

National NewsDate: 13/15-4-2002Place: Cairo/Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA)

WORKSHOP AIMSThe aims of this workshop were to present the EgyptianHazardous Substances Information and Management System(EHSIMS) to the participants, to exchange information onHazardous Substances management in the different countries

SCOPE AND OUTCOMES OF THE WORKSHOP

During the workshop the participants:• Received first hand information on the functioning and of the content (Data Bases) of the system• Shared experiences and lessons learned.• Expressed their visions and needs in respects of Hazardous Substances (HS) Management• Discussed possible future activities

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Issue No.1 July 2002 Page 4

International News

•UNEP Chemicals Undertakes US$5 MillionProject Funded by Global Environment FacilityTo Assess Persistent Toxic Substances Regionally

GENEVA/NAIROBI

To reach a better understanding of the environmental andhealth risks posed by persistent toxic substances and themeasures needed to deal with them, UNEP Chemicals willexecute a US$5 million project to assess these pollutants inall regions of the globe.

• Hazardous wastes experts seek to strengthenBasel ConventionGeneva

Legal and technical experts are meeting here this week to

develop policies and technical guidelines for the BaselConvention on the Control of the Transboundary Movementsof Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.

• New guidelines will reduce hazards posed by plasticwastes

Geneva, 18 January 2002 – Experts from some 100governments meeting here this week have adopted a set oftechnical guidelines for protecting human health and theenvironment from the improper management and disposal ofplastic wastes.

Contact the EEAA(Central Operation Room) at:The Central OperationRoom (COR) operates 24hours a day, 7 days a week.Tel: (002)(02)5256491/2Fax: (002)(02)5256494

Emergency Telephones

•Civil Defense: - Emergency equipment - Training team - Fire Fighting ToolsTel: 00202-4014097

•Corrosive Poisoning Centers:• Service & Information Center available 24 hours daily for public specialist.• Lab service for analysis.• Emergency response to manage the case until getting medical service by: • Practical Team • Decontamination • Antidotes • Heamodialysis Center • Handling tools

Ain Shams Center:Tel: 00202-4828212 00202-4823314

Alexandria Center:Tel: 00203-4822244

Emergency Telephone Numbers to call in case of Chemical Accident

For more information please contact :

Egyptian Hazardous Substance Information & Management System 30 Misr Helwan Rd. Maadi-Cairo

Tel : 5256452 Fax : 5256479 Email : feedback@ehsims.org Web-Site: http://www.ehsims.org

Contact Info