Tbilisi. A part of the Georgian civil society organizations and experts published the declaration on the issues of management and regulation of hazardous chemical substances. Signatory organizations are concerned about the facts of importing through official channels the hazardous chemical substances and substances prohibited under international conventions, as well as about saturation of the Georgian market with hazardous chemical substances (pesticides) of suspicious origin. The Declaration also states that there are no legislative norms for the regulation and monitoring of hazardous chemical substances used in various types of materials, as well as the systems of institutional and staff development.

"We urge the Government and Parliament of Georgia, to categorically ban the import and re-export of chemical substances and wastes prohibited under various conventions, and to impose strict regulations on the import and use of other substances potentially containing this threat" - says the Declaration. The Declaration is signed by 9 civil society organizations, including: Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth Georgia, Rural Community Development Agency, Association of Ecological Farmers of Georgia "Sema", Green Way, Environmental Protection League, "Caucasus Ecology" Fund, Akhaltsikhe Public Development Center, International Development Agency of Georgia, and Intellect - in Country's Service. Deadline for signing is July 20, following which the text of the Declaration will be sent to a respective agency.

Source:  CENN