New Mexican Chemical regulatory framework on the road

The Mexican government has expressed its interest in promoting the application of a national policy on chemical substances, considering the life cycle of such substances. The General Health Council, responsible for the health sector in Mexico, has stated that the new policy will ensure the safe management of chemical substances throughout their entire life cycle, from production to disposal, to protect the health of people and the environment.  

To support this initiative, Aniq, a working group consisting of representatives from different companies, has been formed to develop a conceptual proposal for the management of chemical substances in Mexico. The proposal aims to align with international regulations and avoid trade barriers. However, there is no official document that includes the proposal at this stage.  

The potential impact of this new regulatory framework has generated curiosity and concern among other organizations. As a result, a telephone conference was held with officials from other representative organizations of the chemical industry, including the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to share the information that is currently available regarding this project in Mexico. During the conference, representatives from Aniq expressed their intention to generate information that serves as a basis for position documents related to the regulation of chemicals, such as those that take place at summit meetings on international agreements and conventions on safety and the environment, such as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management promoted by the United Nations.  

To further advance this initiative, a new conference call will be scheduled with the counterparts of Aniq in Latin America to comment on the matter and define a joint agenda that allows the chemical industrial sector to improve the management of chemical substances. Representatives of ICCA and ACC suggested a cooperation strategy for the regulation of chemical substances in Latin America. This strategy is based on the participation of Latin American Chemical Associations, coordinated by ICCA, for the exchange of information and experiences in the matter, including training courses for both companies and governments in the region.  

Aniq plans to participate in this strategy by holding monthly conferences with those involved to define the steps to follow. The participation of international organizations would also be sought, as well as the participation of an expert adviser financed by ICCA.  

Overall, the goal of the proposed regulatory framework is to ensure the safe management of chemical substances in Mexico and Latin America, protect human health and the environment, and align with international regulations. The involvement of various organizations and the cooperation strategy suggested by ICCA and ACC will facilitate the exchange of information and experiences in the matter, ultimately leading to the effective regulation of chemical substances in the region.