Chrysotile asbestos

Chrysotile asbestos is a candidate chemical in the category of industrial chemicals that has been recommended by the Chemicals Review Committee (CRC) for listing in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention but for which the Conference of the Parties (COP) has not yet been able to reach consensus.

The COP, at its 3rd meeting in 2006, adopted a decision on chrysotile asbestos (Decision RC-3/3), which, among others, encourages Parties to make use of all available information to make informed decisions regarding its import and management, and to inform other Parties of those decisions, using the information exchange provisions laid down in Article 14 of the Rotterdam Convention. COP3 also decided that the agenda for its next ordinary meeting shall include further consideration of a draft decision to amend Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention to include chrysotile asbestos. 

COP4 adopted a decision on chrysotile asbestos (Decision RC-4/4) deciding that the agenda for its next ordinary meeting shall include further consideration of a draft decision to amend Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention to include chrysotile asbestos. COP5 was also not able to reach consensus and agreed to annex a draft decision to its report, which is set out in annex IV to the COP 5 report (document UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.5/26). COP6, COP7, COP8, and COP9 decided to defer further consideration of the chemical to their corresponding subsequent meeting.

The Secretariat publishes the information received from the Parties on chrysotile asbestos in the Appendix VI, Information exchange on chemicals recommended by the Chemical Review Committee for listing in Annex III but for which the Conference of the Parties has yet to take a final decision, of the PIC Circular.

COP decisions on consideration of chrysotile asbestos for listing in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention

Document Symbol	Title	Download
COP Decision RC-3/3	Inclusion of chrysotile asbestos in Annex III to the Convention
COP Decision RC-4/4	Inclusion of chrysotile asbestos in Annex III to the Convention

CRC rationale and recommendation

The Chemical Review Committee recommended to the Conference of the Parties that it should include chrysotile asbestos in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention (Annex I, document UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/28).

Document Symbol	Title	Download
UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/28/ Annex I A	Annex I - A. Rationale for the recommendation that chrysotile asbestos (CAS No. 12001-29-5) should become subject to the prior informed consent procedure and to establish an intersessional drafting group to prepare a draft decision guidance document
UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/28/ Annex I B	Annex I - B. Recommendation to the Conference of the Parties on the inclusion of chrysotile asbestos in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention

Draft DGD adopted by CRC2

Document Symbol	Title	Download
UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.2/19	Consideration of the draft decision guidance document for chrysotile asbestos
UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.2/INF/5	Consideration of the draft decision guidance document for chrysotile asbestos: Report of the World Health Organization Workshop on Mechanisms of Fibre Carcinogenesis and Assessment of Chrysotile Asbestos Substitutes

Notifications and supporting documentation on chrysotile asbestos reviewed by the CRC

Document Symbol	Title	Download
UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/26	Chrysotile asbestos: Notifications of final regulatory actions to ban or severely restrict a chemical: Chrysotile Asbestos
UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/26/Add.5	Chrysotile asbestos: Additional notification from Switzerland
UNEP/FAO/PIC/CRC1/26.Add.1	Chrysotile asbestos: Supporting documentation from Australia
UNEP/FAO/PIC/CRC1/26.Add.2	Chrysotile asbestos: Supporting documentation from Chile
UNEP/FAO/PIC/CRC1/26.Add.3	Chrysotile asbestos: Supporting documentation from the European Community
UNEP/FAO/PIC/CRC1/26.Add.4	Chrysotile asbestos: supporting documentation from Latvia
UNEP/FAO/PIC/CRC1/26.Add.6	Chrysotile asbestos: Supporting documentation from Switzerland