What's your poison? The global regulation of the trade in hazardous chemicals

Book chapter

Hough, P. 2024. What's your poison? The global regulation of the trade in hazardous chemicals. in: Capaldo, G.Z. (ed.) The Global Community Yearbook of International Law and Jurisprudence 2023: Global Law, Politics, Ethics, Justice Oxford, UK Oxford University Press (OUP). pp. 315-334
Chapter titleWhat's your poison? The global regulation of the trade in hazardous chemicals
AuthorsHough, P.
Abstract

The global regulation of hazardous chemicals trading is based on the Rotterdam Convention and Prior Informed Consent (PIC), allowing the legal export of toxic substances so long as the importer is aware of what they receive. PIC represents a compromise between competing stakeholders. Chemical exporters are satisfied that their products are not being banned, whilst proponents of action to address the problem of human poisoning by toxic chemicals, from civil society and the UN system, are satisfied by greater transparency. However, this consensus has come to be strained by PIC being viewed as a ban rather than just an information exchange requirement, making chemical exporters less acquiescent. It appears that the apparent hardening of law can sometimes serve to undermine regulation. At the same time, though, the sheer existence of the Rotterdam Convention continues to influence the issue of hazardous chemical trading, showing the importance of normative force in governance.

Keywordshazardous chemicals; global governance
Sustainable Development Goals9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Middlesex University ThemeSustainability
Page range315-334
Book titleThe Global Community Yearbook of International Law and Jurisprudence 2023: Global Law, Politics, Ethics, Justice
EditorsCapaldo, G.Z.
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP)
Place of publicationOxford, UK
ISBN
Hardcover9780197795392
Electronic9780197795422
Publication dates
Print05 Nov 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted05 Nov 2023
Deposited16 Feb 2026
Output statusPublished
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197795392.003.0015
Related Output
Is part ofhttps://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197795392.001.0001
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