ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MINISTRY

OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY DEPARTMENT

CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT UNIT

NATIONAL PROFILE

OF THE

MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS

Co-ordinator: Head of the Chemicals Management Division

Marija Terioðina

Vilnius

1997

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: National Background information

Chapter 2: Chemical Production, Import, Export and Use

Chapter 3: Priority Concerns related to Chemical Production, Import, Export, and Use

Chapter 4: Legal Instrument and Non-Regulatory Mechanisms for Managing Chemicals

Chapter 5: Ministries, Agencies and Other Institutions Managing Chemicals

Chapter 6: Relevant Activities of Industry, Public Interest Groups and the Research Sector

Chapter 7: Inter-ministerial Commissions and Co-ordinating Mechanisms

Chapter 8: Data Access and Use

Chapter 9: Technical Infrastructure

Chapter 10: International Linkages

Chapter 11: Awarness/Understanding of Workers and the Public

Chapter 12: Resources Available and Needed for Chemicals Management

Annex

INTRODUCTION

In the second half of 1996, according to the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Forum on the Safety of Chemical Substances (IFCS) and the Intersessional Group (ISG), Lithuania received a proposal to develop a National Profile of the Management of Chemical Substances on the basis of the Guides developed by the United Nations Institute of Training and Research.

Reacting to the proposal, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, as one of the national institutions involved in the management process of chemical substances, took the initiative and assumed the role of the co-ordinator. On April 28, 1997, the Ministry issued Order No. 74 to form an interagency work group for the development of the National Profile of the Management of Chemicals. Participating in this work are representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Health Care, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Welfare and Labour, the Department of Civil Security of the Ministry of National Defence, the Statistics Department under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Customs Department under the Finance Ministry, the State Plant Protection Station of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Technological University in Kaunas, and the Environmental Engineering Association of the Confederation of Industrialists. Manager of the Chemicals Management Unit of the Ministry of Environmental Protection Marija Terioðina was appointed the co-ordinator of the National Profile of the Management of Chemicals.

The specific support for the preparation of a comprehensive National Profile in accordance with the Guidance Document was provided through generous support of the European Commission, Directorate General XI, Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection. Funds, received from UNITAR, were used for translation of Guidance Document to Lithuanian, printing works, copying, communication, for interpreters, Hall rent, copying of documents during National Planning Meetings, for payments for experts, for printing and translation of the prepared National Profile into English.

The objective of the National Profile of the Management of Chemicals is to develop a better understanding of the role of the chemical sector in Lithuanian economy, to highlight problems related to the regulation of chemical substances, to propose their possible solutions and to plan activities in this area.

In the future, this Profile should be constantly updated and supplemented with due regard to the changes taking place in the situation.

The National Profile of the Management of Chemicals and the Programme developed on the basis of the Profile should help to establish priorities in the further management of chemicals.

SUMMARY OF THE NATIONAL PROFILE OF THE MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS

A Survey of the Current Situation

The Republic of Lithuania is a country in the Baltic Sea Region. Its area is 65.3 thousand square kilometres. Lithuania borders on Latvia, Boleros, Poland and Russia (the Kaliningrad District). In the West, Lithuania is washed by the Baltic Sea.

At the beginning of 1997, the total population of Lithuania was 3707.2 thousand. The Republic of Lithuania is divided into 10 counties, 44 administrative districts, 446 neighbourhoods, and 111 towns. In Lithuania the sectors using or producing chemical substances are industry, utilities, agriculture, private.

One of the main economic indicators is Gross Domestic Product (GDP). From 1989 to 1995, GDP decreased more than twice. This was caused mainly by the sudden decrease of aggregate demand due to the diminished market in the East, which had been the main market for Lithuania’s exports, and the decrease in domestic demand for Lithuanian products.

Recent years have witnessed the first signs of increase in economic activities. GDP has begun to grow mainly due to the increase of production volumes in certain areas (e.g. agriculture, industry, construction, etc.).

Chemical industry was started in Lithuania in the 19th century. At first it produced paints and varnishes, various acids, salts, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic products.

During its independence between the two World Wars, Lithuania’s chemical industry produced mainly household chemicals. In the soviet times, the growth of Lithuanian chemical industry reached its peak in 1960-65 when the Plant of Plastic Goods in Vilnius, the Chemical Plant in Këdainiai, the Plant of Nitrogen Fertilisers in Jonava and the Plant of Synthetic Fibre in Kaunas were put into operation.

Another important landmark in the development of Lithuania’s chemical industry was the launching of the Oil Refinery in Maþeikiai in 1980.

After the restoration of independence, most chemical plants managed to adapt themselves to the new market conditions and, after a certain recession, they have started to increase their production volumes.

Lithuania’s oil processing and chemical industry produces petrol, diesel fuel, liquefied hydrocarbon gas, mineral fertilisers, ammonia, methanol, carbamide formaldehyde resins, synthetic fibre, household chemicals, polymeric film, electrographical developers, pharmaceutical preparations, etc. Some part of these products goes for exports. Lithuanian fertilisers usually find markets in the West whereas pharmaceuticals and household chemicals go mostly to the markets in the East. But on the whole, imports of chemicals into Lithuania exceed the exports of Lithuanian chemicals quite considerably, except for mineral fertilisers.

The major part of chemicals used in manufacture is imported from other countries.

As the majority of chemical plants were put into operation quite a long time ago, it is quite understandable that some of the equipment and machinery is outdated and its wear and tear is quite considerable, too. Due to the lack of funds, new technological equipment is introduced slowly and gradually, therefore environmental problems related to the discharge of pollutants, generation of waste, implementation of wasteless technologies, construction of waste water treatment facilities, etc., present a lot of trouble to Lithuania chemical plants.

Power and industrial plants and transport are the main polluters of atmospheric air.

According to the national figures of 1996, emissions from stationary sources, as in the preceding years, included mostly sulphur dioxide (SO2) - 63 thousand tonnes, carbon monoxide (CO) - 26.2 thousand tonnes and nitrogen oxides (Nox) - 13.9 thousand tonnes. Emissions from mobile sources account for the major part in the total amount of emissions (about 70%). The reduction of atmospheric pollution from stationary sources has been mainly due to the reduction of production volumes.

According to the data of air quality monitoring, concentrations of specific air pollutants (formaldehyde, phenol, ammonia, sulphur hydrogen, etc.) have not exceeded the limit values in the majority of towns for a number of years. In all the towns and cities the average concentrations of the main air pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide) is lower than the limit concentration values, except for the concentration of dust, which in major industrial centres exceeded the limit values in certain months.

Every year Lithuania generates about 250-300 million m3 of waste water. In 1996, 39.5% of the total amount of waste water were treated to the level of the accepted pollution standards. Through waste water discharges Lithuanian waters receive organic pollutants, oil products, nitrogen, phosphorus. The greatest pollutants of Lithuanian rivers are organic and bionic substances. The slight improvement of the quality of river waters, which has been observed in the recent years, is mainly due to the reduction of waste water discharges into watercourses. Lithuanian lakes are relatively clean.

The Curonian Bay is in a rather bad shape. It often experiences lack of oxygen, which kills a lot of fish.

The Baltic Sea coast is polluted with oily water, which finds its way there from vessels, although in the Baltic Sea there are no permanent sites with great amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons. Concentrations in excess of the limit values are registered only from time to time.

The quality of underground waters in some areas is not satisfactory. The pollution of the underground waters from the former soviet military storage facilities for oil products is quite considerable. Unsatisfactory is the quality of water in wells, while the pollution of water in drilled wells and water springs is not so great. According to the latest investigation findings, the chemical characteristics of more than a half of samples (62%) taken from water supply systems do not meet the hygiene requirements. The quality of drinking water in the watering places of Klaipëda, Ðiauliai, Joniðkis and Varëna does not meet the standards because of the excessive amounts of iron, hardness and other indicators.

Some areas polluted by oil products and other chemicals, such as railway stations, liquid fuel storage facilities, former military bases, have not been investigated enough yet to establish the levels to which their soil and underground layers are polluted.

Soil pollution due to agricultural activity usually does not exceed the permissible levels, except for some individual cases related to pollution with fertilisers and pesticides.

Research of chemical residues in food has shown that the greatest problems are presented by lead and cadmium: lead has been detected in practically all food products, while cadmium is mostly present in fish and plant products. Residues of pesticides prohibited in Lithuania such as DDT, gammexane, lindan, HCB) have also been detected. But compared to the average figures produced by the Danish monitoring and the GEMS countries, it is possible to claim that all Lithuanian food products are less contaminated with chemicals, except for the lead contamination of tinned fish.

In 1996, Lithuania generated 10139.8 tonnes of dangerous waste and 417855 tonnes of sludge in waste treatment facilities. According to the 1995 preliminary stock taking results, there are about 4000 tonnes of prohibited, old or not suitable for use pesticides which were accumulated in the soviet times. SC "Fostra" in Këdainiai has conducted a decontamination experiment on liquid pesticides, a decontamination of solid pesticides has been conducted by SC "Akmencementas".

In the waste treatment system which is to be introduced, dangerous waste is divided into three groups: waste to be incinerated, waste to be treated by physical and chemical methods, and waste to be disposed of.

The quantities of recovered waste are gradually increasing. The greatest progress is to be seen in the recovery of dangerous waste polluted with oil products.

Recovery of the slime produced by the oil refinery in Maþeikiai, which accounts for the greater part of the total waste contaminated with oil products, is carried out by Ekoring Company.

Large quantities of waterless and emulsion waste contaminated with oil products are incinerated in thermal power plants and also in the boiler houses of the companies that produce this waste.

Technologies developed by Biocentras have been used to install sites for biodegradation of soil contaminated with oil products in Kiðkënai for the catchment area of Klaipëda, in Mauruèiai for Kaunas and in Marijampolë. Still a large part of waste contaminated with oil products is not recovered at all and finds its way in landfills for household waste and other unauthorised landfills.

Most widely used chemicals in industry, agriculture and the utilities sector include chlorine, ammonia, organic solvents, acids and pesticides.

While using dangerous chemicals and preparations in industry, agriculture and the utilities sector or while transporting them, there is always a likelihood of an industrial or traffic accident involving chemicals. There are over 250 objects in the Republic which are considered to be dangerous from the chemical point of view. Industrial accidents that involve chemicals are mainly caused by old and worn out technological equipment, improper storage of chemical substances, etc. In Lithuania there are over 900 unauthorised, old or unsuitable facilities where pesticides are stored and where the improper storage of pesticides causes fires. The recent years have seen a comparatively small number of insignificant accidents. A lot of damage, however, was done to Lithuanian economy by the accident in SC "Azotas", Jonava, in 1989, when about 7000 tonnes of ammonia were spilled and released into the environment.

Lithuania is a transit country. Dangerous chemical substances are transported across the Lithuanian territory both from the East and the West. Accidents occur mostly due to the unsatisfactory condition of the railway or pressure vessels, especially when used to transport fuel. The Baltic Sea is polluted off the Klaipëda port most often by oil products that are spilled from ships during small or big accidents. Development of accident scenarios, the likelihood of their occurrence, estimation of the effects and scale of possible chemical pollution is usually conducted according to The Methodology of Estimating the Scale of Pollution by Strong Toxic Substances due to Accidents in Chemically Dangerous Facilities, approved by the Director of the Civil Security Department of the National Defence Ministry in 1992. Estimations serve as a basis for the development of a detailed plan for the liquidation of the effects of chemical pollution.

In order to reduce the likelihood of accidents in enterprises using dangerous chemical substances, the Regulations of Accident Prevention, Liquidation and Investigation, approved by Resolution No. 1090 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on September 4, 1995, require that the enterprises themselves should identify the dangers and analyse the risks involved. The management of companies must submit written reports to local authorities, specialised agencies and national supervisory institutions (according to their competence) on dangerous objects and their safety at least once in 5 years (if the situation in the company does not change). Local authorities are responsible for civil security. For cases when the executive institutions of local authorities are unable to cope with the task of liquidating the effects of large accidents or extending relief for the population, etc., the Government of the Republic of Lithuania established the Centre for the Management of Extraordinary Situations by passing Resolution No 340 on April 11, 1997.

The management of chemical substances at the national level is the responsibility of the Government, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and other authorised national institutions.

Since the restoration of independence, quite a large number of legal acts have been passed to control and regulate the management of chemical substances. There are legal acts which regulate licensing, limitations on the use of substances, registration of plant protection products, transportation of dangerous chemicals, the use of substances that deplete the ozone layer, import, export and transit of strategic goods (chemical substances, which may be used in the production of chemical weapons), etc. The main laws which are currently in effect include the following:

Law on Environmental Protection

Law on the Protection of Plants

Law on the Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies

Law on Enterprises

Law on the Health System

Law on Safety at Work

Law on the Environmental Impact Assessment on Proposed Activity

Resolutions of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (in the area of environmental protection) are the following:

On Regulation on Licensing and Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies

On the Issue of Permit-hygiene Passport to Conduct Commercial or Business Activities

On the Limitations on the Import, Export and Transit via the Republic of Lithuania of Certain Articles (goods)

On the Approval of Regulations for the Issue of Licences to Produce, Import, Export, Transport, Distribute, Use, Store or Bury Chemical Substances Potentially Dangerous to the Environment

On the Approval of Regulations for Transporting Dangerous or Military Cargoes of Foreign Countries Across the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania

On the Approval of the State Commission for the Registration of Plant Protection Products

On the Approval of the List of Chemical Plant Protection Products Allowed to be Used in the Republic of Lithuania

On the Approval of Procedure for Prior and Permanent Control of Controlled Goods

On the Accession to the 1985 Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the Recommendation of the Customs Co-operation Council on the Insertion into National Statistical Nomenclatures of the Subheadings to Facilitate the Collection and Comparison of Data on the International Movement of Substances Controlled by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer adopted on 26 06 1990

On the 1997 Programme for the Management of Pesticides Unsuitable for Use in the Republic of Lithuania and the Actions Planned until 2001

On the Programme for the Management of Dangerous Waste in the Republic of Lithuania

On the Approval of Regulations for the Prevention, Liquidation and Investigation of Industrial Accidents

On the Approval of Statute for the Register of Dangerous Economic Facilities in Lithuania

On the Approval of Regulations and Composition of the Centre for the management of emergency situations

On the Approval of the List of Planned Economic Activities which are Required to Undergo a State Assessment Expertise for their Impact on the Environment

The Order of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania "On the Supply of Information on Accidents, Catastrophes, Natural Disasters to the Population on Radio and Television"

The Action Programme of the Lithuanian Strategy for Environmental Protection, approved by a Government Resolution

Various ministries have issued a considerable number of legal documents regulating the area in question. For example, in 1997 the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued the following orders:

On the Procedure of Issuing Permits for Import and Export from and into the Republic of Lithuania Dangerous Chemical Substances of UN Classes 2 to 9 (except 7)

On Eco-labelling of Products

On the Waste Catalogue

On Strengthening the Control of Management and Use of Old Pesticides, Accounting of and Control of their Storage Facilities

The Ministry of Health also developed the following hygienic standards, approved by the Order of the Chief Hygienist of the Republic:

On the Prohibited and Restricted Pesticides

On the Use of Prohibited and Restricted Substances in the Production of Consumer and Cosmetic Goods

On the Permissible Limit Values of Concentration of Hazardous Substances in Various Elements of the Environment

On the Allowed Use of Chemical Disinfectants and Detergents and Preparations for Killing Household Parasites and Rodents

On Organising Health Services in Cases of Chemical Pollution

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health Care have jointly issued an Order on the Register of Potentially Toxic Chemical Substances.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Agriculture have developed a joint Order on the Recovery of Prohibited and no Longer Suitable Pesticides.

The Ministry of National Defence has approved the Regulations of Storage and Disposal of Explosives, and has developed an Order on the Limitation of Transportation of Dangerous Substances of Class 1 (according to UN classification)

The Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care and Agriculture have Approved the Regulations of Import, Transportation, Storage, Distribution, Use and Decontamination of Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products and Growth Regulators.

Lithuania is a member of various international organisations, it has signed all the international agreements on the transportation of dangerous cargoes (of Classes 1 to 9) by all transport means (including roads, railway, waterways and air), i.e. Lithuania is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Marine Organisation (IMO) and observes the rules of these organisations on the transportation of dangerous cargoes (substances). Lithuania has acceded to the European Agreement signed in Geneva in 1975 On the International Transportation of Dangerous Cargoes by Road (ADR) and the International Convention on Railway Transport (COTIF) and at the present time, it observes some of the international requirements for the transportation of dangerous cargoes.

In 1993, the Republic of Lithuania signed the Convention on Ban of the Development, Production, Accumulation and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Annihilation. Lithuania is going to ratify this Convention in the near future.

In its efforts to integrate in Europe’s economic and political life, Lithuania has to combat illegal drug trafficking and to form drug control policies. With this aim in view, in 1994 Lithuania joined the 1961 and 1971 UN Conventions on the Control of Legal Trade in Drug and Psychotropic Substances. At the present time, Lithuania is preparing to accede to the UN Convention, regulating the illegal trafficking of the aforementioned substances.

There is practically no overlapping between the powers of various ministries and institutions because each ministry or institution is responsible for the import, storage and use of chemical substances which are in its particular area of competence.

At the present time, a large number of draft laws on handling chemical substances are under development. An interagency work group, headed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is working on the Draft Chemicals Law, which will transpose the main EU requirements for chemicals management and will define the powers and responsibilities of individual ministries and other competent institutions and will regulate all the areas of management of chemical substances, including those which are not covered by the provisions of the existing laws. The objective of this draft law is to establish the principles of managing chemical substances, to define the rights and obligations of natural and legal persons engaged in activities related to the production, storage, use, distribution, import, export, accounting and control of chemical substances and preparations. Another two draft laws under preparation are the Draft Laws on the Control of Toxic Substances and Precursors. The draft law on the transportation of dangerous cargoes has been submitted to Seimas for deliberation.

The major part of the existing information according to the categories of use of chemical substances is related to the ozone depleting substances and pesticides.

According to the established regulations, the Republic of Lithuania permits only the import of certain dangerous substances and products which are registered in Lithuania. Their registration and control are the responsibility of the State Expert Commissions created by the orders of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and various ministries for the registration of plant protection products means and the hygienic regulation and registration of disinfectant substances, detergents and cosmetic products. There are approved lists of prohibited and severely restricted pesticide’s active ingredients as well as narcotic and Psychotropic substances banned to be used for medicinal purposes.

In the area of controlling the use of chemical substances, competence is divided among a number of ministries (the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care, Transport, Economy, Agriculture and Forestry) and institutions.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection establishes the procedures for the issuance of permits, storage, accounting, transit, import and export of chemical substances. Together with other institutions authorised by the Government it establishes the procedures for storage, sorting, recovery and decontamination of waste. For the operation of economic units the Ministry of Environmental Protection determines the norms and the accounting procedures for the use of natural resources and for pollutant emissions into the environment. It organises and co-ordinates the comprehensive environmental monitoring, conducts environmental quality investigations in the sites of industrial or transport accidents involving chemicals.

The Transport Ministry co-ordinates the transportation of dangerous cargoes.

The Ministry of Health Care co-ordinates the use of chemical substances within its competence, issues permits-hygiene passports for business activities related to the production, storage, and distribution of chemical substances, participates in the expert investigations of industrial and transport accidents involving chemicals, in the assessment of damage done or threatened to human health, provides information on the impact of chemical substances on human.

The Ministry of Economy controls import, transit and export of chemicals of dual use, organises the management of dangerous waste, provides information to the Economic Commission of the Unites Nations on the producers of chemical products in Lithuania, their products, exports, imports (communication is conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), co-ordinates the ratification of the Convention on Ban of Chemicals Weapons, issues licences for imports and export of oil products.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for the state management of plant protection: imports, storage, trade and use of chemical plant protection products.

Participation in various programmes for the management of chemical substances is open both to the producers of chemical substances, and the research institutions and various non-governmental organisations. The greatest experience in the management of chemical substances has been accumulated in Stock Company (SC) "Achema" in Jonava, SC "Lifosa" in Këdainiai and the SC "Maþeikiø Nafta" in Maþeikiai.

Information on the imports, exports, production, use and disposal of chemical substances is not confidential, the press and the public are given free access to this information.

For the purposes of development of the legal framework on the use and control of chemical substances and the harmonisation of the currently valid regulations with the legislation of the European Union, various interministerial (interagency) commissions and work groups have been formed to include experts and interested parties from various ministries and organisations. The co-ordination mechanisms for all these activities are also in place. Mention should be made of the following Interagency Work Groups: the groups for the Development of Draft Laws on Chemical Substances and Management of Dangerous Waste; the Co-ordination Committee of the Programme of the Republic of Lithuania for the Management of Pesticides Unsuitable for Use; the Supervisory Committee for the Implementation of the Programme for the Management of Dangerous Waste; the Work Group for the Ratification of the Convention on the Ban of the Development, Production, Accumulation and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Annihilation; the Centre for the Management of Emergency Situations; the Expert Commission for the Hygienic Regulation and Registration of Disinfectants, Detergents and Cosmetic Products; the State Commission for the Registration of Plant Protection Products; the State Drugs Control Commission; the Interagency Group of Experts for the Consideration of Problems Related to the Issue of Licences and Certificates for the Import, Transit and Export of Strategic Products; the Interagency Work Group for the Improvement of the Transportation System of Dangerous Cargoes (dangerous substances) and the development of the required draft documents in this area. As a result of the Phare technical assistance for the integration process into the EU, the Draft Approximation Strategy for Chemicals Sector is under preparation.

The aim of the Approximation Strategy is to define the main directions of work which is necessary to be done in order to implement the basic requirements of the EU.

In order to be able to manage chemical substances and take the proper decisions in various situations, it is necessary to have accurate and full data bases on chemical substances, their properties, impact on the environment and humans, the exact quantities of chemical substances produced, used, imported or exported and the quantities of the accumulated waste in the Republic. The main institution which accumulates and provides information on imports, exports and production of chemical substances is the Department of Statistics. Information according to the particular management areas of chemicals is collected, processed and accumulated in different individual ministries:

- information on the use of pesticides and mineral fertilisers is the responsibility of the State Plant Protection Station;

- various data on monitoring of different components of natural environment and emissions of chemical substances are the responsibility of the Ministry of Environmental Protection;

- information on chemical waste is to be found in the Ministries of Economy and Environmental Protection;

- information on the hygienic control of work places is to be found at the Ministry of Health Care;

- information on chemical substances stored and used in enterprises, on industrial accidents related to the use of chemical substances is to be found in the Department of Civil Safety and the State Labour Safety Inspectorate;

- information on the health of agricultural and industrial workers is to be found in territorial centres of public health, local institutions for the health supervision of individuals;

- information on occupational diseases is available in the Centre of Occupational Medicine of the Hygiene Institute;

- information on the chemical antibacterial substances, preparations for killing parasites and rodents, disinfectant allowed for use in food industry, registration of detergents is available at the Health Care Ministry.

Information is collected by the regional and local divisions of various ministries and national institutions.

In Lithuania information on various problems related to the management of chemical substances is exchanged on requests submitted in writing, and also under agreements made with the respective institutions on periodical supply of information.

Workshops, conferences on various problems of management of chemical substances, information bulletins, and other publications also serve the purpose of exchange of information. Data are collected by different ways and methods:

- enterprises and organisations supply information on request;

- by questionnaires;

- during inspections on site;

- data can be found in the reports presented by companies.

The population can receive information on chemical substances, their production, import, export, use, harmfulness to health, etc. from the publications of the Department of Statistics, the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care, Agriculture and Forestry and other ministries as well as on request directly from the registers.

Access to the international literature makes decision taking much easier. International literature reaches Lithuania from international organisations such as UN, OECD and others, also through the participation of Lithuania’s representatives in various international conferences and co-operation with other countries. There are not many international databases in Lithuania, but at the present time access to databases on the Internet is becoming easier and therefore more frequent.

A computer net of national institutions (VIKT) is currently under development. When it is in place, it will make it possible to maintain on-line communication among the various ministries.

The possibilities of the VIKT may also be used in the information systems in the area of chemical substances, to access international databases and to facilitate the implementation of the Government’s policy and programmes related to the management of chemical substances.

Connection to the VIKT creates technical possibilities for the majority of the users of the LAN (local net) of the Ministry of Environmental Protection to access the Internet.

The main laboratories of physical and chemical analysis, which help conduct policies and programmes for the management of chemical substances, i.e. laboratories which can identify unknown substances and analyse chemical residues, are located in research institutions and ministries. Laboratories of industrial enterprises specialise in the analysis of substances which are used or produced in the respective enterprise.

The greater number of the physical and chemical laboratories are certified, but Lithuania does not have any laboratories certified according to GLP. With the aim of ensuring the quality of analyses and the control of quality in the environmental monitoring system, interlaboratory ring investigations are being conducted, control of the work of regional laboratories are being executed and these laboratories are provided with methodological assistance to. Participation in international calibrations, international investigation projects under bilateral and multilateral agreements helps to ensure the quality of analyses performed by Lithuania's laboratories. New methods are developed and implemented to estimate the components in various natural environments according to international standards. In their work research laboratories use, to a certain extent, international documents and standards.

In order to improve the monitoring, assessment and forecasting system of dispersed air pollution in cities, Sweden is helping Lithuania to implement in Vilnius the automated control and management system AIRVIRO under the joint environmental project Management of Air Quality in the City of Vilnius. Two automated stations for monitoring air pollution have already been installed.

When new equipment is acquired, employees undergo technical training, which is organised by the producers of the equipment in their own training centres abroad. Seminars are also held in Lithuania. In 1996, the Government approved a National Quality Programme, and provided for the main measures of its implementation in 1996-98. The National Quality Programme provides for the development of standardisation, metrology and the assessment of compliance: in the standardisation area this is to be done by improving Lithuania's standardisation system and harmonising it with international and EU standardisation systems; in the area of metrology - by improving the measurement equipment and legal metrological systems; in the area of compliance - through efforts to achieve certification of test laboratories and international recognition of institutions for market supervision.

Direct international co-operation in the area of chemical substances started in Lithuania in 1991 when UNEP IRPTC agreed to help Lithuania establish a database of the National Register of Potentially Toxic Chemical Substances and appointed a national correspondent for Lithuania. The Lithuanian contact person participated at the international conferences on safe management of chemical substances in Sweden and Ottawa (Canada). The Ministry of Environmental Protection as one of the main national institutions involved in the management of chemical substances co-operates with the countries of the Baltic Sea Region and various international organisations on the basis of bilateral and multilateral co-operation agreements, participates in international projects for state activities in the management of chemical substances. Other ministries participate in activities directed toward accession to various conventions and their implementation, and also in other activities which are associated, although in part, with chemical substances.

International activities are conducted at the national level through competent institutions and ministries, which co-ordinate appropriate activities, form and guide interinstitutional groups for the consideration and solution of various problems.

Environmental education and public information is organised in Lithuania on the basis of the main international provisions spelled out in Agenda 21st century, the Environmental action programme for Central and East Europe, the recommendations of the public information and environmental education work group of the Helsinki Commission on the Implementation of Programmes (HELCOM PITF PA and EE). The main directions in this field are the following: strengthening of relations with the public, and the development of the basic principles of public environmental education and information.

Information on the current problems of environmental protection, safety at work, occupational medicine, health protection including pollution of recreational sites, quality of food products, their contamination, suitability of cosmetic products and detergents for use, also on the accidents in industry or transportation of chemical substances is supplied to the public through mass media. In cases of emergency or threat of an emergency due to chemical substances the population is informed about the possible risks to health and the protective or safety measure which can help avoid or reduce the risks. Education of the population and the training of employees is conducted in the training centres of civil safety.

The ministries publish periodical information bulletins which provide information on ministerial orders, collegiate resolutions, programmes which are under development or implementation, regulations and methodological documents approved by the ministry, seminars and conferences to be held. These information bulletins are sent to other ministries and agencies, district or local institutions of environmental protection and public health care centres, educational institutions and establishments of higher education.

The number of expert employees engaged in the management of chemical substances is greater in the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care, and the Department of Civil Security of the National Defence Ministry than in other ministries where work is organised on the basis of functional departments and the number of experts in chemistry is not more than one or two.

PROBLEM AREAS AND PROPOSALS

1. Insufficient legal framework for the management of chemical substances; there is no single basis for the development of such a framework; implementation mechanisms are not in place; Lithuania does not have a framework law on chemical substances which would include the most important provisions in this field.

The implementation of Lithuania's strategic goal, which is the integration in the EU and other international economic, security and other co-operation organisations, requires to establish priorities in the development of legal acts: only after the framework law which transposes the basic requirements of EU directives and defines the functions of individual state institutions in the area of chemical substances management has been adopted, can work start on the development of daughter laws and regulations to establish requirements for the classification of chemical substances, their labelling, packaging, safety data sheet, risk assessment, import, export, state accounting, notification of new substances, and to provide for the necessary documents and the control system, to help manage processes, related to chemical substances, and to ensure compliance with the requirements. It is also necessary to provide for the implementation mechanism of all these legal acts, to establish necessary administrative and other institutions, to estimate the costs of the development of all these legal acts and to find the necessary funds.

2. At the present time, Lithuania does not have an appropriate single body to co-ordinate the general management (regulation) of chemical substances; there is not enough co-ordination between various institutions; the functions and responsibilities in the sector of management of chemical substances are not clearly distributed among individual ministries and national institutions in the sector of management of chemical substances.

In order to achieve the aforementioned aims it is necessary to adopt a law on chemical substances which would establish the main principles for the definition of the competence and powers of various ministries and co-ordinating institutions in the field of management of chemical substances; to provide for the co-ordination of activities of national institutions; to define the role of local and county authorities in the implementation of legislatory and regulatory requirements in the management of chemical substances.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has proposed to the Ministry of Health (the two leading ministries in the field of management of chemical substances) to develop a joint order on the definition of detailed functions of these two ministries so as to avoid overlapping in various fields of management of chemical substances.

3. There is no national register of chemical substances, no full statistical information on the chemicals circulating in the Lithuanian market; the system and legal framework is insufficient for the collection of information on the production, distribution, use, storage, import and export of chemicals from producers, users or importers; the system of the national accounting for chemicals has not been implemented.

One of the first steps to solve the aforementioned problems would be the establishment of the National Register of chemical substances, including the inventory of chemicals on the Lithuanian market, which would enable to introduce national accounting for chemical substances. The Ministries of Environmental Protection and Health should cooperate to establish an independent agency or a co-ordinating centre which would be responsible for the administration of the national register of chemical substances and the management of the central database on chemical substances. A national institution should also be appointed to be responsible for the notification of new chemical substances. These provisions should find their appropriate place in the law on chemical substances.

4. Treatment of dangerous waste is a problem of current concern in Lithuania. This also includes the treatment of old or unidentified pesticides and pesticides, no longer suitable or prohibited for use, which were accumulated in the soviet times. It is necessary to take physical stock of such pesticides and to find funds for their treatment.

The solution of this problem requires to adopt a law on waste treatment and all the appropriate regulations as soon as possible. In the present economic situation where there are no sufficient funds for the decontamination or recovery of dangerous waste it is necessary to install temporary landfill sites for dangerous waste and a central waste management facility.

It is also necessary to continue the treatment of unused pesticides which were imported long ago by repackaging, sorting, and identifying them. It is also necessary to find economic incentives to stimulate companies to introduce wasteless technologies or technologies which would allow to reduce the generation of waste.

5. The increase in pollution from mobile sources is caused by obsolete vehicles and also by the increasing numbers of vehicles; air pollution from stationary sources is due to the insufficient treatment of emissions and failure to meet the limit values, obsolete laboratory equipment used to estimate pollution by chemical substances.

The solution of these problems is very closely related to the general economic level of the country. Only the improvement in the general economic situation will make it possible to introduce limitations on the import of used cars from West European countries and thus to reduce pollution caused by traffic. Furthermore, it is necessary to tackle the problem of the quality of fuels, to implement the systems of optimal regulation of traffic, which is also related to additional material and financial resources. It would be appropriate to develop a comprehensive programme for the installation of exhaust neutralisation systems in vehicles and to expand the production and use of non-ethylated petrol.

In order to reduce the pollution of surface waters, it is necessary to construct waste water treatment facilities in the major cities of Lithuania (Kaunas, Ðiauliai) and in the cities on the Baltic Sea coast (Klaipëda, Palanga), or to upgrade the existing waste water treatment facilities in other cities (for example, in Vilnius). In addition, it is necessary to pay more attention to the prevention of pollution by introducing more progressive technologies, by using cleaner raw materials, and all this could be provided for in the projects for the assessment of the impact on the environment.

In order to improve the quality control it would be useful to upgrade the equipment of the stationary air monitoring posts, to introduce continuous measurement (monitoring) systems in the areas within the influence of major industrial units.

6. The control of the imports of dangerous chemical substances is not efficient enough.

In order to ensure the required level of control it is necessary to introduce a computerised control system in the border customs posts. That would improve the collection of data on the basis of declarations on import and export cargoes (including cargoes of chemical substances). With the help of foreign experts it is necessary to organise training for police, customs officers and border guards on the identification of chemical substances, to acquaint them with the requirements for the classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances so that the import of chemicals labelled or packaged not according to the EU requirements could be prevented.

When Lithuania becomes a EU member, it will have to take all the necessary measures to prevent the penetration of substances which have not been duly notified into its market, i.e. it will have to introduce controls on imports from third countries. This requires additional investments to strengthen border control.

The successful solution of all the problems mentioned above will depend to a certain extent on the mutual understanding of the public and the state institutions and also on the awareness of the public. Therefore, it is necessary to work out a single public information system to inform the public on the possible dangers presented by chemical substances to the environment and health and also on the safety measures against their harmful effects. It is necessary to publish information bulletins on various problems concerned with the management and control of chemical substances.

Chapter 1: National Background information

1.1. Physical and Demographic Context

Form of the Government-Lithuanian Republic

Area of the Country - 65 300 square km. Lithuania borders: on Latvia in the North, on Boleros - in the South, on Poland and Russia (the Kaliningrad District) in the Southwest. In the West, Lithuania is washed by the Baltic Sea. The length of the beach - 99 km. The distance from Country’s west till east is equal 373 km, the bordance from the north till south border is 276 km.

• Official language - Lithuanian
• Total population: 3707200, 1958200 women - that is equal 52.8 percent of total population. Density: 56.8 per square km.
• Urban Population: 68.4 % (2 534 500)
• Rural population: 31.6% (1 172 700)
• Average Age of the Population: -3 709500
• Population of Working Age (16-65): 2 121 300 (57.2%)
• Birth Rate: 10.6 per 1000 population
• Life Expectancy: 70.55 (man - 65.0, women - 76.07)
• Literacy Rate: 99.7
• Unemployment Rate: 7.1
• Percentage of Women Employed Outside the Home: 49.9

1.2. Political/Geographical Structure of the Country

Administrative-territorial division:

Towns - 111

Counties - 10

Administrative Districts - 44

Neighbourhoods - 449.

There are 111 towns in Lithuania at this moment. Till 1995 there were two categories of the towns: Towns and Settlements of town’s type. The status of town was given by the decision of the former Presidium of the Supreme Council. From 1995 the Settlements with population more than 3000 are being considered as Towns. Approximately 40% of population were living in the five largest towns in 1995.

The area of the Republic of Lithuania is divided into territorial administrative divisions:

I. County.

A County is a higher administrative division of the area of the Republic of Lithuania. The governing of a County is organised by the Government through a County Manager, ministries and other Governmental Institutions. The management of a County is the one consistent part (component) of the State’s governing.

The territory of a County is formed from the areas of local municipalities with relative ethic-cultural interests.

From 19 07 1994 the following Counties are in the Republic of Lithuania:

The administrative responsibilities of a county are the following:

• implementation of the government’s policy in the areas of social maintenance, education, health care, territorial planning, monument’s management, use and protection of land, agriculture, environmental protection as well as execution of a Governmental and Regional Programmes;
• co-ordination of the activities of the Departments of Ministries and other Governmental Institutions situated in the County and co-ordination of activities of Local Municipalities while implementing a Regional Programmes;
• foreseeing of priorities in development of a County and preparation of a programmes.

The map of administrative divisions of Lithuania indicates the borders of Counties.

I. Local Municipality is a lower administrative division of the area of the Republic of Lithuania.

A Local Municipality is governed by municipal institutions which are elected by local population according the Law on Local Municipalities and other legal acts. A Local Municipality is formed from places of residence. The Republic of Lithuania is divided into 56 Local Municipalities. The Local Municipalities were established in March 1995. The Local Municipalities have the following responsibilities designated by the Government:

• civil registry;
• management of Register of Municipal, State and Private Enterprises and Public Organisations;
• management of national and regional parks;
• organisation of municipal policy, civil security and fire protection.

Local Municipality is responsible for organisation and financing of the following:

• culture;
• public transport;
• education;
• health care;
• social maintenance;
• social security (benefits);
• environmental protection;
• sports and relaxation;
• water supply and sewerage;
• planning;
• energy supply.

III. More detailed administrative division of Local Municipality is a Neighbourhood. There are 449 Neighbourhoods in Lithuania for this moment.

According records of 1989 the national composition was following:

(in %)

1.3. Industrial and Agriculture Sectors

One of the main economic indicator is Gross Domestic Product (GDP). From 1989 to 1995, GDP decreased more than twice. During period of 1989-1992 the GDP decreased for 43%, 1992-1995 decreased more than by 29%. This was caused mainly by the sudden decrease of aggregate demand due to the diminished market in the East, which had been the main market for Lithuania’s exports, and the decrease in domestic demand for Lithuanian products.

But the 1994 have witnessed the first signs of increase in economic activities. The GDP in 1996 was 31115.0 million Litas and comparing with 1995 it increased up by 3.6%. GDP has begun to grow mainly due to the increase of production volumes in certain areas (e.g. agriculture, industry, construction, trade, services of hotels and other public services, etc.).

68% of GDP is produced in private sector (in 1995 it was 65%).

Table 1.A: Overview of the Industrial and Agriculture Sectors

1)-According to the General Industrial Classification of Economic Activities within European Community (NACE) industry comprises the main parts:

- mining and quarrying industry

- manufacturing industry

-electricity, gas and water supply

Lithuanian mining and manufacturing industry includes:

1. acting Stock and Joint Stock Companies the main activities of which are production of consumer goods;
2. non industrial companies with activities of construction, trade, transport, agriculture (including industrial divisions);
3. personal (individual) enterprises, producing industrial goods;
4. legal and natural persons purchasing patents for manufacturing industrial products. Incomes of all industrial companies (stock companies and joint stock companies), which main activities are industry, were more than 90% for 1996.

The data on employed population are reported by all type enterprises, institutions and organisations In addition, the data of individual enterprises and persons having the patents for various kinds of activities and questioning of farmers are used. There is, however, a high non-response rate and total number of employed population is calculated using expert evaluations.

Table 1.B: Structure of the Manufacturing Sector according to number of employee (1996)

Structure of the Manufacturing enterprises according to number of employees

( at the end of 1996; personal enterprises excluded)

The all land-tenures (4.3 mln ha or 93%) were managed by collective farms and State farms till 1989. The first farms of farmers (landowners) were established in 1989. According to Law on Land, the farm should be considered as Farm of Landowner if the farming lands’ area is no less than 3 ha. According to the size of owned farming lands, the small farms predominate. Unfortunately, such farms have no prospects, so during integration to the European Union’s agricultural system they should become large scale farms.

The Grouping of the land-tenures of Agricultural Enterprises (excluding State farms) according to the general area (ha)1) of land, rented from the Government (for January 1, 1997):

Total	1660	100%
0-5	272	16
5-10	59	4
10-50	190	11
50-100	146	9
100-200	183	11
200-500	346	21
500-1000	290	18
1000-1500	123	7
1500-2000	35	2
more than 2000	16	1

The Grouping of the land-tenures privately owned or allowed to be used as landowner’s farm according to the general area (ha)2) of land (for January 1, 1996):

1),2) - the data of State Land Cadaster

The general volume of agricultural production in 1996 was 6301.0 mln Litas (according prices for this period), plant growing - 3440.7 mln Litas, cattle-breeding - 2860.3 mln Litas. The structure of crops for this time was following: nutritious crops - 52%, technical crops - 2%, forage crops - 46%.

Table 1: Agricultural production

Table 1.C.1:Breakdown of Agricultural Production by Regions

Table 1.D: Breakdown of Industrial Production by Regions

Counties	Value of sold production1) in	Number of Industrial Facilities	Number of Empoyees
	million Litas		thousand	%
Alytus	787	128	14.6	6.7
Kaunas	3275	627	52.4	23.9
Klaip๋da	1595	286	22.4	10.3
Marijampol๋	504	102	9.1	4.2
Panev๋ys	1483	257	24.8	11.3
ะiauliai	988	253	18.8	8.6
Taurag๋	105	52	3.2	1.4
Tel๐iai	2940	135	12.2	5.6
Utena	537	108	8.6	3.9
Vilnius	2331	639	52.7	24.1
Total	14545	2687	218.7	100

1) State enterprises, Stock Companies, Joint Stock Companies of manufacturing industry (excluding auxilary activities of personal industrial enterprises, non-industrial enterprises, agricultural companies).

1.4.Industrial Employment by Major Economic Sectors

Table 1.E: Industrial Employment by Major Economic Sectors

1)-NACE - Classification of Economic Activities established according to the Classification "Nomenclatures des activities de Communite Eurpoeene-NACE rev.1" of the European Statistics Service EUROSTAT. NACE is recommended for all Member States of European Union.

2)- only electric generation and distribution (exluding wapour and hot water supply);

… - no available data, inspite of presence of such occurance.

General Industrial Classification of Economic Activities within European Community (NACE) industry comprises the main parties:

- mining and quarrying industry

- manufacturing industry

-electricity, gas and water supply

These parts are subvided into activities. Activity is made of enterprises, which manufactured products mainly corresponding to the name of this activity.

The total industrial output (production) and number of employees in all industry and different activities is provided including stock, joint stock companies, public enterprises (state stock companies - also), personal industrial enterprises and auxiliary production of non-industrial companies (trade, construction, transport, etc.) and agricultural partnerships.

Stock companies, joint-stock companies, public companies and enterprices produce 96.5% of total industrial output, non-industrial enterprises -1.3%, personal enterprises -2.2%.

Chapter 2: Chemical Production, Import, Export and Use

2.1 Summary Review of Lithuanian Chemical Industry

Chemical industry was started in the 19th century. At first it produced paints and varnishes, various acids, salts, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics products. Most of the enterprises were small with some workers. Factory "Union" producing the superphosphate was the first rather large company, built in 1869. Its activity has developed from bone-coal and chemical industry. The factories producing combustible gas in Vilnius and Klaipeda should be mentioned also. At the end of 1870s, the small company producing blue was established. The factory producing soda was established in Vilnius in 1888. Mazelis chemical plant (established in 1894) in Vilnius has produced boric acid, Glauber salt, cosmetic products.

At the end of 1880s some small companies producing aniline dye have started the activity. In 1900, the chemical industry was not large, the range of products was short, and the comparative weight in total industrial production was low. The 28 chemical plants already were operating in Lithuania (excluding Klaipëda) in 1908 and these plants have produced 1.4% of all industrial production volume. The 11 chemical plants were operating in Klaipëda region in 1907. In 1912, there were 64 chemical industry companies in Vilnius region, 21 - in Kaunas region, 193 - in Klaipëda region. They produced only 0.9% of total industry production this year. The major part of products were paints.

After World War I while the restoration of destroyed industry (in 1919-1922), 22 new chemical plants were established in Lithuania (excluding Klaipëda and Vilnius regions). In 1927, 31 chemical companies were operating in Lithuania (excluding Vilnius region). Chemical enterprises have made up 3.1% of all Lithuanian industrial enterprises in 1929. During later period due to the capital’s concentration the number of chemical enterprises has increased slightly. Since 1935 till 1939, the number of chemical enterprises has increased by 33% (till 57).

During its independence between the two World wars, Lithuania’s chemical industry produced mainly household chemicals. 38 household chemicals enterprises were operating in 1938 (excluding Klaipëda and Vilnius regions). Besides that, some factories produced matches, soaps and rubber (since 1933 "Inkaras", since 1938 - "Guma" in Kaunas). Plants producing turpentine were operating in small towns and villages.

During post-war first years plant "Inkaras" was established newly and company "Chemikas" producing the household chemicals was established in Kaunas too. The growth of Lithuanian chemical industry reached its peak in 1960-1965 when the Plant of Plastic Goods in Vilnius (1931), the Chemical Plant in Këdainiai (1963), the Plant of Nitrogen Fertilisers in Jonava (1965) and the Plant of Synthetic Fibre in Kaunas were put into operation. The other chemical factories have been built during this period also, the some existing plants were under reconstruction. In 1960, the enterprises "Ðvyturys", "Gintaras" in Vilnius, "Spindulys" in Jaðiûnai were reorganised into chemical factories. The plant producing the polymeric substances was built in Vilnius, the glue factory - in Kaiðiadorys.

Another important landmark in the development of Lithuania’s chemical industry was the launching of the Oil Refinery in Maþeikiai in 1980.

The growth of chemical and petroleum chemical industry have been continued during later years. Comparing with 1950 level, in 1960, the production of this industry was higher by 4.6 times, in 1970 - by 62.8 times, in 1975 - by 98.7 times, in 1979 - by 120.1 times.

After the restoration of independence, most chemical plants managed to adapt themselves to the new market conditions and, after a certain recession, they have started to increase their production volumes.

Lithuania’s chemical industry produces mineral fertilisers, ammonia, methanol, carbamide formaldehyde resins, synthetic fibre, household chemicals, tubes and spare parts for tubes from thermoplastics, plastic household articles, polymeric film, electrographic developers, pharmaceutical preparations, recovers tyres.

In 1995, 43 enterprises of industry of chemical substances and products have operated, and 9000 of employees were occupied in them. About 2500 of employees were occupied in 72 enterprises of industry of resin and plastic articles. In this year the industry of chemical substances and products has produced production for 1.2 milliard Litas. The export has made up about 78%. The comparative weight of chemical industry for income made up 9.5% of total industry’s income, for the number of employees - 3.7%, for the production sold in domestic market - 3.2%, for the production export - 15%.

The export level of various types of production is not the same. The export of fertilisers has made up about 82%, of household chemical articles - 32%, of pharmaceutical products - 34%, of synthetic fibre and threads - 80%. The directions of markets are different also: fertilisers usually find markets in the West whereas pharmaceuticals and household chemicals go mostly to the markets in the East.

The privatisation of chemical enterprises has started in 1991. The major part of enterprises were privatised (74%), the rest part of state capital in them makes up 26%. Chemical enterprises during the nearest years after privatisation have no plans to change the character of production, but all enterprises meet a modernisation problems. Enterprises, having the purpose to modernisate production, prepare an investment projects, look for foreign investments or for a favourable credits for financement of projects, because the funds owned by enterprises at present time are not sufficient to fulfill all needs of modernisation.

The industrial enterprises consider as especially important the ecological questions: reduction of releases and discharges of pollutants into atmosphere and watercourses, implementation of safety and ecologically clean technologies, work safety and health protection of employees and population living near plants as well. The investments and experience of foreign countries are needed for solving all these problems.

SC"Achema", SC "Lifosa" are the major enterprises producing chemical substances and products. SC"Achema" produces the nitrogen fertilisers: carbamide, ammonium nitrate, methanol, carbamide formaldehyde resins, polivynilacetatic dispersion, ammonia, nitrogen acid. The main raw material is natural gas, which is used to produce other stocks, needed in production of fertilisers. The ammonia is used for production of carbamide and ammonium nitrate; the nitrogen acid is used for production of ammonium nitrate. Carbamide-formaldehyde resins are being produced from carbamide and formaline, which is produced from methanol by themselves.

The main companies producing the household chemical products are the following: Lithuanian-Great Britain Joint Venture "Vilniaus buitine chemija", SC "Alytaus chemija", SC"Higeja". These enterprises manufacture the production in aerozolic cans, anticorrosive paints, mastic and etc. Enterprises producing the household chemical goods (consumer chemicals) meet a difficulties in Lithuanian market, because a lot of these type products are being imported from foreign countries.

Main companies of chemical industry in Lithuania

Table 2.A:Chemical Production and Trade

1)-calculating for 100% of nutritious substances;

2)-explosives, pyrotechnic products;

3)-various chemical products;

4)-asbestos and articles from asbestos;

… - no available data, inspite of presence of such occurance.

2.2 Chemical use by Categories

Table 2.B: Chemical use by Categories

1)-in agricualtural companies and enterprises;

2)-thousand tonnes of petroleum equivalent.

1. Hazardous Waste

101 thousand tonnes of dangerous waste were produced in 1996. Hazardous waste are classified into 3 groups according to foreseen methods of treatment and disposal. Different method used for the waste treatment can change the classification of waste.

1. Waste to be incinerated (combustible)

Waterless waste of petroleum products

Leather and fur processing sludge containing chromium

Mixed petroleum and water emulsions

Substances with impurities of petroleum products

Waste of resin, plastificators, adhesives and latex

Substances with impurities of paints, varnishes

Waste of organic solvents

2. Hazardous waste to be treated by physical and chemical methods

Ground contaminated with petroleum products

Waste of mineral absorbent (wool)

Luminescent lamps

Animal origin fat, greases and soaps

Inorganic waste without heavy metalls

Galvanic mud (slime)

Solutions and sludge containing heavy metalls

Acid batteries

Waste from refinement of substances, destilation and pirolysis

Waste from photographic works

3. Waste to be diposed

Contaminated ground

Waste from washig and cleaning of equipment

Sludge from cars washing

Slimes and ashes

Scrubbers’ sludge

The major amount of waste are generating in Klaipeda, Ðiauliai and Kaunas regions. SC "Maþeikiø nafta" genarates the major part of wastes in Ðiauliai region.

Table 2: Hazardous Waste Generation

No.	Type of hazardous waste	Generation (tonnes/year)	Export (tonnes/year)	Import (tonnes/year)
1	2	3	4	5
1.	Sanitary waste from medical service	335.9
2.	Pharmaceutical waste	3.0
3.	Biocides and phytopharmaceutical waste	7.5
4.	Waste of organic solvents	331.0
5.	Waste of organic solvents with halogens	8.9
6.	Waterless petroleum products waste	1795.4
7.	Mixed petroleum and water emulsion	59149.5
8.	Substances with impurities of petroleum products	813.3
9.	Waste of paints, varnishes, vaitspirite and pigments	1514.2
10.	Substances contaminated with paints, varnishes	651.2
11.	Waste of resin, plastificators, adhesives and latex	97.1
12.	Bitumen waste	1.4
13.	Non-halogenated organic substances, non-solvents	338.6
14.	Leather and fur processing sludge containing chromium	9136.1
15.	Used filtration materials (fabrics)	480.9
16.	Alkaline decreasing solutions	160.9
	Total number of waste to be incinerated	74825.4
17.	Acid batteries (accumulators)	580.7
18.	Alkaline batteries (accumulators)	30.9
19.	Waste of wood antiseptics	43.0
20.	Waste containing cianides	18.7
21.	Waste from refinement of substances, destilation and pirolysis	2.7
22.	Waste of mineral absorbent (wool)	0.1
23.	Waste of non-identified chemical substances	2.9
24.	Waste from photographic works	493.5
25.	Animal origin fat, greases and soaps	2375.1
26.	Ground contaminated with petroleum products	1280.5
27.	Inorganic waste without heavy metalls	1528.6
28.	Hardening salts without cianydes	4.4
29.	Metallic powder	0
30.	Solutions and sludge containing heavy metalls	145.6
31.	Electrolyte of acid batteries (accumulators)	76.3
32.	Electrolyte of alkaline batteries (accumulators)	28.0
33.	Galvanic slime	459.2
34.	Waste of vegetable oil	79.5
35.	Lamps with mercury	165.1	78
36.	Waste containing mercury	0.4
	Total number of harzedous waste to be treated by physical and chemical methods	7316.2
37.	Slimes and ashes	67.9
38.	Contaminated ground	4037.0
39.	Waste catalizators	172.3
40.	Scrubbers’ sludge	1652.0
41.	Waste from decarbonization	0.8
42.	Waste ionite	0.0
43.	Waste from washig and cleaning of equipment	4369.6
44.	Sludge from cars washing	906.7
45.	Galvanic elements	13.1
46.	Other harzedous waste	7678.4
	Total number of waste to be diposed	18898.1
	Total number of harzedous waste	101039.8
	Waste water treatment sludge	417854.8

Chapter 3: Priority Concerns Related to Chemical Production, Import, Export and Use

3.1 Priority Concerns Related to Chemical Production, Import, Export and Use

The major part of chemicals used in manufacture in Lithuania is imported from other countries. The use of dangerous chemical substances poses problems related with pollution and negative impact to human health.

Air pollution

The main polluters of atmospheric air in Lithuania are the power facilities - thermal electric power stations and boiler-houses, industrial plants and transport.

The atmospheric air pollution from stationary sources have been reduced noticeably of late years mainly due to the reduction of production volumes. The pollution conditioned by transport have increased a little and have became dominating. Emissions from mobile sources account about 70% of total emissions balance.

The emissions mostly include sulphuric dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOX).

Pollutants entered into the treatment facilities of Lithuanian industrial companies are treated to the level of 98%. Unfortunately, there is no any treatment facility for comparatively large number of pollutants discharging from industrial processes, especially for gaseous and liquid pollutants. The mentioned pollutants are treated in treatment facilities and account only 44-47% of total discharges.

The pollutants’ emissions are grater in regions, where large-scale sources of pollution are established. E.g.: emissions to the atmospheric air make up 42% of total Republic’s amount in Šiauliai region, where SC "Mazeikiu nafta" in Mazeikiai, SC "Akmenes cementas" in Akmene and other plants are operating. Major polluters of atmospheric air are plants producing fertilisers - SC "Achema" in Jonava, SC "Lifosa" in Kedainiai.

According to the data of air quality monitoring, concentrations of specific air pollutants (formaldehyde, phenol, ammonia, sulphur hydrogen etc.) have not exceeded the limit values in the majority of towns for a number of years. Only in Klaipeda the average concentration of formaldehyde have exceeded limit concentration value for 1.3 time in 1995, but in 1996 the limit wasn’t exceeded. In 1995, the maximal concentration of ammonia and sulphur hydrogen only in certain cases exceeded allowed values by 1.3 times and the average concentration have not exceeded norms as during earlier years. Concentration of specific pollutants has a tendency for decrease during last years.

In all towns and cities the average concentrations of the main air pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide) is lower than the limit concentration values, except for the concentration of dust, which in Jonava, N.Akmen๋, Venta exceeded the limit value by 1.3 time in certain months. The concentration of dust decreased in major towns during 1996, only the maximal values have exceeded the single maximal permissible concentration value by 2.7 time in N.Akmene.

The air pollution poses local, regional or global ecological problems. Inspite of decreased general atmospheric pollution, the problems (related with transport pollution, transboundary air pollution, protection of ozone layer, climate change) are known for Lithuania as for the majority Europen countris as well.

Water pollution

Every year Lithuania generates about 250-300 million m3 of waste water, which should be treated before discharging into the watercourses. In 1996, 83.3% of the total amount of waste water were treated before discharging, 16.7% remained untreated and were discharged. 39.5% of the total amount of waste water were treated to the level of the maximal permissible pollution standards. Through waste water discharges Lithuanian waters received 16600 tonnes of organic pollutants, 160 tonnes of oil products, 6446 tonnes of nitrogen, 96 tonnes of phosphorous. In 1996, the waste water’s biological treatment facilities were put into operation in Vilnius. The biological treatment of waste water started in Mol๋tai, Lazdijai, Šilale at that time also. Putting into operation of mentioned facilities resulted the increasment by 21.6 mln. m3 of amount of treated waste water to the level of the maximal permissible pollution standards.

According to the data of water quality monitoring, in 1995, the water of the rivers was clean at the 43% of investigated places (in 1996 - 12%), middle polluted - at 48% (in 1996 - 63%), high polluted - at 9% (in 1996 - 24%) (the data provided, according to the relevant indices for water quality).

The greatest pollutants of Lithuanian rivers are organic and bionic substances. Rivers at places above the towns were slightly polluted with petroleum products. The pollution with petroleum products exceeded limit values by 2-3 times in rivers under industrial centres and in small rivers great polluted. The maximal concentration of petroleum products (exceeding the limit for 10 times) was defined in river Kulpe at place under Šiauliai, i.e. at villages Birvyte and Laukupe. In 1996, the concentration of petroleum products exceeding the limit value was determined in river Kulpe at place under Šiauliai city, in river Muša under the fall of Kulpe and issue of Kulpe. The rivers’ pollution with anion-active detergents, ions of heavy metals was not great; the water of rivers was free of the residues of phenol and chloroorganic pesticides. Sanitary indices of waters under major cities exceeded hygienic standards.

The quality of water of Lithuanian rivers for the hydrobiological indices, comparing to 1994, in 1995-1996, hasn’t improved virtually. Rivers Mincia and Skroblus stayed the cleanest. The water of rivers Kulp๋ (under ะiauliai), Siesartis (under Mol๋tai), Laukup๋ (under Roki๐kis) are major polluted.

The slight improvement of the quality of river waters, which has been observed in the recent years, is mainly due to the reduction of waste water discharges into watercourses.

Lithuanian lakes are relatively clean. The data on quality for forhydrobiological and bacteriological parameters of water in investigated lakes are relatively the same in 1996 as in previous years.

The Curonian Bay is in a rather bad shape. It often experiences lack of oxygen, which kills a lot of fish. Isolation from Sea, the flow of rivers and low deepness influent the hydrochemical regime of Curonian Bay. Antropogenic factors make a great influence also. Certain places are polluted with waste oil products from vessels. Concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons exceed the limit values in Central Part of Curonian Bay at Nida and in delta of Nemunas at Uostadvaris during intensive period navigation. Concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons and mercury in excess of the limit value are determined in deposit of ground in Klaipeda strait at Trade Port.

The Baltic Sea coast is polluted with oily water, which finds its way there from vessels. The small amounts of DDT and metabolites have been detected in the coastal waters at Klaipeda, in water of damping area and in deposits of damping’s ground. The small increasement of mercury amount has been detected in deposits of damping’s ground.

There are no permanent sites with great amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons in the Baltic Sea. Concentrations in excess of the limit values are registered only time to time.

The new tasks for investigations in Baltic Sea arise due to the deepening of Klaipeda Port, increasing the amounts of ground transferred to the damping area and due to conducting the construction of Butinge Petroleum Terminal.

The quality of underground waters in urbanised places, areas of petroleum storage territories, zones of intensive agricultural activities is not satisfactory. The pollution of the underground waters from the former Soviet military storage facilities for oil products is quite considerable. The highest amounts of petroleum have been detected in ground and underground waters. The deepest penetration level to the ground have been detected there also. The amounts of heavy metals in underground waters are not high. Underground waters in areas of landfills for household waste are polluted with organic substances. The pollution of underground waters in agricultural districts related to the infiltration of used mineral and organic fertilisers, plant protection products.

The quality of water in wells is not so great. Water in drilled wells and water springs polluted less because they are situated in places far from the settlements, industrial centres.

Soil pollution (contamination)

Some areas polluted by petroleum products and other chemicals have not been investigated enough yet to establish the levels to which their soil and underground layers are polluted. Such mentioned areas are territories of various enterprises and its protective zones, areas of railway stations and lines, protection zones of transport roads, areas of liquid fuel storage facilities and filling stations. Preliminary a major part of soil and ground in former Soviet military basis areas are investigated. These territories take a place 1% of total country’s area. A large square of mentioned areas are polluted with petroleum products, heavy metals, jet fuel, organic substances and inorganic waste, sweepings.

Soil pollution due to agricultural activity usually does not exceed the permissible levels, except for some cases related to pollution with fertilisers and pesticides.

Residues of chemicals in food

Research of chemical residues in food has shown that the greatest problems are presented by lead and cadmium: lead has been detected in practically all foodstuffs, while lead is mostly presented in fish and meat products, a little less - in carrots, grain; cadmium is mostly detected in fish and plant products, in meat - a little less, but a smaller amount of products is contaminated by cadmium and its concentrations are lower. The milk products are polluted with heavy metals in the smallest amount. 40 examples of fish were tested for mercury concentration and only in 3 examples the mercury hasn’t been detected.

The maximal concentrations of especially constant pesticides prohibited in Lithuania, such as DDT, gammexane, lindan HCB, have been detected mainly in products having fats - sea fish, pork fat, butter

The average amounts of nitrates in tested foodstuffs has met the hygiene standards requirements for maximal concentration, and the recommended standards were exceeded in 3% of tested examples. The nitrates in medium concentration 112 mg/kg are presented in potatoes, carrots; in cabbages the amount of nitrates are being exceeded by 3 times, in red beets - by 6 times.

According to the investigation data from Nutrition Centre of the Republic of Lithuania, the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls have been detected in all products containing fat. The highest concentration of mentioned contamination have been detected in pork fat, fish and eggs. Maximal limited concentration was exceeded in 12% of tested examples.

Compared to the average figures produced by the Danish monitoring and GEMS countries, it is possible to claim that Lithuanian food products are less contaminated with chemicals, except for the lead contamination of tinned fish.

Pollution of drinking water

According to the latest investigation findings, the chemical characteristics of more than a half of samples (62%) taken from water supply systems do not meet the hygienic requirements. The watering places feel a shortage of facilities for improving the quality of drinking water. The amount of iron exceeds the hygienic standards in a half of samples taken from water supply systems. The increasemnet of general hardness is found in one quarter of tested examples taken from centralised water supply systems.

The quality of ground water (of wells) poses a great problem. About 1 million of Lithuanian population use this kind of water. Unfortunately, the usage of mentioned water is not safety due to pollution with nitrates. It was determined, that the quality of more than a half tested samples doesn’t meet the hygienic requirements: the general hardness was exceeded in 53.2% of tested examples, concentration of nitrates was exceeded in 35.5% examples; the large amount of organic substances - in 26.7% examples (permanganate oxidisation higher than 5mgO2/l).

World Health Organisation prescribes the high general hardness of water and high amount of iron to sense indexes and a harm to human health is not proved yet. The main problem is the amount of nitrates accumulating in waters due to fertilisation of tilled lands by mineral and organic fertilisers and due to the lack of ecological culture.

The quality of drinking water in watering places of Klaip๋da, ะiauliai, Joni๐kis and Var๋na does not meet the standards because of the excessive amounts of iron, hardness and other indexes.

Management of hazardous waste

The disposal and treatment of hazardous waste is one of the major actual problems in environmental protection. In waste treatment system which is to be introduced, hazardous wastes are divided into three groups: waste to be incinerated, waste to treated by physical and chemical methods, and waste to be disposed of.

The total quantity of utilised hazardous waste is gradually increasing. The greatest progress is to be seen in the recovery of hazardous waste polluted with petroleum products.

Recovery of the slime produced by the oil refinery plant in Maeikiai, which accounts for the greater part of the total waste contaminated with petroleum products, is carried out by Ekoring Company.

Large quantities of waterless and emulsion waste contaminated with petroleum products are incinerated in thermal power stations, "Palemono ceramic" plant and also in boiler houses of the companies that produce this waste.

Technologies developed by Biocentras have been used to install sites for biodegradation of soil contaminated with petroleum products in Ki๐k๋nai for the catchment area of Klaip๋da, in Mauru่iai for Kaunas and Marijampol๋.

Still a large part of waste contaminated with petroleum products is not recovered at all and finds its way in landfills for household and other unauthorised landfills.

Waste from photography works are being recycled, the regeneration of dyes have started in certain enterprises, neutralisation of electrolyte of the batteries and the recovery of plastics in production of tiles have started also.

One of the major actual problems for this time is the management of prohibited, old and unsuitable for use pesticides which were accumulated during Soviet time within 50 years.

According to the 1995 stock taking results, 954 storehouses of pesticides were in the country with total quantity of 4000 tonnes. Only 1800 tonnes from the total quantity were prescribed as suitable, approximately 2200 tonnes - as prohibited, not suitable for use or not identified pesticides. Only 20 storehouses from total number are under good status, the rest - under satisfactory or bad status. During last 6 years the 26 fires occurred in storehouses of pesticides.

The disposal of prohibited , unsuitable for use or not identified pesticides have became the problem of whole country, and in 1995, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania has approved the Programme for the Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides. There were foreseen to incinerate unsuitable for use liquid pesticides in SC "Fostra" in K๋dainiai, the powder pesticides - in SC "Akmenes cementas". SC "Fostra" has conducted an incineration experiment on 0.5 tonnes of liquid pesticides.

In 1995, by financing from Danish Environment Agency, the pesticides were disposed in 4 pilot storehouses. The mentioned storehouses are a good example for treatment in others. Later, according to the competition organised by EPM, Vilsuva Ltd has started the treatment of store facilities.

During 1995-1996 1468 tonnes of pesticides were treated.

According to the approved Programme for the Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in the Republic of Lithuania for 1997, the activity on treatment and disposal of pesticides are being conducted: pesticides are to be sorted, repacked, identified. After treatment of pesticides and after their transferring to the central storehouses, the previous facilities become empty. They must be treated, the surrounding to be cleaned up also.

During six month of 1997, 934 tonnes of pesticides were treated.

The priority works foreseen by the Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in Republic of Lithuania for 1997 have started. The pesticides use for their proper purpose and their spraying on unused agricultural lands are considered as priorities.

Occupational health

According to the data of the State Register of Occupational Diseases, people working in agriculture, hunting and forestry mostly suffer from occupational diseases, those who are working in manufacturing industry are at the second position.

Occupational diseases posed by chemical factors make up 6.2% of total number of occupational diseases which posed by other factors (physical, biological, stress). In the State Register of Occupational Diseases there is no data on individual chemicals and economical activities (agriculture, industry, etc.) which poses the occupational diseases. All chemicals in the Register are prescribed to the general chemical factors. Information on concrete chemical factors, caused the development of the certain occupational diseases is accumulated in local individuals health care institutions.

Occupational health is one of the priorities in the National Health Programme.

Public health

According to formed conception in Europe, the public health is to be considered as the responsibility of whole public, it’s structures and individuals for own and other’s health and active participation while solving health problems.

Public health Supervisory Institutions under Health Care Ministry seeking to protect human health from hazardous impact from chemicals prepares Standard Documents on Health Supervision. These documents regulate the maximal permissible concentrations of chemicals in work, living, education-relaxation places, the Standards establish requirements for human safety in cases when risk of potential impact from chemicals exist. The above mentioned institutions conduct the health supervision and control by checking how products, food, water, living and work places comply standard requirements.

The system of monitoring and analysis of public health, its supervision quality level, estimation of parameters of environmental status in Lithuania is under implementation only in local (municipal) level.

This area is not priority in the National Health Programme for this moment, so the establishment of unanimously system on monitoring "environment-health" is the future question.

Chemical poisoning. Suicides

Poisoning by chemicals is not indicated among total number of poisonings, so only general statistical data exist. Information on poisoning is collected in local individuals health care institutions and only cases when patient asked for medical assistance.

Prevention of chemical accidents and risk assessment

While using toxic chemicals in technological processes or producing, storing, always exist likelihood of an industrial accidents such as breaks, damages of pipes through which the chemical substances are transporting. Accidents may occur in major enterprises due old and worn technological equipment or in fire cases. The main volume of dangerous chemicals are stored in various storage facilities, their quantity and assortment are known, so exists an opportunity to design various accident scenarios, to make prognosis of their occurrence, estimation of effects and scale of possible chemical pollution, according to the meteorological conditions predominating in this district. The prognosis should be developed according to the Methodology of Estimating the scale of Pollution by Strong Toxic Substances due to Accidents in Chemically Dangerous Facilities, approved by the Director of Civil Security Department of National Defence Ministry in 1992. Estimations serve as a basis for the development of a detailed plan for the liquidation of the effects of chemical pollution. According to this plan, the place and scale of actions of object, specialised services and organisations are to be set up; the following should be estimated in the likelihood accident area:

• quantity of population, presence of public buildings, schools, children-garden and etc. (number of people in these buildings also);
• traffic ways to the accident place;
• ways and directions of evacuation should be foreseen.

The quality of prepared accident plans in enterprises depends on size of companies (the plans of large companies such as SC’Achema", SC ‘Lifosa", "Mazeikiu nafta", the largest foodstuff enterprises are very detailed), on manager’s approach to the problems related to safety work as well (in certain enterprises this work is executed superficially). With purpose to examine how realistic mentioned plans are, the practical trainings are being organised.

During the practical trainings the following should be examined:

• emergency signalization; emergency communication; emergency stoppage systems;
• if workers are ready for likelihood emergency situations and evacuation;
• how works the emergency services.

Mentioned trainings are regulary organised by management of companies or civil security and fire protection services, labour security inspection and other state supervisory authorities. Besides, the mentioned institutions inspect these companies according to the developed plan and check if measures for preventin emergency situations and measures should be taken in occurance of such situation or during accident were prepared.

In order to reduce the likelihood of accidents in enterprises using dangerous chemical subastances, to escape possible people injuries or death, damages of material goods and to ensure the environment safety, the regulations on Accident Prevention, Liquidation and Investigation were established by Resolution No.1090 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on 04 09 1995. These regulations require that enterprises using dangerous chemicals or technologies themselves should identify the dangers and analyse the risks involved, i.e., estimate:

• which chemical substance poses major danger;
• products of chemical degradation and possible danger due to their hazardous properties and reactability between each other;
• what damage of equipment and staff’s mistake may interfer the normal operation of the object and pose an emergency situation;
• possible effects to employees and population during likelihood accident;
• possible damage for the environment; accident preventional measures and measures for minimization of consequences;
• equipment, works, processes requireing for special supervison;
• divisions where specialized systems for maneging and control of safety operations needed to be facilitated.

The analysis of danger and risks should be made at least once per yaer. The managers of enterprises must ensure the preparation of all mentioned measures (according to the made analysis). The management of companies must submit written reports to local authorities, specialised agencies and national supervisory institutions (according to their competence) on dangerous objects and their safety at least once in 5 years (if the situation in the company does not change). Part of companies has provided the mentioned reports to Local Municapalities and regional Civil Security Departments and other State Supervisory Institutions.

According to the Law on Local Municipalities, local authorities are responsible for civil security. The board executing obligations together with other institutions prepares and implements preventional measures, saving population from disasters, natural calamities, epidemics, liquidate their effects. Local Municipalities executing mentioned tasks establish the Centre for Management of Emergency Situations and prepare action plans for emergency situations introducing likelihood emergency situation (accidents when chemicals are released to environment included), possible effects and actions in such cases. All potentially dangerous objects reasonable for chemical pollution should be described in plans; possible risk, threat and effect should be assessed also; the zones of possible pollution should be foreseen as well. Having a purpose better to conduct the analysis of danger and risk according to UNEP APELL Programme "Information and Preparedness for Emergency Situations at Local Level" with assistance of Swedish Government and Swedish Rescue Services Agency the technical report "Risk Estimation and Assessment in Domestic Community" was prepared. This report is translated into Lithuanian language and provided to Local Municipalities. At this time the Project for Evaluation Danger and Analysis of Risks is being conducted in Utena town according to the above mentioned methodics together with Rescue Services of Sodermanlands Lam Eskilstuna town (Sweden) and the end of the project foreseen in autumn of this year.

For cases when the executive institutions of local authorities are unable to cope with task of liquidating the effects of large accidents or extending relief for population, etc., the Government of the Republic of Lithuania established the Centre for the Management of Extraordinary Situations by passing Resolution of No.340 of 11 04 1997. The sources and circumstances of likelihood extraordinary situations require to implement corresponding measures for protection the population and wealth, and for liquidation of possible consequences - to develop the action plans foreseeing measures, volume of works, responsible executors, etc. The Civil Security Department has prepared the Guidance for Actions during Extraordinary Situations providing definitions of main factors of potential risks, sources of extraordinary situations and possible consequences, the actions of local municipal authorities during such situations are determined also.

Chemical accidents: industrial

A great number of various chemicals groups are used in industry and agriculture, but a small part from them are used in large quantities. Most widely used chemicals in the dangerous chemical objects (there are over 250 of such objects in Lithuania) include two wide-spread chemical substances - chlorine, used in watering places for cleaning water, and ammonia, used in industrial refrigeration equipment and in chemical plants, such as SC "Achema" in Jonava and SC "Lifosa" in K๋dainiai. The organic solvents, acids, pesticides are widely used also. According to the data from Civil Security Department under The National Defence Ministry, during 1995, a comparatively small number of insignificant accidents occurred in industrial plants: in Butter Plant in Raseiniai due to break of tube in compression house about 100 kg of ammonia were spilled; 150 tonnes of mazut were spilled in SC "Taurag๋s keramika", and etc. A lot of damage was done to Lithuanian economy by the accident in Azotas Company (SC "Achema" now), Jonava, 1989, when due to break of isothermal storage reservoir about 7000 tonnes of ammonia were spilled and released into atmosphere and this has caused a fire which have catched the nitrophoska shop and storehouse of finished production. Due to this accident the toxic cloud formed have covered a part of districts of Jonava, Kedainiai, Širvintos. The general size of contaminated area was about 300 square kilometers, its spreading zone have exceeded 32 km. 67 people were injured by chemicals, 7 from died.

Industrial accidents that involve chemicals are mainly caused by old and warn out technological equipment, also in case of fire. The likelihood of accidents should be reduced by prevention work, executed by workers of enterprises and state supervision authorities.

A major problem in Lithuania is the storage facilities of prohibited and unsuitable for use pesticides. Such storage facilities exist in every district of the Republic. Pesticides transported to the central storehouses and if storage is improper, causes fires every year. During 1989-1995, the fires occurred in 26 storage facilities of pesticides, the major part from them - spontaneous. If pesticides burn at low temperature, extremely harmful chemical substances are released to atmosphere together with smoke. These harmful substances released raise a great danger to population, pollute the soil in comparatively large area. A large volume of ground (mainly sand) is to be contaminated with pesticides.

Chemical accidents: transport

Whereas Lithuania is a transit country, safety transportation of dangerous chemical substances is an actual problem. The danger transporting chemicals arises due to the unsatisfactory condition of railway, due to the frequent chemicals transportation in unexamined pressure vessels and reservoirs of bad quality to Kaliningrad Region from Russia.

The transport accidents, registered during 1995, occurred mainly transporting mazut and diesel fuel by railway. The boiler houses fuel was spilled during resorting cargoes in Radviliškis; the reservoir with mazut has fallen down from the railway and about 5 tonnes of mazut were spilled at Klaipeda railway station, and etc.

One of the largest accidents has occured when the tanker "Globe Assimi" was broken in 1981 at Klaipeda Port approaches and in rezult the 16000 tonnes of mazut were spilled to the Baltic Sea.

Chemicals import

The control over dangerous chemicals imports was established in Republic of Lithuania in 1993.

Table 3B: Priority Concerns Related to Chemicals

Nature of problem	Scale of problem	Level of concern	Availability to control problem	Availability of statistical data	Specific chemicals creating concerns	Priority ranking
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Air pollution	national	high	medium	sufficient	SO2,NO2, volatile organic compounds	1
Pollution of inland waterways	national	high	medium	sufficient	petroleum products, heavy metals, organic compounds	2
Marine pollution	national	medium	medium	separate source	petroleum products, bionic compounds	3
Ground water pollution	national	high	medium	insufficient	petroleum products	3
Soil contamination	national	medium	medium	insufficient	petroleum products, pesticides	4
Chemical residues in food	national	high	high	sufficient		3
Drinking water contamination	national	high	medium	sufficient	nitrates	1
Hazardous waste treatment/ disposal	national	high	medium	sufficient	pesticides, heavy metals, organic substances	1
Occupational health/ agriculture	regional	medium	low	no data available	pesticides	1
Occupational health/ industry	national	high	medium	insufficient	asbestos	2
Public health	regional	medium	low	no data available	volatile chemical substances in construction materials and articles, heavy metals, PCB and PBB, polyaromatic hydrocarbons
Chemical poisoning/ suicides
Chemical accidents: industrial	regional	high	medium	insufficient	ammonia, chlorine, sulphuric hydrogen, acids, organic substances	4
Chemical accidents:: transport	local	high	medium	insufficient	petroleum products, ammonia, chlorine	4
Import of dangerous chemicals	national	medium	medium	insufficient	pesticides, non-standard kinds of liquid fuel, toxic chemical substances	4
Unknown chemicals import	national	low	low	no data available	disinfectants, washing, cleaning substances, pesticides	1

3.2 Comments/Analysis

The statistical reporting on emissions into air and water from stationary sources and on data on accounting generating waste in enterprises is established in the Republic of Lithuania. Controlling tests of emissions into environment in industrial objects are being conducted constantly. The pollution of air, water and soil are being tested according to the comprehensive monitoring programme. There is a necessity to revise the contemporary net of stations of environment monitoring, to implement the new facilities of observation stations, laboratory equipment and apparatus, seeking to improve the environment monitoring if the comprehensive monitoring programme complied international standards and if obtained results were comparatively with results in other countries. The standards for observation of environmental quality, taking of test samples, analytic works, data processing are to be prepared according to the international requirements(EN 45001, 45002, 45003).

According to the evaluation of environment quality and other factors, the problems of water and air protection, waste management should be considered priority. Seeking to reduce the growing air pollution from mobile sources, it is necessary to solve questions of fuel quality, gradually to transfer to the use of transport means corresponding the European Union requirements, to implement systems for optimal regulation of traffic flow. Having the mentioned purpose, the complexive programme "Transport and environment. Comprehensive Strategy" is under preparation. This programme foresees to implement the systems for released gas neutralisation in cars, to increase the production and use of unleaded gasoline.

Due to increasing of industrial and power production in future, the pollution should increase inevitably if the measures to reduce the emissions are not applied; the air pollution obviously should be reduced while changing the widely used mazut by more cleaner fuel - gas; the new technologies should be implemented gradually by taking the best experience of other countries.

Having the purpose to reduce water pollution, firstly the construction of water treatment facilities should be conducted in the largest towns of Lithuania. About a half (51%) of waste waters are produced in major towns of Lithuania - in Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai and in towns at Baltic Sea coast - Klaipeda, Palanga. However, waste waters from Kaunas are being discharged absolutely untreated - mechanical treatment facilities for waste waters of this city are under construction yet. The biological treatment facilities are under construction in Šiauliai, Palanga, but due to the lack of funds these constructions are going ahead very slowly. The construction of biological treatment of waste water in Vilnius were finished and the exploatation have started in the second half of 1996; however the elimination of nitrogen and phosphorous compounds from waste water wasn’t foreseen in the project. The biological treatment division of Vilnius facilities for biological treatment are under plans for modernization in the nearest future, while implementing the elimination of phosphorous and nitrogen.

The measures for reduction of dispersed pollution of undeground and surface (inland) waters should be implemented.

The quality of food and the quality of drinking water, occupational health are one of the most important priority concerns, related to chemical substances from the point of view of health protection in Lithuania. The monitoring on pollution of foodstuffs and drinking water with chemicals is being conducted. The tests’ results and information about the residues of chemicals in food are being accumulated according to the unified requirements of world environmental monitoring system. The accumulated information is available and sufficient for solving problems, related to the chemicals management, or for the development of a system of unified monitoring "Environment-health" in the future.

The management of hazardous waste is very actual problem in Lithuania.

The implementation of wasteless technologies and the reducing of waste generation are being propagated already long time ago, but there are no yet sufficiently effective economical levers, which would stimulate the companies to implement the measures for reduction of hazardous waste in required scale.

Taking into account the importance of waste management, the Programme for the Waste Management was prepared and approved by the Governmental Resolution in 1993. The Programme provides for the regional sites for temporary storage of hazardous waste and the central enterprise of treatment and disposal of hazardous waste. However, in present economical situation, due to a lack of required financement, there is a necessity to look for alternative ways and means. Implementing the mentioned Programme, the sites for temporary storage of hazardous waste were selected and designed for Alytus, Klaipeda and Šiauliai. The places are selected and the projects are under preparation for sites for Vilnius, Panevezys and Marijampole.

Seeking to regulate waste management in Lithuania, the interinstitutional work group, established by MEP, has prepared a Draft Law on Waste Management in 1997.

Solving one of the major actual problem for this period, i.e. while treating accumulated old pesticides and weighting them, it was proved that the real amount of such pesticides is considerably higher then provided according to stock taking conducted in 1995, when the total quantity of pesticides was estimated visually. The practise of pesticides treatment during 1996 in 8 districts allows to prognose that real quantity of pesticides is by 1.6 time higher. Taking into account these calculations, 3000 tonnes of pesticides are not treated and disposed yet in Lithuania. However, due to the intensive use of old unknown pesticides, this amount should be reduced by 20%.

The actual problem in Lithuania is the control over dangerous chemicals import. In 1993, by the Order of Environmental Protection Ministry, the procedure on issuing the permits for imports of dangerous chemicals was established, the list of controlled dangerous chemical substances was approved. In co-operation with the Customs Department, the control for preventing the import of unregistered pesticides, non-standard sorts of liquid fuel and other dangerous chemicals is being conducted.

Seeking to ensure the safety use of dangerous chemicals in Lithuanian enterprises, firstly it is necessary:

• to conduct the stock taking of chemicals used in Lithuanian enterprises;
• to establish the statistical reporting of enterprises using the dangerous chemicals in production process.

Preparation of regulations on classification and labelling of dangerous chemicals is necessary. There are no national regulations on chemicals storage and trade in our country. Lately the Environmental Protection Ministry has initiated the mentioned works, the Draft Chemicals Law is under preparation.

Chapter 4: Legal Instruments and Non-Regulatory Mechanisms for Managing Chemicals

The strict control on chemicals use is one of the ways for management of danger to human health and environment raised by chemicals. The conducting of effective control is possible only after establishment of proper national legal system, which should cover all aspects of chemicals "life-cycle", including production, import, export, transportation, distribution of chemical substances and preparations.

The state management of environmental protection, chemicals also, in Lithuania is being executed by the Government, Environmental Protection Ministry, other designated state authorities.

The environmental protection management (chemicals also) in territories of local municipalities is executed by corresponding municipal authorities according to the regulations established by the laws.

The control on dangerous chemicals use in Lithuania is being executed by Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care, Agriculture and Forestry, National Defence, Economy, Welfare and Labour, Transport, Internal Affairs, Customs Department under Ministry of Finance. By the way, during preparation of legal acts related to chemicals control and management, separate ministries not always have the same interests and decisions, because each institution uses the methodical documents agreed with other involved institutions not in every case.

4.1 Overview of to National Legal Instruments Which Address the Management of Chemicals

The purpose of this chapter is to overview the laws, legal acts, standards and normative documents acting in Lithuania at present time related to chemicals management, control and to provide their summary.

Table 4.A: References to Existing Legal Instruments Which Address the Management of Chemicals

Legal Instrument (type, reference, year)	Responsible Ministries or Bodies	Chemical Use Categories Covered	Objective of Legislation	Relevant Articles/ Provisions	Resources Allocated	Enforcement Ranking
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Environmental Protection Law 21 01 1992 No.1-2223, amended on 28 05 1996 (No.1-1352)	Environmental Protection Ministry	Dangerous chemicals and wastes	Regulation of public relations in environmental protection area: determining of main rights, liabilities of legal and natural persons for saving biological variety characteristic to the Republic of Lithuania, ecosystems and landscape, ensuring healthy and clean environment, the rationally use of natural resources in the Republic of Lithuania and in it’s territorial waters, continental shelf and economic zone. The other legal and standard acts are to be established on the basis of this law.	Article 6 - State Environmental Protection Management System   Article 20 - production and usage of dangerous chemicals Article 23 - waste management Article 24 - Particular ecological disasters
Legal acts regulating licensing of activities related to chemicals usage:
Law on Enterprises 08 05 1990 No.1-196 and amendments Governmental Resolution No.229 of 09 02 1996 On Approval of the Regulations for Issue of Licencences to Produce, Import, Transport, Trade, Use, Store and Dispose Chemicals Potentially Dangerous to the Environment	Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP)	Narcotic, psychotropic, toxic substances, chemicals dangerous to human health and environment, petroleum products and liquefied gas Dangerous chemicals according to the list approved by MEP	Determination of commercial-economical activities allowed to be conducted by purchasing a licence   Approval of the Regulations for issue of Licencences to produce, import, transport, trade, use, store and dispose chemicals potentially dangerous to the environment for acting and establishable enterprises	Article 13		The Resolution is under adjustments now
Governmental Resolution No.743 of 08 07 1997 On Approval of the Regulation on Licensing and Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies			Approval of the Procedure of Issuing, Suspending and Revoking Licences, Issuing Import Certificate and Delivery Verification Certificate, Providing Information about Controlled Goods to Ministries and Other State Institutions Engaged in Issuance of Licences
Governmental Resolution No. 1221 of 14 09 1995 On Licensing of Petroleum Products Imports-Exports, Wholesale and Retail of Liquefied Gas	Ministry of Economy	Petrol, diesel fuel, liquefied fuel, liquefied boiler fuel, grease	Approval of the regulation on licensing of petroleum products imports-exports, wholesale and retail of liquefied gas			The draft Resolution on licensing of non-packed up petroleum products imports-exports, wholesale and retail is under preparation now
Governmental Resolution No. 516 of 30 04 1996 On Issuance of Permit-Hygiene Passport to Conduct Commercial-Economic Activities			Establishment of requirements for enterprises to conduct commercial-economic activities (related to chemicals also)
Health Ministry Order of 16 05 1996 On Issuance of Permit-hygiene Passport to Conduct Commercial-Economic Activities			Establishment of the regulations on issuance of permit-hygiene passport
Legal acts regulating the chemicals imports, exports:
Law on Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies (No.1-1022 of 1995 07 05) Adjustments of articles 6,9,10,11,14,15 of the Law on Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies (Law No. VIII-345 of 30 06 1997)	Ministries of Economy, Environmental Protection, Health, National Defence, Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, State Veterinary Service, State Inspectorate of Nuclear Safety, Customs Department under Finance Ministry, Security Department of the Republic of Lithuania Ministry of Economy	List of controlled goods of Australian group (chemicals used in production of Chemical Weapons)	Assistance in implementation of international obligations and measures prohibiting the distribution of mass destructive weapons and carrier rockets; in ensurance of execution of international obligations establishing in Lithuania the effective system of control of imports, transit and exports of strategic goods and technologies which should be integrated to the multinational export system; assistance in stimulation the foreign trade and investments for purchasing the progressive technologies in Lithuania; in creating conditions ensuring safety and rapid economical development of Lithuanian Republic. This law defines the conditions on imports, transit exports of strategic goods and technologies, and conditions on control of activity the reasonable to spreading of mass destructive weapons. Obligation to the Ministry of Economy to leader the execution of control of imports, transit, exports and co-ordination of this activity
Governmental Resolution No.718 of 19 05 1995 On the Limitation on the Import, Export and Transit via Republic of Lithuania of Certain Articles (Goods)	Ministries of Economy, Environmental Protection, National Defence, Customs Department under Finance Ministry	Substances of 1st - 9th danger groups according to classification of United Nations	Approval of the list of articles (goods) prohibited to import, to export and transit via Republic of Lithuania without permits
Governmental Resolution No.653 of 23 06 1997 On Adjustment of the Governmental Resolution No. 718 of 19 05 1995 On the Limitation on the Import, Export and Transit via Republic of Lithuania of Certain Articles (Goods) Governmental Resolution No.573 of 06 1997 On Executing the Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies			Adjustment of the paragraph 6 of the List of articles (goods) prohibited to import, export and transit via Republic of Lithuania without permits (approved by the Governmental Resolution No.653 of 23 06 1997) Approval of the Composition of Experts Group for Issuing Licences for Import, Export, Transit of Strategic Goods and Technologies, Issuing Import Certificate, prescription of the controlled groups of goods to ministries and other state institutions according to their competence, etc.
Governmental Resolution No.938 of 03 10 1994 On Approval of Regulations for Transporting Dangerous or Military Cargoes of Foreign Countries Across the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.122 of 11 07 1997 On Regulations of Issuing Permits for Import and Export from and into the Republic of Lithuania Dangerous Chemical Substances	Transportation Service under Ministry of National Defence         Environmental Protection Ministry and Regional Departments	Dangerous chemical substances belonging to 2nd-9th (excluding 7th) classes (according UN classification)	Establishment of the regulations and requirements for transporting the goods of 1st danger group (according to UN classification)         Approval of list of Dangerous chemical substances belonging to 2nd-9th (excluding 7th) classes for which import, export from and into the Republic of Lithuania the Permit from EPM or Regional Departments is required and establishment of the regulations on issuing the permits and main requirements to get the permits
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.161 of 10 09 1997 On Amendment of the Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.122 of 11 07 1997 On Regulations for Issuing the Permits on Import and Export from and into the Republic of Lithuania Dangerous Chemical Substances			Amendment of the paragraph 13 of the Regulations on Issuing the Permits for Import and Export from and into the Republic of Lithuania Dangerous Chemical Substances and Main Requirements to Get the Permits approved by the Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.122 of 11 07 1997
Order of Ministry of National Defence No.425 of 22 06 1995 On Limitation on the Transportation Dangerous Substances of 1st Class and Military Munitions
Legal acts regulating registration and use of plant protection products: Law on Plant Protection No.1-1069 of 19 10 1995	Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection, Health Care	Chemical plant protection products (agricultural pesticides)	Defining the activities of legal and physical bodies in the Republic of Lithuania related to plant protection from diseases, pests and weeds; establishment of regulations on registration, production, import, trade, storage, use of chemical plant protection products and growth regulators and on state supervision.
Adjustment of Articles 3,4,9 and 12 of the Law on Plant Protection (Law No.VIII-244 of 10 06 1997)			Obligation to Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to execute the state plant protection management
Governmental Resolution No.1507 of 30 11 1995 On approval of the State Commission for Registration of Plant Protection Products		Agricultural pesticides	Approval of the State Commission for Plant Protection Products Registration
Governmental Resolution No.312 of 06 03 1996 On Regulation on Registration of Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products in Republic of Lithuania and approval of the Statute of the State Commission for Registration of Plant Protection Products		Chemical and biological plant protection products	Approval of the Regulation on Registration of Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products in Republic of Lithuania and the Statute of the State Commission for Registration of Plant Protection Products
Governmental Resolution No.710 of 14 06 1996 On the Approval of the List of Chemical Plant Protection Products Allowed to be Used in Republic of Lithuania	Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection, Health Care	Agricultural pesticides	Approval of the List of Chemical Plant Protection Products allowed to be used in Republic of Lithuania
Governmental Resolution No.759 of 14 07 1997 On Adjustment of the Governmental Resolution No.710 of 14 06 1996 On the Approval of the List of Chemical Plant Protection Products Allowed to be Used in Republic of Lithuania	Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection, Health Care	Agricultural pesticides	Approval of the List of Chemical Plant Protection Products allowed to be used in Republic of Lithuania (new editing)
Rules on Import, Transportation, Storage, Trade, Use and Treatment of Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products and Growth Regulators	Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection, Health Care	Chemical and biological plant protection products	Defining the regulations on plant protection products use and rights for users
Order of the Chief Hygienist of the Republic No.24 of 16 10 1996 On Approval of Hygienic Standard HN 63-1996 "Prohibited and restricted pesticides"		Prohibited active ingredients of 36 agricultural pesticides and restricted active ingredients of 22 pesticides	Approval of Hygienic Standard HN 63-1996
Legal acts regulating control over chemicals, including restriction on use: Law on Health System No.1-552 of 19 07 1994 Law on Human Safety at Work No.1-226 of 07 01 1993			General Laws, prescribed not only for chemicals. Separate articles of these laws define the main tasks for Public Health Institutions in control and supervision over economic activities related to chemicals, ensuring the natural human right to have healthy environment (well nourishment, higher quality of work, residence places and environment)
Governmental Resolution No.911 of 19 09 1997 On Approval of the Regulations on Advance and Permanent Control over Controlled Goods			Approval of the Regulations on Advance and Permanent Control over Controlled Goods
Governmental Resolution No.343 of 12 05 1992 On Approval of Special Conditions for Use of Forest and Land			Approval of the Special Conditions for Use of Forest and Land which provide prohibition and restriction on use of dangerous chemical substances and fertilisers in karst region, zones of health-resort, protective zones of magistral gas-mains and oil pipelines, sanitary protective zones of watercourses (watering places), protection belt and zones of underground watering places and watering places and etc.
Governmental Resolution No.541 of 14 07 1992 On Amendment of Governmental Resolution No.343 of 12 05 1992			"
Governmental Resolution No.1640 and No.1135 of 29 12 1995 and 30 09 1996 On Amendment of Governmental Resolution No.343 of 12 05 1992 On Approval of Special Conditions for Use of Forest and Land			"
Governmental Resolution No.589 of 24 12 1991 On Measures for Improving Ecological Status of Northern Karst Region of Lithuania			Approval of the Regulations on conducting the agricultural and economic activities in intensive karst zones and in protective zones of intensive karst (providing prohibitions and restrictions on use of pesticides and fertilisers)
Order of Health Care and Environmental Protection Ministries No.464/140 of 07 09 1995 On the National Register of Potentially Toxic Chemical Substances Order of Health Care and Environmental Protection Ministries No.34/7 of 12 01 1996 On Regulation of Management, Spreading and Use Data of the National Register of Potentially Toxic Chemical Substances			Gathering of the information on chemicals dangerous to human health and environment
Order of Health Care Ministry No.457 of 95 09 1995 On Approval of List of Goods the Use of which may unlikely affect the human health			Approval of non-foodstuffs (articles, raw materials and etc., chemical also) harmfullessness to human health
Order of Health Care Ministry No.113 of 15 03 1994 On Regulations on Reglamention of Disinfectants	Ministry of Health Care		Approval of Commission for registration and hygienic reglamentation of disinfectants, washing and cleaning products, cosmetics
Order of the Chief Hygienist of the Republic under Health Care Ministry No.5 of 17 01 1995 On Chemical Disinfectants, Detergents and Preparations for Killing Household Parasites and Rodents			Approval of the list of new, allowed to use disinfectants in medicine institutions and infections focus
Hygienic Standards:
HN 23-1993 "Maximal permissible limit values of concentration of harmful substances in work place’s air" HN 35-1993 "Maximal permissible limit values of concentration of substances polluting the atmospheric air" HN 49-1994 "Maximal permissible limit values of concentration of harmful substances and temporarily allowed level in water used by human"			Reglamentation on maximal permissible concentrations of chemical substances non-harmful to human health in air of work and residence places, water, raw material for food production and foodstuffs     "   "
HN 54-1995 "Raw materials for food production and foodstuffs: Maximal permissible limit values of pollutants’ concentration and allowed levels for pollution by radioactive isotopes" HN 60-1996 "Maximal permissible limit values of concentration of harmful substances and temporarily allowed concentration in soil"			"             "
HN 53-1995 "Food additives allowed for use"
HN 36-1993 "Prohibited and restricted substances in production of consumer goods"			Providing the lists of chemicals prohibited and restricted in use for production of consumer goods, imports of articles manufactured from these substances and trading as well
HN 62-1996 "Prohibited and restricted substances in production of cosmetics"			Establishing of permitting, restrictions or prohibitions on chemicals use, import and other activities
Legal acts regulating the use of ozone depleting substances:
Governmental Resolution No.1279 of 19 12 1994 On Accession to the 1985 Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer, to the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the Recommendation of the Customs Co-operation Council on the Insertion in	Ministry of Environmental Protection		Accession to the 1985 Vienna Convention and to the 1987 Montreal Protocol
National Statistical Nomenclatures of the Subheadings to Facilitate the Collection and Comparison of Data on the International Movement of Substances Controlled by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer adopted on 26 06 1990
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry and Ministry of Industry and Trade No.67/100 of 17 04 1996 On Implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer	Ministries of Environmental Protection and Industry and Trade (former)	Substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol	Approval of the National Programme on Phasing out Ozone depleting Substances and formation of the National Committee for Implementation of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol
Lithuanian Environmental Protection Strategy "Actions Programme" approved by the Governmental Resolution No.938 of 05 08 1996	Ministries of Environmental Protection and Industry and Trade (former)		Obligation to prepare the legal acts regulating the use of ozone depleting substances
Legal acts partly regulating the labelling of chemical substances:
Governmental Resolution No.530 of 29 06 1994 On Hygienic Evaluation of Work Places Governmental Resolution No.540 of 08 05 1996 On Amendment of the Hygienic Evaluation of Work Places			Approval of Statute of the hygienic evaluation of work places
Order of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Standardisation Service, Health Care Ministry No.42/25/107 of 23 02 1995 On Necessary Requirements for Labelling of Imported and Produced in the Republic of Lithuania Goods and Establishing the Regulations Order of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Standardisation Service, Health Care Ministry No.159/110/331 of 26 06 1995 On Amendment of Regulations on Labelling of Imported and Produced in the Republic Lithuania Goods			Requirements for labelling of goods (including chemicals)
Order of Health Care Ministry No.101 of 13 02 1996 On Approval of Classification of Factors of Hygienic Work Zone (Environment)			Classification of factors (including chemical) of hygienic work zone (environment) and it’s hygienic evaluation
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.81 of 05 1995 On Ecolabelling of Goods		Applicable for goods produced in the Republic of Lithuania or imported, except foodstuffs, drinks and pharmaceu-tical preparations (including chemical substances and preparations)	Approval of regulations on ecolabelling of goods
Legal acts regulating the dangerous waste management:
Governmental Resolution No.243 of 06 04 1992 On the Execution of the Law on Environmental Protection in Management of Dangerous Waste		Dangerous waste	Obligation to the Ministry Economy to manage dangerous waste. To prepare a Programme for the Management of Dangerous Waste
Governmental Resolution No.98 of 22 02 1993 On the Programme for the Management of Dangerous Waste		Dangerous waste	Approval of the Action Plan for the Programme for the Management of Dangerous Waste. Approximately 450 mln. Litas is needed for the Programme’s implementation		The amount by 1.2 mln. Litas was provided from the budget during period of 3 years
Governmental Resolution No.1321 of 10 1995 On Implementation of the Programme for Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in the Republic of Lithuania		Pesticides	Adoption of proposal on thermal treatment (incineration) of unsuitable for use pesticides. Obligation to SC ‘Fostra" to conduct the treatment of unsuitable for use liquid pesticides, SC "Akmen๋s cementas" - the treatment of powder pesticides; obligation for MEP to strength the environmental control during the incineration moment and to inform local municipalities concern
Governmental Resolution No.505 of 26 04 1996 On Approval of the Composition and Statute of Commission for		Pesticides	Approval of the Composition and Statute of Commission for Co-ordination of the Programme for Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides
Co-ordination of the Programme for Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in the Republic of Lithuania			in the Republic of Lithuania
Governmental Resolution No.483 of 16 05 1997 On Programme for Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in the Republic of Lithuania for 1997 and Prospective Actions until 2001	Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care, Economy, Welfare and Labour, interinstitutional working group, working group of experts-scientists, managers of Counties, local municipalities, Plant Protection Station under Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the organisation won the competition	Agricultural unsuitable for use pesticides	Adoption of the Programme for Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in the Republic of Lithuania for 1997 and Prospective Actions until 2001 and obligation for MEP to execute the control
Lithuanian Environmental Protection Strategy "Actions Programme" approved by the Governmental Resolution No.938 of 05 08 1996	Ministries of Environmental Protection and Industry and Trade, Health Care	Industrial and dangerous wastes	Obligation to prepare regulations on wastes import-export, to treat prohibited and unsuitable for use pesticides
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry and Ministry of Agriculture No.115/505 of 12 07 1995 On Organisation of Utilisation of Prohibited and Unsuitable for Use Pesticides		Agricultural pesticides	Establishment of iterinstitutional working group for organisation, co-ordination and control of the management of prohibited and unsuitable for use pesticides
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.128 of 21 07 1995 On Organisation of the Control and Accounting of the Storage Facilities of Agricultural Chemicals	Environmental Protection Ministry	Agricultural pesticides	Strengthening the control of accounting of pesticides, use or utilisation of in their storage facilities
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.111 of 25 06 1997 On the Catalogue for Wastes			Approval of the Catalogue for Wastes
Order of Environmental Protection Ministry No.102 of 09 06 1997 On Strengthening the Control of Management and use of Old Pesticides and Control of the State of their Storage Facilities		Agricultural pesticides	Strengthening the control of management and use of old pesticides and of the state of their storage facilities
Legal acts regulating the risk assessment and the investigation of consequences of chemical accidents:
Law on Impact on the Environment Assessment for Proposed Activities (No.I-1495 of 15 08 1996)			Reglamentation on assessment of planned economic activities which may impact to the environment for and on relationship between participants in this process
Governmental Resolution No.1090 of 04 08 1995 On Approval of Provisions for the Prevention, Liquidation and Investigation of Industrial Accidents			Prevention, liquidation and investigation of accidents
Governmental Decree No.727p of 17 07 1992 On the Supply of Information on Accidents, Catastrophes, Natural Disasters to the Population on Radio and Television	State Supervisory Institutions, Local Municipalities, Ministry of National Defence, Department of Civil Security		Prevention, liquidation and of accidents and information of population
Governmental Resolution No.913 of 30 07 1996 On Approval of Statute for the Register of Dangerous Economic Facilities in Lithuania			Approval of regulations on Register of Dangerous Industrial Facilities
Governmental Resolution No.583 of 22 07 1992 On Composition of the Commission for Emergency Situations			Establishment of the Commission for Emergency Situations
Governmental Resolution No.830 of 03 11 1992 On Amendment of Governmental Resolution No.583 of 22 07 1992			Establishment of the Commission for Emergency Situations
Governmental Resolution No.340 of 11 04 1997 On Approval of the Statute and Composition of the Centre for Emergency Situations			Approval of the Statute of the Centre for Emergency Situations
Governmental Resolution No.233 of 17 03 1997 On approval of the List of Planned Economic Activities and Facilities which are Required to Undergo a State Assessment Expertise for their Impact to the Environment			Approval of the List of Planned Economic Activities and Facilities which are Required to Undergo a State Expert Assessment for their Impact to the Environment
Governmental Resolution No.456 of 12 05 1997 On approval of the List of Planned Economic Activities and Facilities which are Required to Undergo a Full Assessment for their Impact to the Environment			Approval of the List of Planned Economic Activities and Facilities which are Required to Undergo a Complete Assessment for their Impact to the Environment
Order of Ministry of National Defence No.188 of 05 03 1993 On Regulations of Storage and Disposal of Explosive Substances and Explosives			Approval of Regulations of Storage and Disposal of Explosive Substances and Explosives
Order of the Chief Hygienist, Lithuanian Department of Standardisation under Ministry Administrative Reforms and Municipality Affairs No.30/180 On Regulation of Hygienic Evaluation of Non-food Goods			Approval of the Regulation of Hygienic Evaluation of Non-food Goods
HN 57-1995 On Organisation of Health Services in Cases of Chemical Pollution			Defining the activities of Public Health Institutions during chemical accidents and organisation activity in such cases
HN 68-1996 "Demercurization and Assessment of it’s Effectiveness"
Legal acts regulating the control over asbestos:
Order of the Chief Hygienist under Health Care Ministry No.1 of 30 12 1994			Approval of the List of valid hygienic standard documents and standard acts in Lithuania (Sanitary Regulations on Works with Asbestos of 1992 included)
HN 36-1993 "Banned or Restricted Substances in Production of Consumer Goods"			Prohibition of use 7 species of asbestos in production of consumer goods
Legal acts regulating accounting of releases into environment:
Resolution of Statistical Department under Government of Republic of Lithuania No.110 of 09 12 1991 ON Approval of Sectoral Statistical Reporting Forms for Environmental Protection Department of Republic of Lithuania	Statistical Department under Government of Republic of Lithuania, Environmental Protection Ministry		Approval of Annual Statistical Reporting Forms: Form No.1- Water: Report on use and protection of water sources; Form No.2-Atmospera: Report on atmosphere protection; Form No.3-Waste: Report on waste management.

4.2 Summary Description of Key Legal Instruments Relating to Chemicals

The main legal act, regulating the control over the chemicals use, is the Environmental Protection Law adopted in 1992 and amended in 1996. Article 20 "Regulation of economic activity" of the chapter 4 of this law regulates the use and production of dangerous chemicals, article 23 - the waste management.

Article 13 of the Law on Enterprises (adopted in 1990 and amended in 1997) defines the certain types of commercial-economical activities, related to chemicals, allowed to be conducted by purchasing a licence according to the established regulations.

Executing the Governmental Resolution No. 1287 of 29 09 1995 On the Implementation of the Amendments and Adjustments of the Law on Enterprises of the Republic of Lithuania, the Regulations for issue of licencences to produce, import, transport, trade, use, store and dispose chemicals potentially dangerous to the environment was approved by the Governmental Resolution No.229 of 09 02 1996.

Taking into account, that activities defined in the Resolution don’t comply the activities indicated in the Classification of Economic Activities, the MEP has provided the proposals regarding licensing of the activities related to chemicals production, trade and storage and to be included into the Draft Law on the Amendments and Adjustments of the Law on Enterprises, article 13 (the Draft Amendments are under discussions in Parliament).

The Resolution obliges the Environmental Protection Ministry to adopt a list chemicals which are allowed to be produced, traded or stored only having the licence.

The chemicals imports and exports are being regulated by the mentioned Law on Control of Strategic Goods and Technologies, the Governmental Resolution No.718 of 19 05 1995 On the Limitation on the Import, Export and transit via Republic of Lithuania of Certain Articles (Goods), Governmental Resolution No.573 of 06 1997 On Executing the Control of Imports, Transit and Exports of Strategic Goods and Technologies, the Governmental Resolution No.938 of 03 10 1994 On Approval of Regulations for Transporting Dangerous or Military Cargoes of Foreign Countries Across the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania, and etc.

Executing the Governmental Resolution No.718 of 19 05 1995 On the Limitation on the Import, Export and transit via Republic of Lithuania of Certain Articles (Goods), the Environmental Protection Ministry has adopted the order No.122 of 11 07 1997 (as amended on 997 09 10 by order No.l6l) On Regulations of Issuing Permits for Import and Export from and into the Republic of Lithuania of Dangerous Chemical Substances, which has approved the list of Dangerous chemical substances belonging to 2nd-9th (excluding 7th) classes (according UN classification) for which import, export from and into the Republic of Lithuania the Permit from MEP or Regional Departments is required and establishes the regulations on issuing the permits and main requirements to get the permits. The list includes the extremely dangerous substances, substances controlled under Montreal Protocol, pesticides (agricultural and non-agricultural), disinfectants, non-standard sorts of fuel, procurcers and other dangerous chemicals to be controlled according to the requirements of EU Directives.

Lithuania is a member of various international organisations, it has signed all the international agreements on the transportation of dangerous cargoes (of classes 1 to 9) by all transport means (including roads, railway, waterways and air), i.e. Lithuania is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Marine Organisation (IMO) and observes the rules of these organisations on the transportation of dangerous cargoes (substances); Lithuania has acceded to the European Agreement signed in Geneva in 1975 on the International Transportation of Dangerous Cargoes by Road (ADR) and the International Convention on Railway Transport (COTIF) and at the present time, it observes some of the international requirements for the transportation of dangerous cargoes.

The Plant Protection Law defines the activity, related to the plant protection, of all legal and natural persons in the Republic of Lithuania. This law sets the provision, that only registered in Lithuania pesticides are allowed to be imported, marketed and used. The pesticides should be included into the List of Chemical Plant Protection Products allowed to be used in Republic of Lithuania, approved by the Governmental Resolution.

The new pesticides (not belonging to the mentioned list), defined to conduct a proper or manufactural tests, are allowed to import for the registration purposes.

The article 7 of the Plant Protection Law sets a provision that legal and natural persons could import or market the pesticides only if they had the permits and certificates of the plant protection products and according to the regulations established by the Government.

The Regulations On Imports, Transportation, Trade, Storage and Treatment of Chemical Plant Protection Products and Growth Regulators in the Republic of Lithuania, approved by the Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection and Health Care in 1994, are being applied to ensure the labour safety and to meet the hygienic and environmental protection requirements. The mentioned regulations are under amendments.

Land owners and other land’s users violated the regulations on production, import, trade, storage, transportation and use of chemical plant protection products are to be fine for administrative infringement.

The list of prohibited and severely restricted pesticides in Lithuania is approved (the Hygienic Standard HN 63-1996). The Hygienic Standard HN 54-1995 defines the maximal permissible concentration of pesticides in raw materials for food production (food stocks) and foodstuffs. These Hygienic Standards were established and approved by the Health Care Ministry.

The Programme for Management of Unsuitable for Use Pesticides in the Republic of Lithuania for 1997 and Prospective Actions until 2001 were prepared and approved executing the Governmental Resolution No.483 of 16 05 1997. This programme provides the approved regulations on sorting, labelling, safety transportation of unsuitable for use pesticides; evaluations of the treatment technologies (alternative to the incineration) of unsuitable for use pesticides; the selection of mentioned technologies and the implementation thereof; measures for organisation of the identification of pesticides, the use of old pesticides and etc.

The control over chemicals and restrictions in use are being partly regulated by the general laws (Law on Health System, Safety at Work), Governmental Resolutions and the Hygienic Standards issued by the Health Care Ministry. The mentioned legal acts establish the prohibitions or restrictions on use of dangerous chemicals (pesticides, fertilisers, hydrochlorofluorocarbons and etc.) in certain regions or areas, industry and regulate the maximal permissible non-harmful to human concentrations of chemicals in various elements of the environment, foodstuffs, consumer goods and etc.

The Environmental Protection Ministry has issued the order No.141 of 08 1997 On Preparation of the Regulations on Restrictions in Asbestos Use in Lithuania for the solution of problems related to asbestos control. This order provides for to establish a interinstitutional working group which is obliged to prepare the regulations on import of goods, containing asbestos, into Lithuania and on restrictions in production of such goods.

Lithuanian Environmental Protection Strategy and its "Actions Programme" approved by the Parliament Resolution No.1-550 of 25 09 1996 obliges to prepare the legal acts regulating the reduction of emissions of ozone depleting substances, the reduction of air, water and soil pollution with various chemicals, the management of dangerous waste and etc.

All laws, legal acts, Governmental Resolutions and decrees, ministerial orders, acting in Lithuania at present time, are to be published in the official publication "Valstyb๋s inios".

4.3 Existing Legislation by Use Category Addressing Various Stages of Chemicals from Production/Import through Disposal

Table 4.B:Overview of Legal Instruments to Manage Chemicals by Use Category

4.4 Summary Description of Key Approaches and Procedures for Control of Chemicals

The State Commission for Registration of Plant Protection Products approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, conducts the registration of chemical plant protection products (agricultural pesticides). Representatives of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection Ministry and Health Care Ministry and specialists of Lithuanian Institutes of Agriculture and Gardening are the members of mentioned commission.

The registration of chemical plant protection products is executed pursuant to the Statute approved by the Governmental Resolution No. 312 of 06 05 1996 (Regulations on Registration of Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products in Republic of Lithuania and the Statute of the State Commission for Registration of Plant Protection Products).

The Commission of experts for registration and hygienic regulation of disinfectants, detergents and cosmetics products, approved by the order of Health Care Ministry No. 113 of 15 03 1994, regulates and registers:

• disinfectants used for:

  • medicine institutions,
  • focus of infection diseases,
  • pre-sterilisation washing of medical articles,
  • antimicrobic products for washing hands

• insecticides, rodenticides, repellents, detergents and disinfectants permissible or temporary permissible to use in foodstuff enterprises and utilities.

The new disinfectants and washing substances having desinfective properties are allowed to be imported or produced in Lithuania only after their registration in commission for registration and hygienic regulation of disinfectants, detergents and cosmetics products and getting the permit.

According to the regulations, established by the Health Care Ministry, the producers or importers are obliged to provide all required toxicological, microbiological information, risk and safety advises and other information about the product intended for registration to experts’ commission. Health Care Ministry issues periodically the official edition "The list of Chemical Disinfectants, Detergentents, Products for Killing Household Parasites and Rodents". The information about the issue of publication is to be announced in the newspaper "Valstybes zinios".

Unharmfulness to human health of non-foodstuff goods (raw materials and etc., including chemical substances and products) is to be approved by issuing the hygienic certificate. Producers or importers for purchasing the hygiene certificate, according to the established procedure, provide the required documents, information about the good to the institution issuing the certificates, and in the case of such information absence organise the investigation for non-harmfulness to health of the good and provide the tests’ results for experts. The hygienic certificates, approving non-harmfulness of non-foodstuffs, are to be registered according to be established regulations, and information about the issued hygienic certificates are to be announced in the informative periodical edition "Hygiene and epidemiology" of the State Public Health Centre (SPHC) within Ministry of Health Care.

The permit-hygiene passport to conduct the commercial-economic activity (including activity related to chemicals) are to be issued according to the regulations established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. The SPHC, the Nutritious Centre of the Republic, territorial Public Health Centres and their filials execute the hygienic expertise of documents, required for issuing the mentioned permits. State services, state inspections, executing the control of public health make decisions on the harmfulnes of economic-commercial activity. The permits for activity, negatively affecting to the human health, are to be abolished, according to the criteria and regulations on supervision and revoke of activity established by the Law on Health System of the Republic of Lithuania, Law on Enterprises and other laws.

The import of dangerous chemical substances of various groups (according to UN classification) is controlled by permits issued of Ministry of Environmental Protection and its Regional Environmental Protection Departments. During procedure of issuing the permits, the expediency of certain chemical substance, grade of risks to the environment during accidents, storage conditions and etc. are taken into account. Dangerous substances are passing the control of board and custom’s officials (the documents and permits for transportation of chemical substances are to be examined).

Since 1994, imports-exports statistics, including chemicals, are being summarised according to the cargoes declarations.

According to the Regulations on Issuing the Permits for Use of Natural Resources and Defining the Limits for Use of Natural Resources and Standards for Pollutants Released into the Environment" (approved by the order of MEP No.10 of 26 01 1995), the Environmental Protection Regional Departments issue the permit for use of natural resources which consists from 2 parts:

1. Acceptance, utilisation, transfer of water;
2. Release of pollutants with waste water;
3. Pollutants’ emission into atmosphere from stationary sources;
4. Waste generation, methods of treatment and disposal.

The mentioned permits are to be issued for legal and natural persons starting the exploitation of the objects of economic activity and which activity is related to harmful effect to environment as well as due to the use of chemicals in such objects also.

Table 4.C: Banned or Severely Restricted Chemicals

(Active ingredients of pesticides)

Name of active ingredient of pesticide	Level of restriction (ban (B) or severe restriction (SR))	Details of restriction (e.g. reason for control action, remaining allowed uses, etc.)
1	2	3
Agronal	B
Anabazine sulphate	B
Ciram	B
DDVF	B
DNOK	B
Efirsulfonate	B
Falizan	B
Fentiuram	B
Gamaheksane	B
Granozan	B
Gammexane	B
Calcium arsenate	B
Karatan	B
Keltan	B
Linuron	B
Metaphos	B
Sodium pentachlorophenolate	B
Polychlorocamphene	B
Polychloropinene	B
Sevin	B
Tiophos	B
Trichlormetaphos-3	B
Tedion	B
Copper trichlorophenolate	B
Alpha-HCH	B	Concerogenic, toxic substance
Beta-HCH	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Delta-HCH	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Gamma-HCH	B	Toxic substance
Aldrin	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Amitrole	B	Cancerogenic substance
Arsenic and arsenic compounds	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Binapacryl	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Chlorobenzilate	B	Cancerogenic substance
Chlordane	B	Cancerogenic substance
Chlordecone	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
1	2	3
Chlordimeform	B	Cancerogenic substance
DDD	B	Cancerogenic substance
Dieldrin	B	Concerogenic, very toxic substance
Dinoseb	B	Teratogenic, very toxic substance
Dinoseb- acetate	B	Teratogenic, very toxic substance
Dinoseb (amine)	B	Teratogenic, very toxic substance
DDT	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Endrin	B	Teratogenic, very toxic substance
Ethylene dichloride	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Ethylene dibromide	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Mercury and mercury compounds	B	Very toxic and toxic substances
HCH - mixed izomers	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Hexachlorobenzene	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Heptachlor	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Cadmium and cadmium compounds	B	Concerogenic,toxic substances
Camphechlor	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Captafol	B	Concerogenic,toxic substance
Mirex	B	Cancerogenic substance
Nitrofen	B	Cancerogenic, teratogenic, toxic substance
Polichlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)	B	Concerogenic, toxic substances
Polychlorinated triphenyls (PCTs)	B	Concerogenic, toxic substances
Strobane	B	Cancerogenic substance
Lead and lead compounds	B	Very toxic and toxic substances
1,2-Dibromo-3-chlororopane (DBCP)	B	Cancerogenic, mutagenic, toxic substance
2,4,5-T	B	Cancerogenic substance
Aldicarb	SR	Very toxic substance
Aliuminium phosphide	SR	Very toxic substance
Bromomethane	SR	Very toxic substance
Chlorpicrin	SR	Very toxic substance
Cyhexatin	SR	Toxic via skin, toxic to reproduction substance
Demeton (O and S)	SR	Very toxic substance
Endosulfan	SR	Toxic substance, longly degrading in environment
Ethylene oxide	SR	Cancerogenic, mutagenic, toxic substance
Fluoracetamide	SR	Very toxic substance
Quintozen	SR	Contaminated with toxic cancerogenic substances
Leptophos	SR	Neurotoxic substance
Maleic hydrazide	SR	Contaminated with toxic cancerogenic substances
Sodium fluoroacetate	SR	Very toxic substance
Paraquat (dichloride)	SR	Very toxic substance
Parathion	SR	Very toxic substance
Pentachlorophenol	SR	Toxic via skin, containing very toxic impurities
Selenium and selenium compounds	SR	Toxic substances, cumulating in the body
Strychnine and strychnine salts	SR	Very toxic substances
Shradan	SR	Very toxic substance
Tetraethylpyrophosphate	SR	Very toxic substance
Tallium and tallium compounds	SR	Very toxic substances
Vinyl chloride	SR	Toxic, cancerogenic substances

The voluntary procedure concerning information exchange related to imports and exports of banned or severely restricted chemicals (PIC), set out by London Guidelines, is not legally approved in Lithuania and is being conducted only according to the bilateral agreement between UNEP IRPTC and Ministry of Health Care of the Republic of Lithuania. The voluntary PIC procedure is being conducted according the hygienic standard HN 63-1996 "Prohibited or severely restricted pesticides", but the list of industrial chemicals banned or severely restricted is not prepared yet.

4.5 Non-regulatory Mechanisms for Managing Chemicals

The harmful impact to human and environment should be avoided in maximal possible level during chemicals storage, use and transportation (including imports and exports). For the above purposes evaluating the danger raised by each substance, the proper regulations and conditions for chemical substance safety use, packaging, storage, transportation are prescribed. The latter should ensure if the maximal permissible concentration of these chemical substances didn’t excess the limit value in a work place and surrounding. The administrative mechanisms for managing chemicals are being developed in each enterprise or establishment using chemicals.

4.6 Comments/Analysis

At present time Lithuania makes only the first steps in the unified chemicals management. The legal acts valid in Lithuania, prescribed for the control of chemicals, regulate the licensing of activities related to dangerous chemicals, restrictions over their use, the registration of chemical plant protection products (agricultural pesticides), imports/exports of dangerous chemicals.

The follow up the provisions of separate parts of various laws is not effective. The Law on Chemicals, which should regulate all areas (gap areas, not covered by existing laws - also) is needed. During Lithuania’s integration to the European Union process the one of the major tasks in chemicals management is to develop the new one and to harmonise valid legal acts (as new as well) with EU legislation, while transposing EU requirements into national acts. There is no in Lithuania proper capacity established to conduct sufficient control over chemicals use.

Till present time there is no in Lithuania the unified chemicals accounting (reporting) system of, providing for the regulation on obtaining the information about chemicals from producers and importers.

The country experiences the lack of legal measures practically for all groups of chemical substances (partly excluding the agricultural pesticides) applicable to various steps of the chemicals use, i.e. starting from production and concluding with disposal.

There is no established the regulations on chemicals classification, labelling and packaging.

The objective of the drafting Chemicals Law is to regulate the chemicals accounting, use, state supervision and control in the Republic of Lithuania, the rights and duties of legal and natural persons while conducting the economic activity, related to chemicals use, seeking to protect the human health and environment from possible negative impact from chemicals.

The provisions of the above Draft Law are being formulated, taking into account the requirements of the EU Regulations and Directives (Dir. 67/548; 76/769; 94/55; 88/379; 90/35; Regl. 793/93; 92/2455; 1488/94; 94/3093 and etc.). After adoption of the Chemicals Law the regulations on chemicals classification, labelling and packaging will be prepared, bearing in mind the risk raised from each substance to human health and environment. During the implementation of the above Law the state chemicals accounting system is foreseen to be introduced.

While Lithuania has accessed to various conventions on carriage of dangerous cargoes (dangerous substances) and agreements on the transportation of dangerous cargoes by all transport means, it is very important to improve the system of carriage of dangerous substances (chemical substances also), to harmonise the national transportation requirements with EU requirements, to develop the mechanism for control of chemicals and accidents’ liquidation, to prepare the training system according to the model of West Europe Countries. For the development of above tasks, firstly the preparation of the Law on Transportation of Dangerous Cargoes is necessary.

The Draft Law on Transportation of Dangerous Cargoes is prepared and has been submitted to the Parliament for the deliberation. The mentioned law will regulate the full transportation process of the dangerous cargoes (substances and products) - those which are provided with identification number and are included into United Nations list of dangerous substances. The full transportation process of the dangerous cargoes covers their shipment works, storage during carriage, the control of transport means and equipment, the symbols of shipment, proofing, warning and danger, the accompanying documentation as well as the responsibility of drivers or other persons involved in the transportation. According to the provisions of mentioned Law, the regulation on transportation of dangerous cargoes by road, marine and air transport means will be prepared. The Draft Temporary Regulations on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Rail-way in the Republic of Lithuania is prepared. This Regulation should regulate the transportation of dangerous cargoes by rail-way during transitional period in Lithuania, while implementation the Annex 1 "International Rules of the Carriage of dangerous Cargoes by Rail-way" (RID - Reglement concernant le transport international ferroviaire des marchandises dangereuses) of the Part B (CIM - Regles uniformes concernant le contrat de transports internatonal ferroviaire des marchandises) of the International Convention on Railway Transport COTIF (Convention relative aux transports internationaux ferroviaires) of 1980

The Draft Law on Control of Toxic Substances is prepared (by the interinstitutional working group) which provides for the regulation on imports, exports, production, storage, use of and trade with toxic chemical substances.

The mainly prioritetic task in Lithuania is the regulation of the waste management through establishment of the control on reduction of waste generation and the precisely reporting system, the regulations on collection, treatment and disposal. The prepared Draft Law on Waste Management will provide for the general requirements on waste reporting, collection, sorting, storage, transportation, secondary processing, decontamination, burying, seeking to avoid the negative impact to environment and human health. The Law will set up the rights and liabilities of state governing institutions, legal and natural persons in handling of wastes and having the aim to avoid the waste generation and to stipulate the secondary use (recycling). The separate section of the above law is prescribed for the issue of the treatment and disposal of dangerous waste.

In 1993, the Republic of Lithuania signed the Convention on Ban of the Development, Production, Accumulation and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Annihilation. Lithuania is going to ratify this Convention in the near future. The Draft Law on Chemical Weapons is prepared already.

The analysis of the national legal and administrative infrastructure for chemicals management has showed that the legal basis for the chemicals management is insufficient and there is no perfect system for the development of the legal acts and etc., so to answer comprehensive questions related to chemicals management is impossible for the time being.

Chapter 5: Ministries, Agencies and Other Institutions, Managing Chemicals

The purpose of this chapter is to describe and analyse mandates and programmes of different ministries, agencies and other governmental institutions responsibilities for and concerned with, various aspects of chemicals management.

5.1 Responsibilities of Different Government Ministries, Agencies and Other Institutions

Table 5.A: Responsibilities of Different Government Ministries, Agencies and Other Institutions

Stage of life-cycle/ Ministry concerned	Import	Production	Storage	Transport	Distribution/ marketing	Use/ handling	Disposal
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry	+		+		+	+
Ministry of Environmental Protection	+	+	+			+
Ministry of Transport				+
Ministry of Health Care	+	+	+			+	+
Ministry of Economy	+		+		+		+
Ministry of National Defence (Civil Security Department) Customs Department under Ministry of Finance	+			+
Ministry of Welfare and Labour	+
		+	+		+	+

 5.2 Description of Ministerial Authorities and Mandates

In the area of controlling the use of chemicals the competence and responsibilities are devised among a number of ministries.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for the implementation of the governmental environmental protection policy and it is in charge of the management on chemicals handling prescribed to its competence.

According to the Law on Environmental Protection (articles 6,20,23) the Ministry establishes the procedures for transit, import, export, use, storage, decontamination, disposal, accounting, for the issuance of permits for import/export of certain chemicals.

Together with other institutions authorised by the Government it establishes the procedures for storage, sorting, recovery and decontamination of waste.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection controls import/export of dangerous chemicals (2-9 classes according to UN classification) by issuing the permits and co-ordinating relevant activities with the Customs Department.

For the operation of economic objects which activities cause environment pollution and also is connected with chemicals use, the Ministry of Environmental Protection issues the permits for the use of natural resources and for pollutants emissions into the environment. It also determines and controls emissions norms and reporting (report to the competent authorities) procedures. This Ministry organises and co-ordinates the comprehensive environmental monitoring, conducts environmental quality investigations inter alia in the cases of industrial and transport accidents involving chemicals, evaluates damage to the environment.

The Ministry of Transport co-ordinates the transportation of dangerous cargoes (dangerous substances including chemical substances and goods), participates in determining and implementing the regulations of the transportations of dangerous cargoes (chemical substances), conduct the training courses and issues certificates to the specialists dealt with mentioned activities.

The Ministry of Economy is prescribed to manage the control of the use of strategic goods, including chemical agents to be used in the production of chemical weapons, import and export thereof, to control bargains for imports and exports, as well as to co-ordinate these activities in Lithuania. This Ministry organises the management of hazardous waste, provides information to the European Economic Commission of the United Nations on the procedures of chemical products, their manufactured production, exports, imports (communication is conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), co-ordinates the ratification of the Convention on Ban of Chemical Weapons, issues the licences for imports and exports of petroleum products.

Hazardous waste management programme provides for hazardous waste treatment according to the categories of waste (combustion, physico-chemical treatment, direct disposal, waste recovery) use or disposal. The above activities are the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy.

Pursuant to the Governmental Decree No. 36-1957 of 11 02 1997, the Ministry of Economy entrusted with arranging the ratification procedure of the Convention on Ban of the Development, Production, Accumulation and Use of Chemical Weapons and Annihilation thereof. Pursuant to the provisions of the above Convention the Parties to the Convention shall adopt the national legislation which provides for control and accounting (reporting) of use, recycling, export and import of the controlled substances.

The Ministry of Health Care develops the system on the limitation and prevention of risk and damage, which could cause chemicals to human, environment in occupational, natural and recreation areas. The system is implemented by

• applying appropriate regulations on environmental, technological requirements, established requirements for save use of raw materials, goods, economic activities;
• performing appropriate supervision and control.

The Ministry of Health Care co-ordinates the use, production, storage, trade, import, treatment of chemical substances within its competence, issues permit-hygiene passports for business activities related to the production, storage and distribution of chemicals, managers the Register of Toxic Chemicals, participates in the expert surveys and expertise of industrial and transport accidents, in the assessment of damage done or threatened to human health, provides information on the impact of chemicals to human.

The State Labour Safety Inspectorate within the Ministry of Welfare and Labour is responsible for the state policy on labour safety. The main goal in this sector is to ensure the appropriate prevention level to avoid labour safety violations, occupational accidents, occupational diseases in various chemicals use sectors as well as to ensure the control of safe occupational conditions related to chemicals use.

The State Labour Safety Inspectorate (SLSI) together with other authorised institutions identifies potentially dangerous enterprises, assesses risk hazards they may cause, potential accidents. As well as develops the policy and measures on response to the accidents.

According to the Law on Lithuanian State Labour Safety Inspectorate, the SLSI may prescribe to prohibit activities if permissible concentration of emitted substances are exceeded.

The Ministry of Administrative Reforms and Municipality Affairs is not directly involved in chemicals management and control. However, it takes active part in the national programme on obsolete no longer suitable for use pesticides treatment. This is quite natural because all above mentioned issues are performing on the municipal or counties level.

Among other responsibilities those, prescribed to the Ministry of National Defence, include

• the analysis of possible accidents, involving chemicals and possible consequences, damage to environment caused by dangerous chemicals as well;
• precaution measures to be planned and appropriate information to Lithuanian citizens about hazards to human health and life and recommended safety measures in a cases of accident, public education and training.

This Ministry also controls the transportation of the 1st category dangerous chemicals.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for the national management of plant protection products - imports, storage, trade and use of plant protection products.

The Department of Statistics of the Republic of Lithuania accumulates and provides statistical data on chemicals import, export, production

The Customs services control chemicals import (and only in special cases export) according to the national regulations.

5.3 Comments/Analysis

For the time being the Law on Chemicals is not adopted. The Draft Law on Chemicals is under preparation. For this reason the responsibilities of the relevant ministries, governmental agencies and institutions is based on special acts, related to the regulations of certain special groups of chemicals (e.g. plant protection chemicals, transportation of dangerous cargoes and others).

In many cases the functions, responsibilities and competence of different institutions are overlapped, there is no enough co-ordination between various ministries and institutions, responsibilities are disseminated, because each institution care only about chemicals groups prescribed to its competence.

On the other hand the responsibilities of ministries and institutions are caused by the nature of their activities and their programme and statute, since each above institution covers specific activities (e.g. environment, health care).

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Health Care, major leading controlling ministries in the field of management of chemicals, developed and adopted a joint Order on the Definition and Clarification of Detailed Functions between these two ministries (No.120/394 of 14 07 1997).

Chapter 6: Relevant Activities of Industry, Public Interest Groups and the Research Sector

6.1 Description of Organisations/Programmes

The major Lithuanian chemicals producers - mineral fertilisers SC "Achema" in Jonava, SC "Lifosa" in Këdainiai, a number of smaller producers and distributors - Company "Alytaus chemija" in Alytus, Company "Chemelita" in Klaipëda, Company "Chemija" in Plungë, Companies "Auguva"," Chromtech", "Buitine Chemija" in Vilnius, "ARVS" in Marijampolë, a number of agricultural firms follow chemicals management regulations which were prepared and approved by the above companies.

Some national regulations are applied by these companies with respect to general management. The above companies don’t participate in the international and national chemicals management programmes, though such large chemical companies have sufficient resources, staff and equipment.

There are several scientific and research institutions which could be able to participate in the programmes on chemicals management; the following should be mentioned:

Chemical technological faculty in Kaunas Technological University namely:

• chair of organic chemistry (oil product analysis, BMP spectrometry);
• chair of organic technology (IR and UV spectrphotometry, liquid chromatography, atomic adsorbtion spectrography);
• chair of silicate technology (rentgenostructural analysis, thermal analysis);
• physicochemical chair (gas chromatography, IR and UV spectrography, atomic absorbtion spectroscopy);
• engineering ecology chair (gas chromatography);
• chair of foodstuff technology.

Chemistry faculty of the Vilnius University carries out the tests on chemicals quality. It also conducts the course "Safe chemicals handling" for students.

The Institute of Chemistry has sufficient capacities to perfomn chemicals rentgenostructural analysis, spectroscopy, chromatography, to work with electronic microscopy.

Thermo-isolation Institute is involved in scientific researches on application of used chemicals in the production of the construction materials.

Some non-governmental organisations could be involved in the chemicals management, namely:

• Chemical Association within the Industrialists Confederation;
• Engineering Ecology Association within the Industrialists Confederation;
• Green Movement;
• Enterprises Association;
• Harmonised Management Centre of Kaunas Technological University.

A number of various companies are involved in the activities related to the disposal of the secondary (used) chemicals and waste:

• Econorma Ltd, Talvita Ltd utilise galvanic sludge;
• SC "Lifosa" processes phosphogyps (waste of the production of phosphoric acid) and obtains gyps for construction industry;
• SC "Palemono keramika" utilises galvanic sludge, unrecoverable mineral oil, used lubricants and cooling liquids;
• Vilsuva Ltd takes care about old or unsuitable for use pesticides;
• Bakara Ltd develops the projects on hazardous waste treatment systems;
• Public enterprise is in charge of soil decontamination technologies;
• Ekobaltas Ltd develops the projects on industrial waste management and treatment;
• Energy Institute carries out research works and seeks for the possibilities to treat toxic waste;
• Hygiene Institute perfoms the relevant investigations related to hygiene and ecology;
• Baltijos Konsultacinë Grupë Ltd deals with hazardous waste treatment;
• Qualitech ir Antanina Ltd performs analysis of contaminated water discharges, soil, waste as well as products;
• Pramoninis Ekologinis Centras Ltd is one of the institutions, developing decontamination technologies, organising waste disposal and utilisation studies;
• Ekoprojektas Ltd develops proposals for the management of secondary raw materials;

Ekobaltas Ltd, Baltijos Konsultacinë Grupë Ltd, Pramoninis Ekologinis Centras Ltd, Inþinerinës Ekologijos Techninis Konsultacinis Centras Ltd, prepare programmes and documents on pollution prevention of used chemicals, disposal thereof and others.

6.2 Summary of Expertise Available Outside of Government

Table 6.A: Summary of Expertise Available Outside of Government

Note: Table is filled in, taken into account the potential possibilities of organisations and interested groups.

6.3 Comments/analysis

Information on the imports, exports, production, use and disposal of chemical substances is not confidential, thus the press and public are given free access to this information.

Non-governmental organisations (NGO) are given the possibilities to provide relevant information and to participate in the chemicals management. On the other hand, NGO interest and activities in this area is not sufficient. Their concern increases in a case of accidents. The greatest experience in the management of chemicals has been accumulated in SC "Achema" (Jonava town), SC "Lifosa" (Këdainiai town) and SC "Maþeikiø nafta ("Maþeikiai town). Therefore while adopting decisions the Government shall take into account the experience of the above enterprises.

NGO do not conduct special studies in chemicals field which could be used when adopting the governmental decisions.

Currently public is not sufficiently informed about risk while handling chemicals as well as about the governmental actions aimed at the reduction of risk. However, the role of NGO informing the public could be very considerable if NGO’s activities and experience was used. In some cases NGO’s information is not taken into account, the data are not justified from legal point of view since these data are obtained in non-certified laboratories or from unofficial sources. NGO’s material and technical resources seem to be too poor to observe chemicals impact or environment and to form the public opinion.

In some cases goods and products intended for public sale have insufficient information on the risk to human health and thus non-professional users are not properly informed. The labels on imported goods are often written either in foreign language or partly translated. Some goods have no information on product composition, safety requirements and others.

Chapter 7: Inter-ministerial Commissions and Co-ordinating Mechanisms

7.1 Inter-ministerial Commissions and Co-ordinating Mechanisms

Table 7.A: Overview of Inter-ministerial Commissions and Co-ordinating Mechanisms

Name of mechanism	Responsibilities	Secretariat	Members	Legislative mandate/ objective	Information provided in section 7.2 yes/no	Effectiveness
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
The Interministerial working group for the Development of the Draft Law on Chemical Substances	MEP	Chemicals Management Division	MEP, MHC, ME, Industrialists Confederation, Chemistry Faculty of Vilnius University	Order of MEP No. 118 of 07 1997	Yes	Draft Law on Chemical Substances is prepared
The Interministerial Working Group for the Preparation of Draft Law on Waste Management	MEP	Waste Management Division	MEP, MHC, ME, MCU, MF, Ministry of Administration Reforms and Municipalities Affairs, Industrialists Confederation, Environmental Problems Committee within the Municipality Association	Order of MEP No.32 of 20 02 1997	Yes
The Interministerial Group of Experts for Consideration of Problems Related to the Issue of Licences for the Import, Transit and Export and Certificates for Import of Strategic Goods and Technologies	ME	ME Division for the Control of Strategic Goods	ME, MEP, MND, MCI, MT, MHC, MFA, MI, CD, NCD, National Inspectorate for Atomic Energy Safety, National Veterinary Service	Govern-mental Resolution No.573 of 06 1997	Yes
The Working Group for the Ratification of the Convention on the Ban of the Development, Production, Accumulation and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Annihilation	ME	ME Technical Policy and Quality Division	ME, MIA, MFA, MHC, MEP, MND, MAF, National Security Department, Customs Department	Governmental Decree No.36-1957 of 11 02 1997	Yes	Ratification documents are under preparation
The Centre for the Management of Extraordinary Situations	MND	The officer appointed by the Prime Minister	MEP, MCI, MT, MHC, MND, ME, MAF, NSD, Fire Fighting Department	Governmental Resolution	Yes
The Expert Committee for the Hygienic Regulation and Registration of Disinfectants, Detergents and Cosmetic Products	MHC	MHC State Public Health Centre	State Hygiene Centre, State Public Health Centre Prophylactic Toxicology Division and Hygienic Expertise Division; Hospital Diseases and Desinfection Division of the Infections Diseases Prophylactic and Control Centre	Order of MHC No.79 of 24 02 1997	Yes
The State Commission for the Registration of Plant Protection Products	MAF	MAF State Plant Protection Station	MAF, MEP, MHC, Agricultural Institute, Institute of Gardening and Vegetable-growing	Governmental Resolution No.1507 of 30 11 1995	Yes
The State Drug Control Commission	MHC	MHC Medicine Division	MHC, MIA, MFA, MAF, CD, MEP, MT, TE, MF, State Inspection on Taxes, Frontier Police Department within MIA	Governmental Resolution No.282 of 28 02 1995	Yes
The Interministerial Working Group for the Improvement of the Transportation System of Dangerous Cargoes (dangerous substances and the development of the relevant draft documents)	MT	MT Environmental Protection Division	MT, MEP, MND, MWL, MI, CD, State Inspectorate on Atomic Safety	Protocol of the session of the Govern-ment of 03 07 1996	No	Draft Law on the Transportation of Dangerous Cargoes is prepared
The Working Group for the Preparation of the National Programme on Phase out of Ozone Depleting Substances	MEP	MEP Chemicals Management Division	MEP, SC"Snaig๋", Sc"Oruva", SC"Vilniaus buitin๋ chemija" (Household chemistry)	Order of MEP	The National Programme is prepared; the investment projects were prepared and approved by GEF. Financing assistance is expected from GEF for the implementation of the projects

7.2 Description of Interministerial Commissions and Co-ordinating Mechanisms

For the purposes of the preparation of legal documents relevant interministerial working groups are established. These groups are dismissed after they perfom their task.

Commissions are established to perform long-term tasks and responsibilities prescribed. There is no permanent body which is solely responsible for the chemicals management in the country.

In Interministerial Working Group for the preparation of the Draft Law on Chemicals prepared the mentioned Draft. The separate sections of this document were prepared by the representatives of several Ministries/Agencies and then regularly discussed at the meetings. The first version of the draft law was essentially updated and amended, evaluating the requirements of the EU Directives. For the preparation of the last version the content of the working group was changed. The prepared Draft Law is intended to be considered by the Ministries concern, Industrialists Confederation, major industrial companies. The draft is expected to be examined by some experts from EU Member States (Sweden, Germany) as well as by CEFIC experts. Such preliminary agreement was achieved with above mentioned experts.

The Interministerial Group for the Preparation of the Draft Law on Waste management has prepared this Draft Law. The latter recently has been submitted to the Parliament.

The Group which task is to consider the issues related to the issuance of licences for the import, transit, export and certificates for imports of strategic goods and technologies, was established.

The sixth group of strategic goods covers chemical and biological agents, the equipment of dual use, which could be used for the production of both chemical and biological weapons.

The final decision on the issuance of the licences for import, export and transit as well as for import certificate is adopted by the Ministry of Economy on the basic of the conclusions of the experts involved.

The Ministry of Economy is entrusted with the preparation of the documentation required for the ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Accumulation and Use of Chemical Weapons and Annihilation thereof. For this purposes the interministerial working group is established.

Currently the Draft Law on Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is under preparation. This Law will define the Ministries’ responsibilities for the implementation of the provisions of the above Convention. Besides, the Law should set up the regulations on the control of the substances included into the Annexes of the Convention.

The Centre for Management of Extraordinary Situations is an integral system of civil security and rescue, which organises the activities related to the localisation of the large scale disasters, industrial accidents or catastrophes; to rescuing of people and property as well as to activities related to the response to the accidents when such activities could not be conducted by local authorities and need to be organised on the local municipal level.

According to its responsibilities, this Centre participates in the development and consideration of the long-term state programmes aimed at the strengthening civil security, forms the general policy on citizens protection, on dangerous technologies management, on response to accidents, evaluates the plans and intended measures with respect to the response to the accidents. This Centre also co-ordinates activities of the ministries, other state institutions, local municipal executing agencies and different companies related to the preparedness for accidents.

The Centre is guided by officer, appointed by the Prime Minister in the event of an accident (disaster) or imminent threat thereof. The main co-ordinator is the Director of the Civil Security Department, members - Vice-ministers of the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Informatics and Communication, Transport, Health Care, Economy, Administration Reform and Municipality Affairs, Agriculture and Forestry, Director of the Fire Fighting Department, Deputy Director of the National Security Department, Deputy Director of the Civil Security Department, Head of Defence Headquarters.

The Meetings of the Centre are convened once per 3 months by the Centre’s co-ordinator. In the event of extraordinary situation extra meeting could take place.

The main task of the Expert Commission for the Hygienic Regulation and Registration of Disinfectants, Detergents and Cosmetic Products is to assess the results of microbiological, toxicological, chemical tests, practical tests and investigations of new disinfectants, detergents, cleaning agents, non-agricultural pesticides (biocides) either produced or imported to Lithuania. The Commission shall also assess the relevant documentation and other information which can be used to assess exposure and danger of the substance, consider technical requirements for the new substances production, define the scope of tests and investigations, register the above substances and issue corresponding certificates.

The State Commission for the Registration of Plant Protection Products shall ensure that very toxic and banned in other countries chemical and biological plant protection products are not placed on the Lithuanian market.

The application for the registration (reregistration) are sent to the above Commission, which makes the final decision on this issue, issues the registration certificates. The Commission also approves the testing plans, considers proposals from scientific institutions on the use of new products, prepares the list of plant protection products allowed to be used in Lithuania, provides information about registered products and active ingredients thereof.

The State Drug Control Commission is to responsible to organise the control of the activities dealing with the use of drug and Psychotropic substances as well as feedstock thereof. This Commission is responsible for the prevention of drug addiction. Among other functions the Commission

• suggests proposal on the circulation production of these substances and their feedstocks, on the prevention and elimination of drug addiction;
• carries out the analysis of statistic data on the circulation of these substances in different regions and state agencies, on spreading of drug addiction;
• to undertake the prevention measures to reduce demand in the mentioned substances;
• to ensure relevant information to the public;
• to take care about improvement of drug addicts treatment system.

7.3 Descriptions of Mechanisms for Obtaining Input from Non-Governmental Bodies

The Governmental institutions in charge of chemicals supervision, may obtain relevant information from non-governmental organisations mainly during seminars, conferences and from some publications. While adopting decisions, implementing chemicals management programmes and policy, some specialists from non-governmental organisations are involved.

The list of major non-governmental organisations, which could play essential role in chemicals management is presented in Chapter 6.

7.4 Comments/analysis

Interministerial Commissions and Working Groups, comprising concerned ministries specialists, are established in order to solve the most important issues. The contact points in different ministries and institutions contact each other by phones or faxes and meet in the meetings. It would be possible to increase work effectiveness essentially by establishing computer network. It would enable to improve information exchange and access to it through Internet.

However, Commissions and Working Groups can not work on every day basic. Taking into account the experience of some countries (e.g., Sweden), it would be reasonable to establish State Institution (Inspectorate) for the chemicals management. It could cover major relevant activities such as preparation of draft standards, control of the enforcement of Chemicals Law, control of the enforcement, the collection of information and data, interministerial co-ordination and other chemicals management related issues. This body could serve as an instrument for communication with municipalities, counties, industries, scientific and research institutions, public and etc. and is supposed that counties authorities should cooperate with local ones. Inspectorate is supposed to conduct a co-ordination of general chemicals management, and local authorities - to organise the use and storage of specific chemicals in their areas.

Chapter 8: Data Access and Use

8.1 Availability of Data for National Chemical Management

Information on chemicals is the basis for the system development and important and vital factor to adopt decision on chemicals management. In order to be able to manage chemicals and take the proper decision in various situations, it is necessary to have accurate and complete data basis on chemical substances, their properties, impact on humans and environment, the (exact) quantities of chemicals produced, used, imported or exported and the types and quantities of the accumulated waste in the country.

Each ministry or state supervision institution accumulate the data of concern and have data basis corresponding their responsibilities and competence.

After restoration of independence a lot of Ministries have been reorganised, their responsibilities have been changed and still are being changed, major part of industrial and other companies have been privatised. Many of them have switched over to the other technologies and activities. As a consequence the information on chemicals and their quantities have essentially changed as well as the data collection procedure. Some new mechanisms and corresponding legal bases were proposed for the data collection under present conditions. It should be emphasised that the legal basis has not completed and therefore not all implications related to the data submission are clear and legally approved. However, the existing routine enables decision making institutions to obtain a lot of data concerned. The quality of data depends on the information sources. The most problematic is to obtain data on consumer commodities.

The table 8.A presents the overview on the data sufficiency for different decision making activities.

 Table 8.A: Quality and Quantity of Available Information

"X" - if sufficient information is available for the tasks listed in the left hand column;

"-" - if information is insufficient for the task listed.

8.2 Location of National Data

There is no single data reporting system in Lithuania. More over, the Law on Chemicals has not been adopted yet, and it means that there is no legal basis regulating demand of data and reporting.

The main institution which accumulates and provides information on all type of activities, including production and trade data, is the Statistics Department. Data on chemicals imports and exports are finally located in the Statistics Department.

Information according to the particular management areas of chemicals is collected, processed and accumulated in different individual Ministries:

• information on the use of pesticides and mineral fertilisers is the responsibility of the State Plant Protection Station;
• data on hazardous waste, on environment monitoring, on pollutant emission are collected by and accumulated in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, while the data on waste generation are also accumulated in the Ministry of Economy; thus the data on waste is to be found in both Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Economy;
• information on chemicals and their volumes stored, used in the enterprises, on the industrial accidents occurred is accumulated in Department of Civil Security and in the State Labour Safety Inspectorate;
• information on hygienic control of occupation places and related one is to be found in the Ministry of Health Care;
• information on health of agricultural and industrial workers is located in the local Individuals Health Supervision Institutions and in the Regional Public Health Centres; information related to the occupational diseases is registered and accumulated in the Centre of Occupational Medicine of the Hygiene Institute;
• information on the chemical antibacterial substances, preparations, preparations for killing parasites and rodents, disinfectants permissible for use in foodstuff industry, registration of detergents is available in the Ministry of Health Care.

The table 8.B presents the picture about location and sources of national data, related to the chemicals management. It also points out information users.

Table 8.B:Location of National data

Type data	Location	Data source	Who has access	How to gain access	Format
1	2	3	4	5	6
Production statistics	SD	Industry, edition "Economic and social development in Lithuania"	ME Economy development policy department, library	Editions are subscribed from "Statistical publications catalogue"	Statistical bulletin
Imports Statistics	SD	CD, Customs declarations	SD		Computerised DB, files of documents
Exports Statistics	CD	Customs declarations, edition "International Trade", SD	SD, ME has access to the edition , library	Editions are subscribed from "Statistical publications catalogue"	Documents files, statistical bulletin
Chemicals Use Statistics	No reporting data, except some chemical testing	Enterprise Report on production of manufactured goods P-O2	SD		Computerised DB
Industrial Accident Report	Department of Civil Security, Fire Fighting Department, Local authorities	Reports, notifications	State Labour Safety Inspectorate	Upon request
Transport Accidents Reports	Department of Civil Security, Fire Fighting Department, Local authorities	"
Occupational Health Data (industrial)	Centre of Occupational Medicine	Public Health Centres, Occupational Diseases Register		Upon request	DB, bulletin
Occupational Health Data (agricultural)	Local Individuals Health Supervision Institutions
Poisoning statistics
Pollutant Release and Hazardous Waste Data	SD, Statistics annual report, ME data base	Data reporting by industry	Governmental and non- governmental institutions are given free access to the official data	Statistics annual report is sold to the public, SD edition "Natural resources and environment"
Transfer register (SO2, Nox, VOC)	MEP Secretariat, of the Convention on Long Range Air Pollution	SD edition "The Balance of fuel and energy"
Transfer data SO2, NOx, NH3 , HNO3 and others.	Institute of Physics, Western Co-ordination Centre in Norway	Measurement data, obtained from background of station in Preila
Register of Pesticides	MAF	Farmers, companies		Upon request
Register of toxic chemicals	State Public Health Centre	Regional Public Health Centres, International DB (IRPTC)	Physical and legal bodies	Upon request	DB
Inventory of Existing Chemicals
Register of Imports
PIC decisions
Food Pollution Monitoring data base	State Public Health Centre	Regional Public Health Centres		Upon request

8.3 Procedures for Collecting and Disseminating National/Local Data

Data in Lithuania are collected by different ways and methods, depending on the collection possibilities and effectiveness. The main methods and ways are as follows:

• enterprises and organisations supply the information upon request;
• by questionnaires;
• during inspections on site the required information is obtained;
• data can be found in the reports presented by companies;
• data are collected by the regional agencies of the ministries and other institutions.

The main institution accumulating data and providing it to the users is The Statistics Department. These activities are conducted in accordance with the Law on Statistics.

All ministries and governmental institutions have a right to get all statistical data, as it was mentioned above, the statistics activities guided by the Law on Statistics, which defines the obligation to report certain data as well as ensure the confidentiality. Statistical data could be published or otherwise given to the users only in summary form unless there are other agreement with the objects concerned. Data required to be supplied according to the formats or questionnaires or by computer net. Statistical data are to be supplied to the statistics services by all companies, establishments and organisations, (inspite of ownership form), ministries, other governmental institutions as well as natural persons. The data to the Statistics Department comes as follows:

• the reports are collected by the regional statistics divisions or directly received from all companies;
• statistical data from small enterprises are collected through the tax declaration procedure, which then are submitted to the Statistics Department by the municipalities divisions.

Till 1994 exports/imports statistics has been prepared on the basis of data submitted by the exporting/importing companies. Once a quarter these companies were asked to submit the data. In this work the aggregated list of goods according to the ESPT countries single goods nomenclature was used. Since 1994, imports/exports statistics is prepared on the basis of cargo declaration. Every month the Customs Department supplies declaration data, using electronic records, to the Statistics Department. Cargo declarations which were applied in Lithuania till 1995 were different from those corresponding international standards SAD (Single Administrative Document). The volume of imports/exports is estimated on the basic of the principles of general trade system. In imports-exports statistics harmonised system (HS) for goods description and codification. Customs tariffs nomenclature in Lithuania is created following the principles of EEC System on Combined Goods’ Description and Codification and additing the ninth digit for Lithuanian goods. The first six digits of this nomenclature are the same as in HS. The goal of imports/exports statistics is to ensure more acute and complete information, though some things depends not on Statistics Department. In some cases the Custom are not able to ensure good quality of declaration data, necessary control and errors correction mechanism. The problems have become more serious since Lithuania became apply SAD in 1995. Currently computerised system is to be applied - what will improve the data collection and control.

Data on chemicals production are collected within the framework of industry statistics survey. Since 1993, industry statistics has been rearranged in accordance with the International Recommendations for Industrial Statistics, United Nations, New York, 1993. The latter defines the indices, which should be supplied by industrial companies.

Companies, which activities are connected with the use of chemicals and with dishrags into water, emission into air, waste generation, are obliged to report in accordance with Statistical Forms No. 1, 2, 3. The Joint Research Centre within the MEP prepares the summary report on the basis of above forms. Summary reports are submitted to the Statistics Department. Besides, the annual SO2, Nox and VOC emissions are calculated on the basis of fuel used and are published in the Statistical edition "Fuel and Energy Balance".

The Expert Commission for the Hygienic Regulation and Registration of Disinfectants, Detergents and Cosmetic Products, which was established by the Order of the Ministry of Health Care, registers chemical antibacterial substances, preparations for killing parasites and rodents, disinfectants permissible for use in foodstuff industry. Information related to the toxicological properties, safety and risk advises and some other relevant information according to the existing procedure is submitted to the Commission by importer and producers. The Ministry of Health Care issues the official edition "The List of Chemical Disinfectants, Detergents, Preparations for Killing Household Parasites and Rodents" which can be used by all physical and legal bodies.

In order to protect consumers and eliminate harmful raw materials and industrial products, the Joint Order of the Chief Hygienist of the Republic and the Ministry of Administrative Reforms and Municipality Affairs set the procedure for the products hygienic assessment. Pursuant to this procedure, manufactures and importers are obliged to provide certain documentation and data about the product to experts. If these data are insufficient, producers or importers are obliged to organise product testing. Thus, in this way all necessary information about product dangerousness and harmfulness to human is collected. Hygienic certificates issued on the basis of the above information are registered in the corresponding public health supervision agency. The lists of the hygienic certificates issued are periodically published in the edition "Hygiene and epidemiology".

Data on chemicals exposure and impact on health are accumulated, analysed in Public Health Supervision Institutions, in Medicine Academy, Vilnius University, Specialised Health Supervision Centres (Oncology, Pulmonology-physiatry and others). These data and conclusions are provided to the local decision making authorities. This data collection system should be harmonised with the requirements of the World Trade Organisation and the European Union. For the time being this work was delayed because of administrative system reorganisation, though it is ongoing and being improved. It is planned to establish new information system "Environment and Health" in the nearest future.

Plant protection products registration is performed by the State Commission for the Registration of Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products, which was set by the Government. For the purpose of registration the company (as a rule foreign one, because plant protection products are not manufactured in Lithuania) provides required information to the Commission. The Commission complies and periodically publishes official edition "The List of the Chemical and Biological Plant Protection Products, Allowed for Use in Lithuania", which comprises chemicals, allowed to import and use for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes.

Data on chemicals and their volumes stored, used in enterprises and objects are collected in the Regional Civil Security Divisions. The data are taken from companies reports, submitted upon request, and also obtained during inspection on site. Reports on industrial and transport accidents, which are connected with the dangerous chemicals spillages, are prepared by civil safety specialists in accordance with approved forms. The more complete information about accident is prepared and sent to the Civil Security Department. Currently the National Register on Dangerous Objects is to be established. It will accumulate data on objects where dangerous chemicals are stored, produced and used and which can threaten human health and environment. All governmental institutions while have free access to this information.

Information about cargoes transportation by railway is collected and accumulated in the Transportation Service within Ministry of National Defence.

The population can receive the information on chemical substances, their production, import, export, use, harmfulness to health, etc. from the publications of the Statistics Department, the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care, Agriculture and Forestry, as well as upon request directly from the Registers.

8.4 Availability of International Literature

Access to the international literature makes decision making institutions much easier, especially in those cases when is a lack of national literature.

International literature reaches Lithuania from international organisations, such as UN, OECD and other also through the participation of Lithuania’s representatives in various International Conferences, Conventions, Programmes, workshops, etc., and a co-operation with other countries. One of the factor hampering the purchase of international literature is comparatively high costs.

Table 8.C:Avaiabilityof International Literature

Literature	Location	Who has access	How to gain access
1	2	3	4
Environmental Health criteria documents (WHO)	MEP, MHC	Ministries in concern	Through Internet or Lithuanian correspondent Euroinfocenetr (including upon request)
Health and Safety Guide Books (WHO)	MHC
International Chemicals Safety Data Sheets (IPCS/EC) Handling Chemical Safety, 1980 Emergency response Guidebook,1993	MEP MEP, MND (Civil Security Department)	Ministries in concern "	Upon request "
Decision Guidance Documents for PIC chemicals (FAO/UNEP)	MHC Public Health Centre	Ministries in concern	Upon request
FAO/WHO Pesticides Safety Data Sheets	MHC Nutritious Centre MEP,	Ministries in concern	Upon request
FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticides Residues Documentation	- " -	- "-	- "-
Material Safety Data Sheet (industry)
OECD Guidelines for Testing of Chemicals
Good Laboratory Practice Principles	Chemical Industry Association within the Industrialists Confederation
Good Manufacturing Practice Principles
WHO/UNEP Global Environment Library Network	Lithuanian National Library; the Library of Agricultural University	Ministry in concern	Upon request
ILO Safety and Health in Construction	MWL library	"	"
ILO International Labour Standards Concerned with Labour Inspection	MWL library	"	"
ILO Safety in the Use of Chemicals at Work	MWL library	"	"
ILO Safety and Health in the Use oh Chemicals at Work(Training Manual)	MWL library
Accident prevention on Board Ship at the Sea and in Port	MWL library
ILO Recording and Notification of Occupational Accidents and Diseases	MWL library
Warning and preparedness for emergency on local level	Civil Security Department	Ministries in concern	Upon request
Risk identification and assessment in local communities	CSD, Local Authorities	"	‘
OECD Guiding Principles for Chemical Accident Prevention, Preparedness and Response	CSD	Ministries in concern	Upon request
Other	Medicine Academy library	"	"

8.5 Availability of International Database

Access to the International Databases facilities and serves speed up the work for different decision making institutions. Especially, those information is useful, which contents data and investigations and research results not being carried out in Lithuanian research institutes. There are not many international databases in Lithuania (because of high costs), but at present time access to databases on the Internet is becoming easier and more frequent.

Table 8.D: Availability of International Database

Database	Location	Who has access	How to gain access
IRPTC	MHC State Public Health Centre, MEP	Legal and natural persons	upon request
Medline (CD ROM)	National Medicine Library	"	"
ILOLEX (CD ROM): TDO Constitution, TDO Conventions	Ministry of Welfare and Labour, library	"	"
NATLEX (CD-ROM)	Ministry of Welfare and Labour, library; Internet	"	"
IMDG (CD-ROM) Safety Data Sheets	Ministry of Transport	"	"
ISIS/RISKLINE (CD ROM), IRIS, ENVICHEM	MEP	"	"

8.6 National Information Exchange System

There are mainly 2 means to exchange information:

• the institution where information is located is asked to provide information;
• according to the agreement concluded with information accumulating institution, the information is periodically provided to the interested institutions.

Workshops, seminars, meetings, open-ended discussions on various chemicals management issues, bulletins, editions also serve as information exchange means.

8.7 Comments/analysis

Despite a lot of information on chemicals is collected in Lithuanian ministries and institutions, information exchange between them is not resolved. As a result it often appears that the same data are separately collected by two or more institutions.

Lithuania lacks financial and material resources for purchase the appropriate equipment and for solution of communication technology problems. If the possibility to use computer communication was ensured, the information on chemicals exchange could be solved both on national and international level; and what is the most important, it would facilitate the introduction of the national information data base on chemical substances. The latter would serve as one of the main chains in save chemicals management and appropriate implementation of legal acts. On the other hand, there is no legal acts, regulating information exchange between ministries or mandatory reporting to the ministry concerned.

A computer net of national institutions (VIKT) is currently under development. Among VIKT subscribers the ministries, Statistics and Customs Departments, municipalities, regional authorities, counties administrations and others should be mentioned. It is intended that till 1999 the VIKT will join 54 state institutions, including 12 operators or the governmental databases. One of the main VIKT development goals is to provide established and being established state information systems (Municipalities Information System KIS "Savivaldyb๋" and Administrative Information System of the Government VADIS) with computer communication means as well as possibilities to access to the state databases. It is intended that the VIKT will serve to the governmental institutions in their every day work mainly as electronic mail, data files sending, information publication on WWW pages and access to the local databases. Thus when such VIKT systems is in place and appropriate technical basis is created, this net will be the perfect possibility to maintain on-line communication, exchange chemicals management related to information among the various ministries and institutions.

Chapter 9: Technical Infrastructure

The main laboratories of physical and chemical programmes for the management of chemicals, i.e. laboratories which can identify unknown substances and analyse chemical residues, are located in research institutions (Chemistry Institute, Physics Institute of Science Academy), Universities (Technological University in Kaunas, Vilnius University), ministries (MEP, MHC, Customs Department), hygienic institutions. Laboratories of the analysis of substances which are used or produced in the respective enterprises (SC"Achema" and SC"Lifosa" - for fertilisers analysis, SC"Maþeikiø nafta" - for petrol products analysis, food processing plants - for chemical and microbiological analysis).

Table 9.A: Overview of Laboratory Infrastructure for Regulatory Chemical Analysis

Name/description of laboratory	Location	Equipment/ analytical capacities available	Acreditation (if yes, whom)	Certification (if yes, whom)	Purpose
1	2	3	4	5	6
Physical chemical analysis laboratory	MEP, Joint Research Centre, Vilnius	GC, LC, (GC/MS) Spectrophotometers Flame photometers Photocolorimeters Spectrometers g spectrometers a spectrometers Mineral oil analyser Hg analyser Oven Electroconductivity measurement equipment Turbiditimeter	accredited	no	Air, water, soil survey and testing, performing environment pollution analysis; measurement in the cases of increased pollution
Hidrobiology and toxicology laboratory	MEP, JRC, Vilnius	Microscopes Autoclaves Luminometers	accredited	no	Determination of water characteristics
Soil research laboratory	MEP, JRC, Kaunas	GC, LC	accredited	no	Soil monitoring: investigation on general soil indices; determination of pesticides, heavy metals
Emissions measurement group	MEP, JRC,	Gas analysers	accredited	no	Quantitative SO2, Nox, CO, particulates analysis
State analytic control divisions	MEP, Vilnius, Kaunas, Panevëþys, Klaipëda, Alytus, Ðiauliai, Marijampolë and Utena Regional Departments	Filter photometers Petrol product analysers Oven Kjeldal analyser COD digestors, Automatic water pumps	accredited	no	1.Air and water monitoring; 2.Emissions, imissions, determination of ingredients; 3.Polluters control
Organic Chemistry and Organic Technology Chair	Technological University, Kaunas	NMR spectrometer LC UV spectrometer IR spectrometer Atomic absorbtion spectrometer	accredited	no	Quantitative and qualitative organic and inorganic compounds analysis
Foodstuffs technology chair	Technological University, Kaunas	GC	accredited	no	Organic compounds analysis in food
Physical chemistry, Inorganic chemistry, Engineering Ecology and Silicate technology	KTU, Kaunas	GC IR spectrometers UV spectrometer Atomic absorbtion spectrometers	accredited	no	Quantitative and qualitative organic and inorganic compounds analysis.
chairs		Thermoderivatograph			Identification of metals, organic and inorganic compounds
Customs laboratories	Vilnius, Kaunas	GC, LC, GC/MC UV and IR spectrometers Atomic absorbtiometer	accredited	no	Quantitative and qualitative organic and inorganic substances analysis
Industrial laboratory	Oil Refinery "Nafta" in Maþeikiai	Photoelectro-colorimeters GC, LC Petrol products analyser BOD tester Oximeter Equipment to measure total nitrogen Kjeltac	accredited	no	Air monitoring, testing of water discharges and surface water analysis
Environmental laboratory	Mineral fertilisers plant SC "Lifosa" Këdainiai	Gas analyser Testo-33 Electrophotocolori-meters Fluorometer	no	no	Air emissions analysis: F, NH3, H2SO4, SO2, NO2, CO, particulate concentrations determination. Discharges into water analysis: pH, fluorine, total nitrogen,
					total phosphorus, sulphates, chlorides, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphates, BOD, suspended substances concentration determination
Technical control laboratory	Mineral fertilisers plant SC "Lifosa" Këdainiai	Electrophotocolorimeters Flame photometer Moisturemeter Fraction selector	no	no	Superphosphate, phosphoric acid, AlF3, , appetites, sulphuric acid analysis. Assimibility water, soluble phosphates, total nitrogen; F, Fe3O3, FeO, Al2O3, CaO, MgO, AlF3, HF, CO (quantitative analysis)
Central laboratory	MHC, Republic Nutrition Centre	GC/MS HPLC GC Atomic absorbtion spectrometer	accredited	no	determination of organic compound and heavy metals (identification and quantitative analysis) Organic substances analysis VOC analysis Metal analyse.
Chemical exposure testing laboratory	MHC, Occupational Medicine Centre within Hygienic Institute, Vilnius	Atomic absorbtion spectrometer	accredited	no	Metal determination in air, water, soil and biosphere in small quantities

In 1996, the Government approved a National Quality Programme and provided for the main measures for its implementation. One of the main constituent of the Programme is the development of standardisation, metrology and assessment of compliance:

• in the standardisation area this is to be done by improving Lithuanian’s standardisation system and harmonising it with international and EU standardisation system;
• in the area of metrology - by improving the measurement equipment and legal metrological systems;
• in the area of compliance - through efforts to achieve certification of test laboratories and international; recognition of institutions for market supervision.

Joint Research Centre participates in the international programme - ILSI PHARE service, with the aim of ensuring the quality of analysis and control of quality, applying EU requirements.

The laboratories of the MEP participate in the following quality assurance programmes:

• ITM (in accordance with Integrated Monitoring Programme);
• NIVA (Norwegian Water Research Institute);
• HELCOM PLC- 3 (Finish Environment Research Institute);
• HELCOM PLC- 3 (Danish Water Quality Institute, VKI, Horsholm);
• EQUATE PHARE (the Netherlands, Amsterdam);
• AQUACON Sub- Project 3- 5 ISPRA .

The Ministry of Environmental Protection closely cooperate with other countries, especially in the Baltic region, as well as with some international organisations in chemicals area. Co-operation as a rule is based on bilateral or multiral agreements. The laboratories of Joint Research Centre (MEP) also participate in various projects and programmes. Among them the following should be mentioned: Latvia-Sweden-Lithuania-Lielupe River Basein Project; Norway Programme - Neris river survey.

The laboratories of Joint Research Centre (MEP) apply HELCOM recommendations in their work, such as:

• National Requirements, report to PHARE Operational Services and HELCOM, 6 July 1995;
• HELCOM - Workshop on Quality Assurance, national Board of Waters and the Environment, September 26-27 1994, Helsinki;
• Guidelines for the third Pollution Load Compilation (PLC-3), Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission, Baltic Sea Environment Proceedings.

The Central Nutrition Laboratory, Chemical Exposure Testing Laboratory within the Occupational Medicine Centre in their work apply the following international documents:

• ISO GUIDE 25 General requirements for the competence of calibration and testing laboratories;
• ISO 9000 Quality Management and Quality Assurance Standards;
• ISO 5725 (1- 4,6) Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results;
• FAO Food and Nutrition Papers 14/1 ir 14- 14 Manual of Food Quality Control;
• NMKL Report No.8Quality Assurance Principles for Chemical Food Laboratories.

The implementation of the monitoring programme meets some difficulties. In some cases the laboratories lack reference substances, laboratory equipment should be changed by more modern one (e.g. there are some chromotographs produced in 1970). Equipment installed in the stationary air monitoring stations needs to be renewed. The major ions in water are analysed by hand using titrimetric method instead of ion chromatographic one.

In many cases laboratories can not afford comparatively high equipment cost and thus can not purchase new one. With respect to the equipment received in accordance with support programmes some difficulties arise when approving and justifying it and when including into the Lithuanian measurement equipment register. Mainly it is caused by the absence of necessary documents for the equipment.

In order to ensure the quality of testing and analysis and to be certificated it is necessary to equip existing laboratories with new, modern equipment, including automated spectrophotometers with analyser, automatic titration system, ion chromotograph.

9.2 Overview of Government Information Systems/Computer Capabilities

A computer net of national institutions (VIKT) connects more then 70 subscribers, having more than 300 computers, above 1000 electronic mail subscribers and 13 state databases. The structure of the communication net comprises 10 communication hubs in the large Lithuanian towns linked by magistral communication and connected with world metanet INTERNET (by cable line) via Riga, Stockholm and by cosmic communication LITNET channel to Stockholm.

VIKT is used for data transmission. VIKT users can use electronic mail, FTP, VVVVVV, News servers. The specialists from state enterprise "INFOSTRUKTÛRA" are able to install, control and change software and hardware, to conduct the training on local automated net administration for all participants concerned. They also can assist on proper maintenance of net and its service. In VVVVVV server of "INFOSTRUKTÛRA" the information about VIKT subscribers could be found (VVVVVV institutions title pages), the catalogues of Lithuania VVVVVV servers (up 200) and of FTP servers, the state database for general use.

The possibilities of VIKT may also be used in the information systems in the area of chemical substances, to access informational databases and to facilitate the implementation of the Government’s policy and programmes related to the management of chemicals.

With the financial assistance of the United States and in accordance with the programme "The Development of the Ministry’s Local Net" the local net has been developed in the MEP. This local net is connected with the computer net of institutions (VIKT).

Table 9: Computer Capabilities

Computer system/Database	Location	Equipment available	Current Uses
Ecological statistical information system (ESIS) - Air, water, waste	MEP, Regional Environmental Protection Departments (RD)	Pentium 486	Data assessment and accumulation
Surface water control database (using monitoring data) - VANMON	Joint Research Centre (JRC), RD	Pentium 486	Data assessment and accumulation
Air quality database (using monitoring data) - ORAS	JRC, RD	Pentium 486	Data assessment and accumulation

The Lithuanian environmental information system was developed in Mathematics and Informatic Institute’s server. The Internet users all over the world can use this system. Currently the other information system, which is in the local net server of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is being developed.

The two above mentioned systems, first in the Institute’s web server and the other in Ministry’s local net web server will form mutually complementary Lithuanian environmental information system which could be accessed by any Internet user both in Lithuania and over the world.

Government administrative information system project (VADIS) is under development. Interministerial co-operation is important inter alia in conducting imports and exports of narcotic and psychotropic substances and precursors, strategic goods and technologies.

The computer net of the Statistics Department is connected to Internet.

Computer system WINDOWS 95, UNIX and database management system ORACLE are applied.

9.3 Overview of Technical Training and Education Programmes

The following mean for technical training are applied:

• in the training centres of the companies producing equipment (Company TEKATOR in Warsaw, Company PPM Systems in Helsinki, Company VARIAN- Cup and others);
  • seminars using MEP basis (companies TESTO, VARIAN, PPM Systems, Bruel and Kjear, Becher messtechnik, Environmetasl Protection Agency, US);
  • technical supply centre collects, classifies, distributes information about modern laboratory equipment and analytical equipment;
  • participation in the international laboratory equipment exhibitions and conferences.

Every year the Joint Research Centre of the MEP organises training courses for the Regional Departments’ Analytical Control Divisions, aimed at the analysis quality improvement.

Civil Security Department (Ministry of National Defence) organises public education and workers’ training through Civil Security Centres. Training programmes include lectures on dangerous substances, poisoning danger and its treatment, environment protection courses.

National Defence Centre for Raising the Level and Improvement of Specialists Skills conducts training for national defence, other institutions specialists, organises civil safety courses for industrialists. The training programmes cover environment issues, include lectures on safe handling of dangerous chemicals.

Some Lithuanian Universities (in Kaunas, University in Vilnius, Agricultural University in Kaunas) specialists on environment are educated.

All students in the Chemical Technology Faculty (Technological University) gain good knowledge in the area of the most important methods of chemical and instrumental analysis. Engineering environment specialists graduated from this University can successfully work in and guide environmental laboratories, gas emission treatment, waste collection and treatment plants.

Though environmental education is conducted on all levels, due to the lack of equipment and reagents, practical work in the secondary schools and schools is insufficient.

9.4 Comments/Analysis

One of the most important and priority tasks in monitoring system is to ensure research quality and appropriate control. There are some factors which hamper the implementation of the State Environment Monitoring Programme. One of them is connected with comparatively high costs to cover environment state observation, laboratory researches, data processing and analysis, distribution of the latter. On the other hand, the main precautions stipulating appropriate environmental monitoring are expensive field equipment and laboratory technique as well as skilled specialists. The Lithuanian Government supports the development of new standards related to sample taking, analytical works, data processing, which comply with international standards, the development of integrated monitoring system.

The factor, which to great extent is also connected with incremental costs, is necessity to renovate some subsystems of the existing monitoring system.

Chapter10: International Linkages

Proper handling and management of chemicals is not only national problem. The international implications of this problem are even more important. In a case of Lithuania this is to stipulated by its geopolitical situation. Besides Lithuania is located by the Baltic Sea, which is common for many countries.

The proper handling of chemicals, safe use and control thereof, safety to human and environment could be ensured only, when at least the following information is available and used in decision making:

• what chemical substances and for what purposes are produced, imported, used;
• relevant quantities;
• chemicals properties, impact on human;
• behaviour in the environment.

International co-operation directly related to chemicals management started in 1991, when UNEP IRPTC decided to assist Lithuania to establish the National Register of the Potentially Toxic Chemical Substances and appointed a national correspondent for Lithuania. In 1993, IRPTC organised subregional seminar "IRPTC database use" (Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Belorus). According to the bilateral agreement (between Lithuania and IRPTC) IRPTC database was transferred to the possession of the national correspondent - Director of the Ecological Medicine Centre (MHC). In 1994, Lithuanian Government appointed the contact point for PIC procedure, related to the information exchange in international chemicals trade. Later IRPTC centre co-operating with Lithuanian MHC organised the subregional seminar on these issues.

The important event, which emphasised chemicals management problem, was the participation of Lithuanian contact person in the International Conference on Safe Chemicals Management in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1996, in Canberra (Australia) the Intersessional IFCS meeting was held. The regional programme on chemicals management improvement in the Baltic countries was discussed there. Lithuanian representatives did not participated in this meeting.

In 1997, in Ottawa (Canada) the second IFCS session took place. A number of issues related to the implementation of the tasks on safe chemicals management laid down in 19th chapter of Agenda 21 were discussed. Lithuanian contact person participated in this session. Lithuania was asked to represent Latvia and Estonia in IFCS Intersessional group.

The Environmental Protection Ministry as one of the main institution involved in chemicals management co-operates with the countries of the Baltic Sea Region and various international institutions involved in the same activities. Co-operation is based on bilateral or multilateral agreements. In many cases co-operation provides for financial assistance, ecological education, methodological and other assistance. For instance, the Swedish Chemical Inspectorate (KEMI) and the MEP organised the Seminar "Safe Chemicals Management" (1995) and the Seminar "The Procedure for Pesticides registration" (1995) for the relevant specialists.

The Ministries of Environmental Protection, National Defence, Economy, Transport and others conduct the work, connected with the ratification (accession) the Conventions and/or with implementation thereof, which to some extent are chemical related and along with the special provisions provide the regulations on chemicals management.

10.1 Co-operation and Involvement with International Organisations, Bodies and Agreements

Table 10.A: Membership in International Organisations, Programme and Bodies

International organisation/Body/ Activity	National focal point (Ministry/agency and primary contact point)	Other ministries/ agencies involved	Related national activities
1	2	3	4
International Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)	Public Health Supervision Division within MHC	MEP	impact assessment, risk reduction
WHO	Foreign Affairs Division within MHC	MHC	toxicology, prevention, health protection
ISO	Information Centre of the Standardisation Department		standards
IRPTC	Public Health Supervision Division within MHC	MEP	chemicals management
FAO	Ministry of Foreign Affairs	MAF, MHC, ME	safe use, accounting and control of pesticides and agricultural chemicals
ILO	Eurointegration Division in the Ministry of Welfare of and Labour		safety at work places
GEMS	Republic Nutrition Centre		food chemical pollution monitoring
UNEP	MEP		ozone depleting substances control
UNITAR	MEP Chemicals Management Division		chemicals management profile
Environmental Committee of the Baltic Council of Ministers	MEP		relevant issues in Baltic countries
ECE Environmental Committee	MEP, Head of the International Co-operation Division		implementation of the environmental conventions, standards harmonisation
GEF	MEP, Projects Management Division		implementation of the projects related to the Climate Change Convention
Multilateral PHARE environmental projects, (CORINE Air, CORINE Land Cover)	MEP, Projects Management Division and International Co-operation Division		air, soil pollution monitoring
NATO Committee on Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS)	MEP, International Co-operation Division		environmental implementations in former military areas (US - German project)
UNDP	MEP		investments projects related to ODS phasing out
NATO/SCEPS	Civil Security Department of the Ministry of National Defence

Table 10.B: Participation in International Agreements/Procedures Related to Chemicals Management

10.2 Participation in Relevant Technical Assistance Projects

Table 10.C:Participation as Recipient in relevant Technical Assistance Projects

Name of Project	International/ Bilateral Donor Agency Involved	National Contact Point	Relevant Activities
Coastal Area Integrated Management (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland)	PHARE programme	MEP
Transboundary Water Protection and Management (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belorus, Russian Federation)	PHARE programme	MEP	water monitoring, Venta river’s monitoring is planned
Baltic Environmental Forum		MEP	methodological assistance on chemicals management
Intergovernmental Bilateral Agreement on Environmental Protection (Lithuania -Sweden)	Swedish Environmental Protection Agency	MEP	environmental pollution reduction, ecological education, monitoring, chemicals control
Agreement with the United States EPA V Region on the Development of Air Monitoring and Quality	US EPA V Region	MEP	methodological assistance, environmental education, development of the computerised system
Surface Water Resources management in Lithuania	Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy	MEP	surface water monitoring, development of the computerised system, atomisation of the stations
Water Monitoring System Development Neris River	Norway Environmental Protection Ministry	MEP	development of the monitoring system, GIS introduction
APELL Programme "Prevention of and Preparedness for Emergency Situation on Local Level"	UNEP/IE	Civil Security Department, Fire Fighting Department	risk assessment
PHARE Technical Assistance in the Harmonisation Process for Environment Sector	PHARE	MEP	Strategy on the Approximation of Legal Acts regulating Chemicals Management with EU Requirements, assistance in Draft Chemicals Law preparation
Dangerous Cargoes Transportation in Lithuania	PHARE	MT	assistance in preparing regulations on dangerous cargoes transportation
Construction of the Regional Hazardous Waste Disposal Site in Klaipeda	ES PHARE. CBC	MFA, ME (Ecological and Waste Management Division)	Klaip๋dos Kra๐to Atliek๘ Tvarkymas Ltd (Klaip๋da Region Waste Management) intends to construct disposal site for liquid and solid wastes and storage about 10 000 tons) for the above wastes
Intergovernmental Programme "Development of the Standards for the Substances and Products, which may have Contact with Food" (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia)	FAO	MHC Republic Nutrition Centre	development of harmonised standards

10.3 Comments/Analysis

International activities are connected on the national level through competent institutions and ministries, which co-ordinate appropriate activities, form and guide interinstitutional groups for the consideration and solution of various problems. The relevant tasks are implemented through the integration of international institutions activities into comprehensive national programme.

In some cases co-operation between ministries responsible for human health, environment protection and safety is initiated by relevant international agreements, e.g., PIC procedure - Prior Informed Consent, regulating information exchange on chemicals trade, which is carried out according to UNEP London Guideline and FAO Code of Conduct.

Sometimes international activities, related to chemicals management do not reach desired national level because of lack of the appropriate co-ordination of the international activities on the governmental level. Such situation is also stipulated by transitional economy conditions, lack of financial and other resources.

In order to facilitate international activities, the implementation of the agreements in the area of chemicals the national co-ordinating body on the governmental level should be appointed. Besides, it is necessary to improve the Implementation mechanism, to develop appropriate communication system.

Chapter 11: Awareness/Understanding of Workers and Public

Environmental education and public information is organised in Lithuania on the basis of main international provisions spelled out in Agenda 21st Century, the Environmental Action Programme for Central and East Europe, the Recommendation of the Public Information and the Environmental Education work group of Helsinki Commission on the Implementation of Programmes (HELCOM0 PITF0 PA and EE) and other documents.

The main directions in this field are the following: strengthening of relation with the public and the development of the basic principles of public environmental education and information.

Agreements which clarify a co-operation possibilities with certain Non-Governmental Institutions (NGO) are concluded between Ministry of Environmental Protection and NGO.

The MEP and other relevant ministries publish News Letter and periodical bulletins, which provide information on ministerial orders, collegiate resolutions, draft laws and governmental decisions, which are under preparation or implementation, intended seminars, conferences, editions issued. This News letter are sent to the other ministries and agencies, regional and local institutions of environmental protection and education, to all NGO, which are actively participating in environmental activities, to establishments of higher education.

Information on the current problems of environmental protection and on activities being carried out is supplied by MEP to public through mass media.

The joint project of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and German Union of Higher Schools named "Public Participation in Solving Municipal Environmental Problems". According to this project municipal ecologists from Šiauliai and Anykðèiai towns were trained in Germany. As follow-up activity of this project the sharing of experience gained was foreseen.

Thus a number of seminars was organised for environmentalists, municipal ecologists, NGO representatives and in order to share experience.

The MEP’s specialists were involved in the work of the public information and environmental education group of the Helsinki commission (HELCOM0 PITF0), where the public information and ecological education projects being under development, planned or being under implementation, were considered. These were mainly projects important for all Baltic region countries. During the meetings of the working group the countries - participants share their experience on the relevant issues, organisation and co-ordination of the activities, consider intended measures and projects on the co-ordination of public information and ecological education activities between parties to the Helsinki Commission.

The specialists of the MEP participate and make presentation (including chemicals management) at seminars and meeting organised both by the MEP and other ministries and institutions, as well as in international events.

Civil Security Department

• organises the information of the population and governmental institutions about possible risk in the event of emergency, situation;
• organises education and training of people, which live close to chemical industry and other potentially dangerous objects, and also preparation of response measures;
• organises education of training of population in the training centres of Civil Security (training programmes comprise lectures on dangerous substances, protection and safety measures, on impact minimalization, on environment protection);
• proposes and prepare civil safety training measures;
• organises seminars (including risk assessment), training courses, workshops how to respond to chemical accidents for the representatives of state and municipal supervision institutions;
• prepares the plans on response measures to emergency situations;
• provides technical assistance to municipal officers on the preparation to the potential disasters and emergencies.

Ministry of Transport is responsible for dangerous cargoes (including dangerous chemicals) transportation supervision. These activities also cover the training of the drivers, involved in the transportation of such cargoes. The training programme is prepared in accordance with the regulation of the European Agreement on the Transportation of Dangerous Cargoes by Roads (ADR). Drivers gain a knowledge on chemicals dangerous properties and possible risk thereof to human and environment, are aquatinted with individual and environment protection in case of accident, with special requirements for packaging, labelling, transport, with to select safe itinerary.

According to the training programmes approved by the Ministry of Transport, the teachers for drivers are specially trained.

In 1997, it was planned to organise together with Swedish Rescue Services the courses and to train a group of officers (policemen, customs officers, frontier-guards) involved in the control of dangerous cargoes transportation by roads and railways. It was also planned to organise additional courses for transports of 1-7 classes substances transported in tanks.

Health Care Ministry (State Public Health Centre) publishes the periodic edition "Hygiene and epidemiology", which contains the information about ministerial approved legal, normative, methodological documents, draft laws, draft resolutions of the Government being under preparation, about planned seminars, meetings and conferences in the field of health supervision. This edition is supplied to regional and municipal public health institutions, to all libraries, higher schools. Special information bulletins on chemicals issues were issued as "Chemical Allergens Testing and Hygienic Regulation", "Dangerous Chemical Substances and Preparations Labelling". These editions are intended to be used by specialists involved in ecological activities, connected with chemicals. Besides, with assistance of the WHO European Regional Bureau the booklets on health and environmental issues intended to be used mainly by municipal institutions, e.g., "Lead and Health", Protection of Watering Places", "Radon " and others.

Health supervision institutions inform the public about health protection problems (water pollution in recreation areas, food products contamination, suitability of cosmetic, detergents for use, etc.) through mass media.

According to the MHC provisions related to the emergency situations, health supervision institutions present the information about possible risk to human and environment and relevant safety measures, which can help to avoid or reduce the risk. This information is given to the public in cases of emergency or threat of such emergency due to chemicals exposure.

The Ministry of Economy prepares and conducts the seminars, discussion on waste management, participates in the discussion on radio and TV, participates in public information activities, ecological education and environmental training activities co-ordinated by the MEP.

Plant Protection Station within the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry informs employees and public about risk, which could be caused by plant protection products when transporting, storing, trading, using them, prepares the regulations on trade, use and handling thereof. The Station is responsible for the compilation and publication of the lists of registered plant protection products allowed for professional use in agriculture and forestry, non-agricultural use. It also publishes the list of low harmfulness preparations for individual use.

According to the Law on Labour Protection and the National Programme on Labour Safety and Occupational Medicine, the relevant legal acts on labour safety have been prepared. The public is informed about safety at workplaces and occupational medicine problems and relevant activities through mass media. State Labour Inspectorate within the Ministry of Welfare and Labour prepare a draft acts on labour safety.

According to the Programme, Lithuanian Universities prepared training programmes on labour safety and labour hygiene for students.

Pursuant to the rules for prevention of, response to and survey of industrial accidents, it is necessary to report about dangerous objects and their safety. It is anticipated to provide relevant information to workers, population in surrounding areas and to other enterprises in very clear form, to help them to take proper measures in the event of accident.

For the time being the is no established single system in Lithuania on public information about chemical substances, possible risk to human and environment and safety measures. Public is informed only when risk arises or chemical accident occur.

Seeking to ensure the safety of chemical industry workers, their health and life, to improve the public information system the following actions should be implemented:

• to establish labour protection and occupational medicine education, training and scientific development system, that is to develop combined measures system, which would cover safe work skill and sanitation training prior to occupational activity and during it;
• to inform the public about the consequences of incomplience with occupational safety and occupational hygiene requirements, save work requirements, how to avoid accidents at workplace and requirements, how to avoid accidents at workplace and occupational diseases;
• to develop the information system on providing information about potential chemicals hazard and risk when using, transporting, storing, disposing, etc.;
• to introduce ecological and environmental education (including chemicals issues) in all levels study and training programmes;

to prepare and implement chemicals management programmes, which would be applied for the training of municipal officers, of educational institutions specialists and teachers of the enterprises connected with chemical activities.

Chapter 12: Resources Available and Needed for Chemicals Management

12.1 Resources Available and Needed in Government Ministries/Institutions

Table 12.A: Resources and Needed in Government Ministries/Institutions

*Data on a number of specialists and financial resources are tentative, because it is impossible to estimate more or less accuse data in the absence of relevant legislative basis and clear responsibilities.

The number of expert employees engaged in the management of chemicals is greater in the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Health Care and Civil Security Department (MND) than in other ministries.

There is no chemicals division in the Ministry of Economy. The relevant activities in the Ministry are organised on the basis of functional departments. Therefore the Ministry’s specialists mentioned in the table are involved in various activities, prescribes to their divisions, including those, related to chemical industry and chemicals management.

The Ministry of Welfare and Labour doesn’t provide for resources for chemical management. In the event of emergency and accident the resources should be set on the case by case principle.

12.2 Resources Needed by Government Institutions on Fulfill Responsibilities Related to Chemicals Management

Table 12.B:Resources Needed by Government Institutions to Fulfill Responsibilities Related to Chemicals Management

Ministry/Agency	Number/Type of Professional Staff Needed	Training Requirements
Ministry of Environmental Protection*	3-4 chemists 1 ecotoxicologist 4-5 inspectors	Skill improvement, training
Ministry of Health Care	10 hygienist chemists 5 chemists toxicologists 5 clinic toxicologists 5 hygienist experts	Skill improvement, training
Civil Security Department	12 chemists, to assess situation and to make decision in emergency cases	Skill improvement, training
Ministry of transport	2	Skill improvement, training
Ministry of Transport	1 -2 chemists	Skill improvement, training
Ministry of Welfare and Labour

*To determine a number and kind of specialists needed by the MEP for chemicals management is rather complicated since there is no chemicals inventory, approximation (with EU legislation) Strategy is under preparation. Besides, it is necessary to establish the co-ordinating body such as chemicals management and control agency. The other option is to anticipate and train at least one inspector - chemist in the regional agencies. Therefore, the needs pointed in the table reflected only those for the first stage while developing strategy deterring the main tasks.

Since chemical management division has been established recently ( about 1 year), its specialists need to be trained, especially on the issues laid down in the EU Directive 67/548/EEC, that is how to introduce classification, safety data sheet, to establish and maintain chemicals register, to learn risk assessment principles and procedures and assimilate them.

Civil Security Department needs specialists skilled in many areas, chemists for operative decision making in emergency situations. As far as such specialists are not trained in the Universities - the special training, courses should be organised for chemists (or similar speciality).

Special training and qualification improvement is needed for the qualification improvement for the specialists of the Ministry of Economy, especially in the area of legislation harmonisation with EU requirements, and implementation of harmonised acts.

Conclusions:

• According to the selected information Lithuania governmental institutions need about 45 different profile chemists.
• The specialists in charge of chemicals management need to be trained in the area of the implementation of EU requirements related to chemical substances and preparations, as well as in the area of the preparation of legislation, which could facilitate chemicals management in Lithuania and ensure with international and EU provisions.

Annexes

Annex 1 Glossaire

The following means "dangerous":

• explosive substances and preparations
• oxidising substances and preparations
• extremely flammable substances and preparations
• highly flammable substances and preparations
• flammable substances and preparations
• very toxic substances and preparations
• harmful substances and preparations
• corrosive substances and preparations
• irritant substances and preparations
• sensitising substances and preparations
• carcinogenic substances and preparations
• mutagenic substances and preparations
• substances and preparations toxic for reproduction
• substances and preparations dangerous for environment

labelling - means a presentation of the information on label concerning possible danger to human health and environment in using chemical substances and preparations;

chemical life cycle - includes production, storage, import, export, transport, distribution, use and disposal of chemical substances;

risk - means the probability of chemical substances and preparations, in certain circumstances, giving rise to adverse effects on human health and environment;

risk assessment - means the investigation, their chronic acute direct effects by evaluating the probability that chemical substances and preparations can, under certain circumstances, damage human health and environment, depending on their quantity and the manner of their administration;

chemicals handling - production, labelling, storage, import, export, placing on the market, use, disposal, accounting and other activities, related to chemical substances and preparations;

chemicals management - regulation on the above activities;

Prior Informed Consent (PIC) - means the international notification procedure according to which international shipment of a chemical substance and preparation, which is banned or severely restricted, shall proceed contrary to thedecision or prior agreement of the designated national authority of the importing country;

chemical substances and preparations harmful (toxic) to human health - means that damage to human health may be caused even in small quantities;

chemical substances dangerous to environment - chemical substances and preparations, which being emitted or discharged to the environment even in small quantities may have adverse effect to the environment;

licence - right to conduct economic activities, related to chemicals production, trade and storage according to the chemicals list, approved my MEP;

permit - chemicals right valid for one operation, related to chemical import, export or transit, or right to import a new chemical substance;

National Register of Potentially Toxic Chemical Substances (Register of Chemical Substances) - integrated database, which accumulates comprehensive information on chemical substances dangerous (toxic) to human health and environment as well as on legislative acts, regulating the use of chemical substances;

waste - any substance or object in the categories set out in waste catalogue and which the holder discards or intends, or is required to discard;

hazardous waste - waste featuring on a list of Hazardous Waste, according to the provisions of Law on Waste Management and having one or more hazardous properties, which are defined in Waste Catalogue and stipulated by their origin and/or composition;

waste catalogue - the document, which defines waste groups, origin codes, hazard properties, composition (stipulating waste hazard), waste disposal and use operation and transportationcodes;

agricultural pesticides - chemical plant protection products;

non-agricultural pesticides (biocides) - wood preservation products, preparations for killing parasites and rodents;

controlled substances - strategic goods, technologies and software; this group also covers chemical substances, which could be used for the production of chemical weapons;

industrial chemical substances - chemical compound, whether organic or inorganic, manufactured in the industrial enterprises in large quantities for final use or as intermediate product for further Synthesis of detergents, medicine, fertilisers, perfumes, plastic and other chemical products;

consumer chemical substance - any industrial chemical substance intended for final use, especially for household appliance, cleaning, washing, hygienic use, water treatment, etc.;

maximal permissible concentration of air pollutants - maximum possible permissible concentration in air, defined in certain period (i.e. 20-30 min., day), which does not cause hazardous impact to human and surrounding environment when effecting periodically or in long-term period, including long-term consequences;

tentative safe level - temporary hygienic normative value of the chemical substance concentration in air, which was calculated on the basis of physico-chemical properties of the substance using harmfulness experimental testing results, obtained by simplified methods;

surrounding environment - non-occupational environment, where humans are exposed to chemical, physical, biological effects.

Annex 2 Abbreviations

Annex 3:  Names of Specialists and Institutions Involved in the Preparation of Profile