d a t a b a s e

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IRPTC
International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals, or the UNEP Chemicals

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2. Geographical range.....Global

3. Objectives
The International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals (IRPTC) was established by UNEP in 1976, following up a recommendation of the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm. IRPTC aims to help the world community make better use of existing global resources and to give developing countries the information base to manage chemicals effectively. The IRPTC has set five main goals:

• to make it easier to obtain the existing information on production, distribution, release, disposal and adverse effects of chemicals;
• to identify the important gaps in our knowledge of the effects of chemicals and call attention to the need for research to fill those gaps;
• to help identify potential hazards from chemicals and wastes and to improve awareness of the dangers;
• to provide information about national, regional and global policies, controls and recommendations on potentially toxic chemicals;
• to help implement policies for the exchange of information on chemicals in international trade.

4. Data
The datasets, data profiles, databases, newsletters and other documents are published as printed matter, and some of these are available on-line. For further information, go into the website (http://irptc.unep.ch/irptc/irptc/publicat.html).

• IRPTC Data profiles
  The data are compiled according to 17 categories of data for the registration.
• Screening Information Data Sets (SIDS)
  The SIDS for High Production Volume (HVP) Existing Chemicals publications are developed by the OECD Environmental Health and Safety Division, processed by UNEP/Chemicals (IRPTC).
• UNEP Chemicals (IRPTC) PC-Version Database
  The PC version of the IRPTC Database has been recently updated. This version contains about 91,000 records on approximately 8000 individual chemicals. It covers a complete range of the physico-chemical properties and major endpoints such as environmental fate, mammalian toxicity, ecotoxicity, evaluations from national and international peer reviewed sources, and legislation.
• Others
  IRPTC publishes scientific and technical documents on chemicals and the IRPTC bulletin devoted to information on hazardous chemicals.

5. Data management
IRPTC collects information on hazardous chemicals through the Member countries Network. Based on the collected information, data profiles are prepared by contributing network partners, consultants and IRPTC staff. All data are verified by IRPTC staff.

6. Coopeerative relations
The increasing concerns about the risks of using hazardous chemicals led to the adoption of the London Guidelines for the Exchange of Information on Chemicals in International Trade in 1987 by the UNEP Governing Council. IRPTC is responsible for implementing the London Guidelines.

IRPTC is part of UNEP's Earthwatch programme created to look out for environmental changes, try to establish their causes and communicate the results. It works alongside the Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) and other information exchange activities of UNEP, such as the International Environmental Information System (INFOTERRA).

Sources
http://irptc.unep.ch/irptc/ (last updated: 4/04/1998)
http://ifs.plants.ox.ac.uk/ifs/itfn/irptc.htm

Contact
James B. Willis, Director
UNEP Chemicals (IRPTC)
Chemin des Anemones
Case postale 365, CH-1219 Chatelaine
Geneva, Switzerland
Tel.: +41-22-979-9111
Fax: +41-22-797-3460
E-mail: irptc@unep.ch
www: http://irptc.unep.ch/irptc