16 December 1981

Exchange of information on banned hazardous chemicals and unsafe pharmaceutical products

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 34/173 of 17 December 1979, in which it recognized the urgent need to take concrete measures to prevent adverse effects on health on a world-wide basis,

Recalling also its resolution 35/186 of 15 December 1980, in which it invited Member States to provide information on measures they have taken on exchange of information on hazardous chemicals and unsafe pharmaceutical products that have been banned in their territories and requesting the Secretary-General in co-operation with the United Nations organs, organizations and bodies concerned to submit a report to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session on the experience of Member States and the United Nations organs, organizations and bodies concerned,

Conscious of the importance of the information system on transnational corporations for the analysis of the activities in these corporations in certain sectors of special social and humanitarian interest to the countries in which operations take place, particularly developing countries,

Taking into account that in resolution 35/186 the General Assembly requested the Commission on Transnational Corporations to study, during its seventh session, ways and means within the information system on transnational corporations to improve the exchange of information on those products with a view to formulating appropriate recommendations,

Bearing in mind the importance of objective information on banned hazardous chemicals and unsafe pharmaceutical products,

Aware that the production and export of banned or severely restricted hazardous substances - including pharmaceuticals, pesticides and industrial chemicals - endanger public health and the environment,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the exchange of information on banned hazardous chemicals and unsafe pharmaceutical products;

2. Takes note also of the conclusions and recommendations in the report of the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations which was submitted to the Commission at its seventh session;

3. Reiterates the need to intensify international co-operation in the search for the solution to problems arising from the production and export of banned or severely restricted substances;

4. Urges Member States and other interested parties, including transnational corporations to co-operate more fully in providing data on banned or severely restricted substances to the appropriate organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system with responsibility for information exchange in regard to such substances;

5. Calls upon the organs, organizations and other competent United Nations bodies involved in disseminating information on this subject to ensure that the documentation they prepare is adequately suited to the needs and clearly understood by all those engaged in processing, handling, dispensing or using all banned hazardous chemicals and unsafe pharmaceutical products;

6. Requests the Secretary-General, the organs, organizations and other competent United Nations bodies to provide, within available resources, the necessary technical assistance to the developing countries, at their request, to help them establish an adequate system for monitoring the import of unsafe pharmaceutical products of doubtful therapeutic value and banned hazardous chemicals, on the one hand, and to train scientific personnel to handle these problems, on the other;

7. Invites Member States to deal with this subject through appropriate means, including possible legislation at national level, where they do not yet exist;

8. Once again requests the Secretary-General to consult Member States on the existing information systems on banned hazardous chemicals and unsafe pharmaceutical products and to report to the General Assembly at the thirty-eighth session through the Economic and Social Council.