Myanmar Country Report

							Status of GHS Implementation and
Hazard Communication in Myanmar


   Dr. Phone Myint ( Ministry of Health )
   Dr. Khin Saw Yi (Ministry of Health)
   Daw Bunny Win (Ministry of Industry I)
   Daw Ni Ni Tun (Ministry of Agriculture
   &Irrigation)
   Union of Myanmar
The Land
The largest country on the main
land of South East Asia.
Total land area
676,577sq.km (216,228sq.miles)

The neighboring countries:
Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Thailand
Population
Current Population – around 53
million

Official language
Myanmar

             Religion
             Freedom of religion
             - Buddhism, Islam, Christians, Hindus
Economic System
• Market oriented economy

system
Line of Trade
•   Agriculture
•   Industry
•   Oil production
•   Livestock and fishery
•   Mineral
•   Gems and Jade
     It is implementing a market
oriented economic system and taking
appropriate measures for increasing
participation of the private sector
extensively in economic activities and
promoting efficiency of State
Economic Enterprises .
     Myanmar is also in the midst of
Political, Socioeconomic, Environmental,
Technological,      Demographic     and
Epidemiological transitions.
The growth in productive sectors such as
Agriculture, Industry, Energy , Transport and
other service sectors made enormous progress in
human development by positive     contribution
to employment opportunities, increase personal
income, greater social wealth and improved
services.
Economic development programs are not free
from risks and adverse effects on human health
and environment either directly through
exposure to harmful agents particularly
chemicals or indirectly through environmental
degradation and environmental pollution.
  In a developing country like Myanmar

human exposure and health risk arising from

existing hazardous chemicals such as

pesticides , lead and mercury are of

particular concerns.
     Recognizing the need of integration of Health
, Environment and Sustainable Development, the
Government of the Union         of Myanmar has
established   the   National    Commission     for
Environmental Affairs in 1990, to formulate a
comprehensive national environmental policy.
Myanmar Agenda 21 was adopted in 1997 to
serve as a blue-print for Sustainable
Development in the country. Myanmar
Agenda 21 covers the three broad dimensions
(or)   the   three   pillars   of   sustainable
development namely- the social, economic
and environmental dimensions.
Regarding the Environmentally Sound
Management of Toxic chemical, Myanmar
Agenda 21 contains a chapter relating to this
issue. In particular, Chapter 10 of Myanmar
Agenda 21 is concerned with Environmental
Quality Management and Enhancement.
Promote environmentally sound
management of toxic chemicals and
hazardous wastes is one of the programs.
Regarding the sources of toxic chemicals and
hazardous wastes, Myanmar Agenda 21
stated that in Myanmar, most factories
neither produce toxic chemicals nor use them
as raw materials in their manufacturing
processes.
However, some industrial hazardous
wastes are generated by a few factories
such as paper mills, leather factories,
textile mills and some chemical plants.
          Chemical Related Industries of Myanmar
Registered Chemical Related Industries under Ministry of Industry I
                                         Main      Brand         Total no:
                                                    Factory        Factories
MyanmaTextile Industries                    22         13             35
Myanma Food Stuff Industries                22         30             52
Myanma Pharmaceutical Industries           14          5              19
Myanma Ceramic Industries                   15          6             21
Myanma Paper & Chemical Industries          10          -             10
MyanmaGeneral & Maintenance                 17         12             29
Industries                               _______________________
                                             100            66        166
Source: Ministry of Industry I           ________________________
Until 30th June 2005 (up to date)
      Registered Chemical Related Private Industries
No. Description                         No. of Establishment
1.  Food Product                                    26896
2.  Textiles                                          2083
3.  Leather                                            221
4.  Paper                                              261
5.  Coke & Petrol Product                                8
6.  Chemical & Chemical Product                       426
7.  Rubber & Plastic                                   787
8.  Soap & Detergent ( Bar, Powder , Liquid )           59
9.  Pharmaceutical Industries                          58
10. Ceramic Industries                                   4
                                                 _________
                                                     30803
                                                __________
  Source: Ministry of Industry I
  Until 30th June 2005 (up to date)
         Industrial Chemicals
Hazardous chemicals which are in use in
large quantities are caustic soda, bleaching
agents such as Hydrogen Peroxide, Sodium
Chlorite, Sodium Hypochlorite and acids.
These chemicals are imported.
Most of the chemicals in Consumer

Products are imported.

Big Chemical Industries are not     existed in

Myanmar.

Majority of industries are medium   or small in

size.
          Laws and Regulations
There are sectoral laws , regulations and
departmental actions related to the sound
management of toxic chemicals. These include
the Explosive Act (1887),the Oil Field Act
(1918) the Poison Act (1919),the Petroleum Act
(1934) the Factory Act (1951),
         Laws and Regulations
the Motor Vehicle Law (1964),the Private
Industrial Enterprises Law (1990)
the Pesticide law(1990) , the Promotion of
Cottage Industries Law (1991) ,Myanmar Mines
Law(1994) ,Air Pollution and Water Pollution
Control Plan of the Ministry of Industry I and
Myanmar Investment Commission Guidelines.
          Laws and Regulations
Other legislation such as Factories Act          of
1951, Public Health Law 1972 which are more
or less related with the management of
hazardous waste and prevention of industrial
accidents . At present, they are under review.
               Institution
Regarding institution, there is no specific
institution assigned with the task for the
overall management of toxic chemicals and
hazardous wastes.
      Existing legislation that could
         accommodate the GHS
-    There are many different names and articles
of law under different ministries in Myanmar. The
Ministry of Industry I issues the action plan as
standing order in which Occupational Safety and
Health Plan, Air and Water Pollution Control
Plan, Food and Drug Control Plan are included.
 Existing legislation that could accommodate
                the GHS (cont:)

  These standing orders are directly concerned with

the Chemical Safety Law. In order to get a

comprehensive Chemical Safety Law and

regulations, harmonization is required which will

take time and assistance from UN agencies.
       Existing legislation that could
          accommodate the GHS
Industry
       Standing Orders of Industry I & II
Agriculture
      Pesticides Law of 1990
Transport
      Motor Vehicle Law (1960)
Consumers Chemicals
      No specific chemical law and regulation exist recently.
      There are individual instructions and directions in each
      Ministry.
      The manuals of how to handle chemicals are issued in each
      chemical industry depending on the type of chemical and process
      respectively.
   Chemical Classification System
Industry - For Industrial Chemicals the
Harmonized Commodity Description and
Coding System is used.
Agriculture - FAO Code of Conduct on the
Distribution and Use of Pesticides,
Guidelines on Good Labeling Practice for
 Pesticides and the WHO Recommended
 Classification of Pesticides by Hazards are used
 by the Agriculture sector.

Transport - UN Recommendation on the
 Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNRTG) is
 adopted and practiced by the Transport Sector.
 Existing Hazard Communication System
Industrial chemicals
- Use of labels and safety data sheets.
Agriculture
- Use of labels.
Transport
- Use of labels .
Consumers
- Safety data sheets, sometimes not
  available especially from border trade.
    Introduction of GHS into National
      Chemical Management Scheme.
-      Interested in introducing GHS into
       National     Chemical       Management
       Scheme.
-      The adaptation process of GHS in
       Myanmar is under way.
-      At present, Myanmar stands at the
       stage of awareness raising on GHS.
   Current of GHS implementation in
               Myanmar
Preparing for revising related legislation / administrative
procedures.
Obstacles to implementation of the GHS


-    Lack of resources / capacity.
     Realizing the hazards of dangerous

chemicals to workers and general public

especially the vulnerable groups, GHS which

provides a framework for helping to improve

chemical management and safety of these

groups need to be adopted.
All of us are very much interested in taking
advantage of the GHS to develop basic
capacities for sound chemical hazard
communication and chemical management in
general . It has been inspired that relevant
legal and technical infrastructure could be
built through adequate training and technical
support .
     As there are many different laws and
regulations pertaining to chemicals
management, harmonization will take some time
and assistance from UN Agencies and relevant
organizations is required for a comprehensive
enforcement and practice of GHS in Myanmar.
Thank You