This Project was implemented over the period from April 2009 to December 2009. The main objectives of the project were 1) to collect information on toxic substances management from advanced countries and international conventions, 2) to implement a survey of the key toxic chemical substances relating to the current utilization and disposal in Taiwan, 3) to plan out comprehensive strategies for the toxic chemical substances management in Taiwan in the future. With respect to the collected information and recommendations of management strategies, 15 toxic chemical substances information including pentachlorobenzene was compiled in Chinese version and 25 toxic chemical substances information including pentachlorobenzene was collected to provide suggestions of toxicity classification. In addition, the utilization survey with regard to the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and 11 chemical substances including pentachlorobenzene listed in the appendix to the Stockholm Convention was complied. The survey results indicated that pentachlorobenzene, perfluorooctane sulfate and endosulfan currently in operation in Taiwan, and these chemical substances were given precedence with recommendations for being toxic chemical substances with control announcements. Furthermore, preliminary recommendations were drawn up regarding to the revision of the Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act which based on the international trends in green chemical industry development. However, a provisional management strategy for PVC was formulated based on the impact of PVC on human health with various usages. As the current utilization survey of toxic chemical substances and the usage reduction guidance in Taiwan, on-site guidance was provided at operating facilities with five key controlled toxic chemical substances, including asbestos. Among these five substances, substitute products are available for asbestos, mercury and deca-BDE, and it is suggested that utilization of these substances should be reduced. Nevertheless, substitute products are not available for benzene or acrylonitrile which is primary material in chemical industry processes. It is recommended that operating equipments should be improved and recycling treatment should be set up to reduce emissions. On the basis of questionnaire surveys of universities/colleges in Taiwan and the on-site interview, priority recommendations should be given to establish the correct labeling, MSDS (Material Data Safety Sheets) and safe storage of experimental chemical substances, and chemicals manufacturers should constitute reversible recycling systems for waste and expired chemical substances.

Toxic Chemical Substances, Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act, Usage Management, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH), Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), Emissions Reduction, Utilization Guidance