TDG-GHS
Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
President: Sofia Paola Jiménez de la Cruz
Chair: Jorge Alberto Torres García, Andrea Gracía Hernández, Camila Calderón Negrete, Sofía Rodríguez García y Daniela Michelle Guzmán Torres
Topic A) Mechanisms to regulate the reception of hazardous waste in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the aim of ensuring its correct disposal and preventing damage.
Topic B) Strategies to reinforce safety standards and operational practices in the storage and distribution of refined petroleum products in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with an emphasis on reducing spills, fires, and damage caused by gasoline and diesel fuel.
Background and Faculties
The Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (TDG-GHS) was created in 1953, in the context of the expansion of international trade, with the objective of ensuring the safe transportation of dangerous goods by classifying them, ranking their level of risk, and simplifying their documentation. In 1999, the Committee’s functions were expanded through a reorganization that implemented a unique global system, known as the Globally Harmonised System (GHS), to classify and label chemical substances, aiming to promote regulatory harmonization among countries by allowing them to apply similar rules. As a result, in 2001 the committee adopted its actual name and was divided into two subsidiary bodies; the sub-committee of Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) and the sub-committee of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), which jointly work together to create international recommendations that seek to ensure the safety of the population and the environment. The Committee is composed of 40 member countries and meets every two years at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals using the best practices, data, and expert analysis to develop regulations that prevent accidents and environmental damage, is permitted to:
-
Develop, review and approve international recommendations for the safe transport of dangerous goods in all modes of transport;
-
Apply and maintain up-to-date regulations in the globally harmonized system, considering the need for changes that ensure its relevance and utility;
-
Provide technical and practical guidance on the application of the system, and on the interpretation and use of classification criteria;
-
Promote understanding and use of existing manuals, regulations, and systems, and encourage feedback to improve their implementation internationally;
-
Submit reports and work programs with recommendations for governments and international organizations, based on new scientific evidence, new substances, and changes in international transport and trade.