The Illegal Trade in Chemicals

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Chemicals surround us in our daily lives – from food and clothing to transportation and technology, chemicals are the building blocks of the things we use and consume. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Chemical Outlook, the value of the 1970 global output of chemicals produced and shipped was US $171 billion; by 2010 this value had grown to US $4.1 trillion. With this increase in the production, trade and use of chemicals, it is evident that chemicals play a vital role in the global economy (UNEP 2012). While chemicals provide important benefits to society and people, they also carry risks for human health and the environment. The growth in global chemical output and the complexity in the chemical supply chain make the sound use and management of chemicals throughout their life cycles more important than ever.

The Illegal Trade in Chemicals

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