MEDIA STATEMENT – also available here GENEVA (13 March 2019) – The United Nations must take immediate action to provide justice and remedies for displaced minority communities who were housed in UN camps constructed on toxic wasteland in Kosovo*, says a UN human rights expert. Around 600 members of the…
South Korea: Humidifier sterilizers 2018
Follow up to a previous allegation letter to Korea and numerous businesses for the sale of a toxic humidifier sterilizer responsible for the death and injury of hundreds of young children, pregnant women and older persons. The case was also addressed in a country visit to the Republic of Korea…
Letter to UN Secretary General regarding Roma in Kosovo
11 July 2018 — A letter addressed by the Special Rapporteur on Toxics to the U.N. Secretary General in connection with the situation faced by Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian (RAE) families displaced during the Kosovo conflict, whom the United Nations housed in camps constructed on lead-contaminated toxic wasteland between 1999 and…
The rights of workers and toxic chemical exposure
The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Hazardous Substances and Wastes report to the UN Human Rights Council in in September 2018 will focus on the rights of workers and toxic chemical exposure. According to the ILO, nearly two million workers per year – or three workers per minute –…
Denmark and Greenland, 2017
Report to be presented to UN Human Rights Council in September 2018 Key issues: Conduct of business outside Denmark & extraterritorial obligations, including pesticide exports and exports of end-of-life ships (shipbreaking); child rights and toxic chemicals, in particular endocrine disrupting chemicals; hazardous waste disposal by United States military in Greenland;…
Guidelines to Good Practices
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes (A/HRC/36/41) Download report here: Good Practice Guidelines Over the past several decades, many States have made welcome progress in reducing the impacts of toxics. However, this progress…
Sierra Leone, 2017
Report to be presented to UN Human Rights Council in September 2018 Key issues: Industrial chemical, pesticide, and waste management in least developed countries; poverty and pollution; child rights and toxic exposures to hazardous substances; pollution from extractive industries and palm oil production; and business responsibilities. End-of-visit statement 25 August…
Pesticides are “global human rights concern”, say UN experts urging new treaty
GENEVA (7 March 2017) – Two United Nations experts are calling for a comprehensive new global treaty to regulate and phase out the use of dangerous pesticides in farming, and move towards sustainable agricultural practices. They say: “excessive use of pesticides are very dangerous to human health, to the environment…
Statement to 33rd Session of UN Human Rights Council
Statement of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes at the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council 15 September 2016 Excellencies, distinguished delegates, friends and colleagues: I am pleased to present my…
Duty to prevent childhood exposure
Link to the 2016 report to UN Human Rights Council on Rights of Child and Toxics (A/HRC/33/41) For all UN language versions, click here The best interests of the child should be at the heart of decision making when it comes to protecting children’s rights to life, survival and development, health, freedom from…