Prior Informed Consent (PIC) is a procedure for the control of imports of unwanted chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted. The aim is to help participating countries learn more about the characteristics of potentially hazardous chemicals that may be shipped to them, initiate a decision making process on the future import of these chemicals by the countries themselves and facilitate the dissemination of this decision to other countries. One of the major classes of chemicals covered is pesticides.
WWW site includes:
(a) Database of import decisions by countries on import of specific chemcials
(b) Directory of designated national authorties
(c) Datatabase on identification of substances subject to control. Users can search by part of name or synonym and retrieve the official CAS number for the chemical.
(d) Collection of full text Decision Guidance Documents (DGDs): documents are chemical group specific and are intended to help governments analyse, taking into account their public health, economic, environmental and administrative conditions, the potential hazards connected with the handling and use of the chemical, and to assist countries in taking a decision whether to allow or prohibit future import of the chemical. Currently includes coverage of a range of pesticides and industrial chemicals.
(e) Newsletters and background documents on the process.