GPCA Calls for Chemicals Management Framework

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) has called for a region-wide adoption and implementation of a new chemicals management framework in the Arabian Gulf.

GPCA made the call on Feb. 6 at a government-industry roundtable, which it organized together with major polyolefins producer Borouge as host, in Jumeirah, Abu Dhabi.

The association is working to implement the UN's Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classifying and labeling chemicals and dangerous goods road transport regulations, known as ADR, in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“As part of our efforts to drive the improvement of standards in the region and facilitate collaboration, GPCA has joined forces with the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO), recently signing an MoU for collaboration in the development of effective regional industry standards,” said the association’s secretary general, Abdulwahab al-Sadoun.

“Moving forward,” al-Sadoun said, “GPCA is committed to harmonizing chemical industry regulations in the GCC and will continue to work closely with GSO and other GCC regulators to help meet these objectives that benefit both industry and society and serve the region’s economic interest.”

Under the terms of the agreement signed in February 2018, the organizations agreed to establish working groups comprising technical experts from industry and GSO to pave the way for adopting the GHS and ADR regulations.

Last October, the GSO published a draft technical standard adopting GHS Rev 5. GCC countries are expected to transpose the standard into national legislation within the next two to three years.

In the longer term, the MoU aims to advance the GCC’s chemical and petrochemical industry, supporting intra-OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) trade and the development of the Arab Gulf economy along with reducing technical barriers to trade in line with the objectives of the Gulf Common Market.