The Danish Profile on Management of Chemicals is primarily prepared to gain an overview of the management of chemicals in the different fields of applications. Especially the management of chemicals present in the environment, the working environment and in food is described. Major focus concerning the chemicals is set on the Danish legislation. Denmark is a member state of the European Union (EU), which means that the EU plays an important role in the Danish legislation.

Denmark is a rather small country with 5 mill. inhabitants. The consumption of chemicals is about 8 mill. tonnes pr. year representing about 100,000 chemical products that include 20,000 chemical substances. The hazardous chemical waste forms 1% of the total amount of generated solid waste and is treated at special plants.

Priorities are set on the management of chemicals in the individual ministries related to the field of applications: environment, working environment and food. These priorities include health aspects such as average life expectancies, cancer, neurotoxicity, infertility, asthma and allergy. The environmental aspects with high priorities are the use of hazardous chemical substances, environmental harmful substances, pesticides and the generation of waste. For the working environment priorities also are set on harmful chemical substances and polluting processes to reduce the health effects. Food priorities concern the strengthening of food control system, safe use of food additives and the content of chemical pollutants in foodstuffs.

A description of the Danish legislation includes the major acts and statutory orders concerning the management of chemicals in the environment, the working environment and the food. The major environmental legislation is the Environmental Protection Act, which applies to all the activities affecting the environment. The Act on Chemical Substances and Products applies to the manufacture, storage, use and disposal. The working environment is regulated by the Working Environment Act which mainly applies to the employees, their health and safety at the workplace and both the planning and performance of the working environment. A brief description of the most relevant statutory orders for each are presented.

An overview of the relevant legislation of chemicals present in different areas such as the environmental air, occupational air, indoor air, soil, water areas and waste is brought. Also a description of the legislation for each stage of the life-cycle of the chemicals is made. Control procedures for the chemicals present in the environment, working environment and food are generally based upon high demands for internal control in the enterprises. The control procedures carried out by the authorities include inspections and the possibility to issue injunctions regarding lack of compliance with the legislation.

An overview of the relevant ministries and their responsibilities related to the chemicals is described. The ministerial authorities in the three ministries: Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and the relevant divisions in each ministry are covered in chapter 6.

In chapter 7 references to the relevant data available in Denmark concerning the application of chemicals are presented. Also some research reports are mentioned.

The future strategy on the regulation of chemicals in Denmark among other priorities includes increased attention towards the assessment of products concerning the influence on the environment and the health and the presentation of lists on undesirable chemical substances in products. As to the working environment the exposure to carcinogenic substances, injuries among children and illnesses and severe syndromes caused by poor indoor air climate are considered important.