by Xinhua

China's environment agency pledged Tuesday to fully implement the Rotterdam Convention on the prevention of illegal transfer of hazardous chemicals and to enhance its management of such chemicals.

The State Environmental Protection Administration made the remarks in a statement after the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade entered into force in the country on Monday.

"China will seize this opportunity to strengthen the management of hazardous chemicals to free the people of possible harms caused by the chemicals," SEPA said.

The convention will also enable the country to regulate its import and export of chemicals and help resolve trade disputes with other countries, according to SEPA.

The Rotterdam Convention was adopted in September 1998, and has so far been ratified by 90 countries, including China, and the European Union.

The convention enables countries to decide which potentially hazardous chemicals they want to import and to exclude those they cannot manage safely.

Where trade is permitted, requirements for labelling and providing information on potential health and environmental effects will promote the safer use of chemicals.

According to SEPA, the PIC list of the convention cover s 41 chemicals, including 24 pesticides, 11 industrial chemicals and 6 pesticide preparations.

China has planned to prohibit five highly toxic pesticides on the PIC list from being used in farming as of Jan. 1, 2007.

However, SEPA acknowledged that challenges still remain for the country to implement the convention, saying that China needs coordinated mechanisms and relative regulations to implement the convention.