CHEMTREC and the National Registration Center for Chemicals (NRCC) of China announced that the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for mutual assistance that became effective on August 1, 2012. The partnership will enhance the capabilities of both organizations to effectively respond to hazardous materials incidents occurring within China, as well as those that occur outside of China.
“CHEMTREC is pleased to formalize its relationship with the NRCC,” said Randy Speight, CHEMTREC’s managing director. “This agreement represents a milestone in the evolution of international emergency response and expands our global network of experts available to assist responders in need of assistance during a hazardous materials incident.”
Professor Zhang, the Director of the NRCC, said, “NRCC is very honored to carry out international cooperation with CHEMTREC. China and the United States are both major countries in the production and distribution of chemicals. The NRCC and CHEMTREC partnership can more effectively enhance responses to hazardous chemicals incidents when they occur. It also promotes improved chemical safety for the two countries, as well as worldwide, and makes an important contribution to the development of international emergency response.”
Companies transporting hazardous materials both within China, as well as between China and other locations, will receive the greatest benefit when registered with both organizations for their emergency response information needs, according to Speight.
The MOU recognizes the unique capabilities of each organization and their mutual goal to assist emergency responders during incidents involving hazardous materials. The MOU provides the framework for the organizations to share and leverage their respective information resources during hazardous materials emergencies--24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The NRCC is a multi-function agency of the State Administration of Work Safety of the People’s Republic of China. NRCC’s responsibilities include: registration of hazardous chemicals; chemical accident emergency response; prevention and investigation of chemical accidents; identification and classification of chemicals hazards; and worker safety standards for hazardous chemicals enterprises. The chemical accident emergency response function within NRCC includes management and maintenance of the 24/7 state emergency consulting “hot-line” created to provide real-time expert assistance to chemical enterprises and responders during chemical emergencies. NRCC has provided emergency consulting services to thousands of chemical enterprises in China. For more information about NRCC, visit http://en.nrcc.com.cn.
CHEMTREC, a division of the not-for-profit American Chemistry Council, is a 24/7 resource providing immediate critical response information for incidents involving hazardous materials. CHEMTREC was created in 1971 by the chemical industry to provide expert advice to public responders in the United States and Canada during incidents involving hazardous materials. Today the chemical industry relies on CHEMTREC’s services around the globe for emergency response and related services. More than 24,000 companies rely on CHEMTREC’s services. For more information about CHEMTREC, visit www.chemtrec.com.