[P] Toxic Heavy Metals Act

[Imperium Anglorum]

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[TD="bgcolor: white, colspan: 3, align: center"]Toxic Heavy Metals Act

A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.
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[TD="bgcolor: white, align: center"]Category: Environmental[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: white, align: center"]Industry Affected: All Businesses[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: white, align: center"]Proposed by:

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[TD="class: UN, bgcolor: white, colspan: 3"]Description: The World Assembly,

Realizing that toxic heavy metals are an international concern due to their toxicity and potential for bioaccumulation, thus negatively affecting personal health and natural ecosystems;

Acknowledging that toxic heavy metals and their compounds steadily build up through food chains, poisoning organisms and affecting sapient beings that make their livelihood off the land and sea;

Seeking to create sensible legislation that steadily replaces them with safer alternative materials at a pace appropriate to each member state;
The General Assembly hereby,

1. Defines "toxic heavy metals" as any relatively dense metal or metalloid, or any compound thereof, that is noted for its potential toxicity by the World Assembly Scientific Programme;
2. Requires member states to research alternatives to reduce the use of, and where technologically and economically feasible, phase out the use of toxic heavy metals and their compounds;
3. Encourages member states to cooperate in such research where possible, to save time, costs, and prevent overlapping research;
4. Further requires member states to educate citizens about the dangers of toxic heavy metals, as well as make a reasonable effort to safely dispose of such chemicals;
5. Prohibits the intentional discharge of toxic heavy metals into the natural environment, including bodies of water;
6. Bans the disposal of toxic heavy metals where there is a high probability of environmental contamination;
7. Mandates that landfills used to hold toxic heavy metals be properly lined to prevent against leaching;
8. Further mandates that employees of workplaces in member states utilizing such toxic heavy metals follow extant World Assembly law on hazardous material safety, including but not limited to proper labelling and personal protective equipment;
9. Exempts the use of toxic heavy metals in military applications, so long as due care is taken to ensure safe disposal of said toxic heavy metals and/or their compounds, as covered by existing international law.

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[Imperium Anglorum]

I oppose. The section on military applications of toxic heavy metals would make it infeasible for nations to be able to defend themselves using depleted uranium shells. Furthermore, the 'natural environment' is really... everything... so that seems impractical as well. I would say this is also something which member nations would be more able to do. The requirement to research alternatives also ignores the fact that there are 'unknown unknowns', something which necessarily cannot be resolved without already pursuing massive amounts of research.

 

[Brijska Drzava]

El Presidente voted AGAINST.
- Head of Government, J. Lachlan

 

[Imperium Anglorum]

El Presidente voted AGAINST.
- Head of Government, J. Lachlan

This was a resolution at vote from ages ago.