Listed chemicals

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) includes lists of chemicals that are to be controlled. The chemicals are devided into the following three categories, Schedule 1-3:

Schedule 1

Contains chemicals that have been used as chemical weapons or have been developed for this purpose. Certain chemicals, e.g. saxitoxin, ricin and nitrogen mustard gas in very small amounts have civilian uses in the fields of research and medicine. Chemicals on Schedule 1 are classified in Sweden as military equipment and are covered by the Military Equipment Act and Military Equipment Ordinance.

Schedule 2

Contains chemicals that are key output substances in the production of chemical weapons. These chemicals also have certain industrial uses, e.g. in the pharmaceutical industry, as flame-retardants and for the production of paints and inks.

Schedule 3

Contains output substances that have considerable use within industry. The most commonly used chemical in Sweden on this list is trietanolamin.

DOC - organic chemicals

In addition, industrial plants that produce organic chemicals (DOC) other than those on the Convention lists are also controlled. These plants often possess equipment that could be used to produce chemicals on Schedules 1, 2 and 3.

DOC production is common in the chemicals industry, i.e.:

• production of cosmetic and detergent ingredients
• production of pharmaceuticals, inks, dyes, organic fertilisers and pesticides
• synthesis of flavourings for the food industry
• synthesis of monomers for polymerisation
• alcohol production

Declaration of chemicals

Operations that include chemicals on Schedules 1, 2 and 3 and DOC shall be declared annually to ISP in accordance with the Act on the control of dual-use items and technical assistance. The information sent by industrial companies to ISP is compiled in accordance with CWC rules and declared to OPCW.

The OPCW declaration includes the total amount of production, export and import of each individual chemical for the previous calendar year. In addition, the declaration includes individual factories who use listed chemicals over the established threshold amounts. Planned operations at factories for the next calendar year shall also be declared to OPCW.

Inspections of industrial facilities

In addition to the annual declarations, industrial facilities whose operations exceed the threshold amounts stipulated in CWC are inspected by international inspectors. Inspectors from OPCW check that the operations tally with the declarations and that no prohibited operations are being carried out at the facility. The rules on how the inspection should be carried out are stipulated in CWC and the Swedish adaptations can be found in the Act and Ordinance on International Inspections.

Sweden has three industrial facilities that may receive routine inspections. After 2000, several more plants within the DOC group will face possible inspections. Prior to an inspection, the facility shall prepare itself with the help of the ISP. The inspectors may interview personnel, study documentation, have access to plants currently in use within the facility and take samples for analysis.

Besides routine inspections, challenge inspections may occur. Such inspections may be requested by a state that is party to the Convention if it suspects that another State Party state is violating the Convention.