The program idea emerged in 1996-97 soon after the Union for Chemical Safety joined SEU. In general, Program aims on chemical contamination by two kinds of origin.

First it is contamination of so called peaceful origin - as the result of industrial, transport, agricultural activities, and here such issues as dioxin and PCB contamination, persistent organic contamination, pesticide contamination, heavy metals contamination became key ones. They are complemented by projects on air, water and food chemical contamination problems.

The other part is aimed on chemical contamination problems caused by military activities and thus reveals information less known to public, at the same time this work puts at certain risk activists involved. It includes problems caused by chemical weapons, armed rocket weapons and preparations for biological war.

The program principal position is to provide for today practically unobserved people environmental rights, that is, right for chemical contamination free, safe environment, as well as interests of people suffered from chemical contamination protection and protection of prosecuted environmental activists rights.

Development of the independent public information network on chemical safety is considered crucial tool for efficient work serving for expedient information and experience exchange. Significant part of it is Chemical Safety Problems electronic bulletin tackling different aspects of the chemical safety issues.

Independent chemical contamination assessment is also a cornerstone of the Program. This includes region "chemical portraits" compiling, dealing with pesticide and supertoxicant contamination consequences, regions suffered from chemical and biological weapon construction. Joint work with other programs concerning environmental health conditions assessment is also done.

Program uses various sets of work methods. These may vary from negotiations with authorities and legislative work to direct actions. Media and own publications are used widely for information spread into society.

YEAR 1998 OUTLINE ACTIONS
The Chemical Safety Day was held on April 28 for the second time, special events held in Dzerzhinsk, Pochep, Chapayevsk and some other places especially suffered form chemical contamination. Expert support for "Rainbow keepers" (radical environmental movement) action series against unsafe electronic waste processing plant construction in Kasimov (near Ryazan) provided.

INFORMATION ACTIVITIES
152 issues of Chemical Safety problems bulletin were published through electronic network, becoming a "speakerphone" for different chemical safety issues. Wide central and regional media discussion on chemical contamination and safety issues, including cyanide disaster in Kyrgyzstan, environmental situation in Ukraine, military activity consequences throughout CIS.

An environmental and medical consequence of heavy pesticide use study was prepared for publication. It is a unique and honest information source on the history of pesticide-caused disaster in different agricultural regions of the former USSR. People and Earth are still suffering from irresponsible decisions made by government, tells the book.

SOCIAL WORK
Russian State Duma adopted draft law "On social security for workers employed in chemical weapon treatment". This document was prepared as an alternative to the one proposed by government without enough social provisions for the population.

The Statement and proposals on chemical safety concerning chemical weapon destruction was brought up to Government - see above.

The Program participated actively in two referendum setting - in Udmurtia on environmentally unsafe hardfuel rocket engine treatment plant and in Chuvashia - on lead accumulator treatment plant.

Program is eager to contact and cooperate with different NGOs working on issues in different ways relating to chemical safety problems.