International Programme on Chemical Safety

The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) was formed in 1980 and is a collaboration between three United Nations bodies, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, to establish a scientific basis for safe use of chemicals and to strengthen national capabilities and capacities for chemical safety.

A related joint project with the same aim, IPCS INCHEM, is a collaboration between IPCS and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).

The IPCS identifies the following as "chemicals of major public health concern":
 * Air pollution
 * Arsenic
 * Asbestos
 * Benzene
 * Cadmium
 * Dioxin and dioxin-like substances
 * Inadequate or excess fluoride
 * Lead
 * Mercury
 * Highly hazardous pesticides