International organizations and European members of the World Health Organization are creating a European system for responding to possible chemical weapons attacks, the Environment News Service reported Friday.

The WHO and other U.N. agencies met in Copenhagen earlier this month to hear testimony from experts in counterterrorism, poison control, emergency preparedness and national surveillance.  Delegates agreed to continue discussions through a permanent forum, and experts are now working to create an international scale to identify the severity of any chemical incident.

“We do not know when or if there will be a chemical attack, but we know, from our experience in handling other crises involving chemical accidents, that preparation saves time and saves lives,” said Roberto Bertollini, technical support director of the WHO European office.

Significant chemical incidents occur every month, according to Environment News Service.  There were 704 chemical incidents in the United Kingdom over the last six-month period for which figures exist, and three of those affected more than 50 people (Environment News Service, June 24).

For further information, see:

CDC List of Chemical Agents

Federation of American Scientists Information on Chemical Weapons

World Health Organization

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