Inspections
Inspections
Facilities that produce, process, or consume scheduled chemicals and facilities that produce unscheduled discrete organic chemicals (DOCs) are subject to inspections.
Types of Inspections
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National Inspections
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Pre-licence Inspection
An inspection conducted by NA(CWC) to verify the information declared in a facility’s licence application, and to inform the facility of the preparations required for an Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspection. -
Facility Audit
A routine audit conducted by NA(CWC) to verify the facility’s adherence to the requirements of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) licence and its declarations to NA(CWC). During the audit, the facility would also be informed of the preparations required for an OPCW inspection.
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Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Inspections
- Routine Inspections
Declared facilities with production, processing or consumption levels that exceed verification thresholds (see below) stipulated in the Convention are subject to routine site inspections by OPCW inspectors. The aim of the inspection is to verify that activities are in accordance with the obligations under the Convention and consistent with the information provided in declarations. These are deemed to be co-operative events and do not adopt an investigative approach.
- Routine Inspections
| Type of Facility | Verification Threshold Limits |
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| Schedule 1 | All declared facilities are subject to inspection |
| Schedule 2 | Produced, processed or consumed during any of the previous three calendar years or anticipated to produce, process or consume in the next calendar year more than: - 10 kilogrammes of a Schedule 2A* chemical; - 1 tonne of a Schedule 2A chemical; or - 10 tonnes of a Schedule 2B chemical |
| Schedule 3 | Produced in the previous calendar year or anticipated to produce in the next calendar year in excess of 200 tonnes aggregate of any Schedule 3 chemical |
| Unscheduled Discrete Organic Chemicals (DOCs) | Produced more than 200 tonnes of DOCs during the previous calendar year |
Challenge Inspections
Challenge inspections are designed for clarifications and resolving questions or doubts concerning possible non-compliance with the Convention. A Member State is obligated to accept the challenge inspection and seek to clarify or resolve any doubts to prove its compliance during the inspection.
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