This Special Edition of EcoLomic Policy and Law provides an innovative study of the broad issue of chemicals and wastes by uniting a number of different but complementary and interconnected risk management perspectives that cut across the articles: (I) at the regulatory level the publication benefits from the experience of the authors in the negotiation, and in the policy and legal analysis of multilateral environmental agreements and organizations; (II) with regard to environmentally sound management it suggests a path toward a coherent framework, it emphasizes the significance of technical cooperation, and it contains a case study which addresses many of the practical challenges; (III) at the governance level it focuses on the creation and the role of SAICM, and on the historic joint 'Extraordinary Conference of the Parties' of the chemicals and wastes conventions in Bali in February 2010, followed by UNEP’s Governing Council in Special Session. We hope that the combination of these risk management perspectives will make a constructive contribution to the upcoming International Year of Chemistry 2011.