The Chemical Weapons Convention contains 3 Schedules of toxic chemicals as well as their precursors and an additional category of chemicals, categorised as Unscheduled Discrete Organic Chemicals (DOCs). The Schedules are organised to reflect the risk posed by the chemical to the object and purpose of the Convention.
List of Scheduled Chemicals
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| Schedule 1 covers chemicals that possess lethal or incapacitating toxicity and other properties that would enable it to be used as a chemical weapon (Schedule 1A), as well as their final stage precursors (Schedule 1B). They pose a high risk to the object and purpose of the Convention and have little or no commercial applications. |
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- Flame-retardant additive research (plastics, resins, fibres)
- Medicinal & pharmaceutical preparations
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| Schedule 2 covers chemicals which are potential chemical warfare agents (Schedule 2A and 2A*), and other chemical weapons precursors (Schedule 2B). They pose a significant risk to the object and purpose of the Convention and have moderate level of commercial applications. |
- Methylphosphonyl dichloride
- Arsenic trichloride
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- Insecticides
- Herbicides
- Epoxy resins
- Flame-retardant additive research (plastics, resins, fibres)
- Medicinal & pharmaceutical preparations
- Metal plating preparations
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| Schedule 3 covers chemicals which had previously been produced, stockpiled or used as a chemical weapon. They pose a risk to the object and purpose of the Convention by virtue of its importance in the production of one or more chemicals listed in Schedule 1 or Schedule 2B. Schedule 3 chemicals have widespread commercial applications. |
- Triethanolamine
- Methyldiethanolamine
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- Pesticides
- Insecticides
- Toiletries
- Pharmaceuticals
- Metal plating preparations
- Surfactants for detergents, oil drilling emulsions
- Corrosion inhibitors
- Soil fumigants
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There is another category of chemicals that is classified by definition. It is the unscheduled discrete organic chemicals (DOCs). While the unscheduled DOCs are not directly related to making chemical agents, the facilities built for their production (with amounts exceeding threshold limits) could have the potential of being converted to chemical weapons production facilities.
The term unscheduled "discrete organic chemical" (DOCs) refers to any chemical belonging to the class of chemical compounds consisting of all compounds of carbon, except for its oxides, sulfides and metal carbonates. They are identifiable by name, by structural formula, if known, and by Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number, if assigned. This term shall exclude:
- Oligomers and polymers whether or not containing phosphorus, sulfur or fluorine
- Chemicals containing only carbon and metal
- Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (as referred to in the term oxides of carbon in the above definition)
- Carbon disulfide or carbonyl sulfide (as referred to in the term sulfides of carbon in the above definition)
There are two types of unscheduled DOCs. Those that contain the elements phosphorus, sulphur or fluorine, commonly known as PSF containing DOCs, and those that do not, known as non-PSF containing DOC.