Government and regulatory agency decisions made with the involvement of civil society are much more likely to be put into practice successfully.i Experience shows that it is very difficult to manage or mitigate the impacts of chemicals and hazardous waste without the ability to communicate effectively and equitably involve all those concerned with the issue. Public interest, public health and labour based NGOs have an essential role to play in effective chemical management if the 2020 goal set at WSSD is to be achieved. However, this is not only an issue of obvious benefits, it is also a right enshrined in the Bahia Declaration on Chemical Safety, that is, communities have the “right to participate meaningfully in decisions about chemical safety that affect them.”ii The growing acceptance of public participation in chemical policy making and management is also dependent on developing adequate capacity to support the involvement of civil society. This paper will provide a summary of the role that NGOs play in effective chemical management, with particular focus on capacity building activities and will draw on case studies of effective participation and capacity building models.