In 1995, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) decided to assess the impact of the twelve worst substances and preparations classified as Persistent Organic Pollutants, POPs. These chemicals have several severe characteristics in common: they remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically and accumulate and biomagnify in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife. 166 countries have signed the Stockholm Convention.

The UNEP decision led to an international negotiation process, involving governments, NGOs and industry from around the world. In 2001, the talks resulted in the creation of a new, legally binding treaty, the Stockholm Convention, after the city where the final agreement was reached. The convention adopted a list of twelve substances/substance groups that are banned or severely restricted and requires governments to limit, or eliminate the release of POPs into the environment. See list on the button of the page.

Listing new chemicals - a step-by-step process

The fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (all the countries that have ratified the Convention) was held Geneva, Switzerland, in May 2009. For the first time, nine new chemicals were added to the Convention.

However, five of the new POPs are no longer in production so their addition to the treaty is not particularly controversy. The brominated flammretardants pentaBDE and octaBDE were also added to the treaty. These chemicals have been used in electronic equipments, however new production of both has stopped. Under the Stockholm convention wastes that contain POPs cannot be recycled or recovered, reclaimed or directly reused. Nevertheless, the convention added provisions allowing the continued recycling and reuse of products contaminated with the listed brominated flame retardants until 2030. The EU is mainly to blame for this failure since they raised concern about how to manage products such as cellphones and cars containing these chemicals as they become waste.

Yet not only will exemptions allow these harmful substances to re-enter production-lines, with a continued risk of exposure and harm, but in addition, products containing these unwanted chemicals will be exported from richer countries to developing countries, which lack capacity to manage the problems, and higher risks of contamination and harm'. To help to prevent the dumping of POPs containing products in developing countries the Stockhom convention restricts exports of such products for recycling if they are not allowed for sale in the exporting country. However, the dumping problem will for sure remain.

PFOS, the only one of the POPs added to the treaty is still produced in large volumes. It is used for variety of applications such as rain clothes, semiconductors, metal plating and printers. PFOS is so persistent that it has shown no degradation under any environmental condition tested. Unfortunately some countries claimed that they have no feasible alternatives to PFOS and therefore exemptions for nearly all existing uses were allowed. This means that PFOS will continued be produced no matter of how dangerous it is.Lindane the a pesticide is still in use in some countries was also added to the treaty and will be banned. One exemption for an particular pharmaceutical use is allowed.

For the third listed chemical, PFOS, ongoing production and 15 or more uses will be allowed to continue, including uses that disburse PFOS directly into the environment, such as in fire fighting foams and pesticides. As described by IPEN, the International POPs Elimination Network, PFOS is so persistent that it has shown no degradation under any environmental condition tested. In one study of 299 infants in the United States, PFOS was found in the blood of 297 of them. PFOS is listed by ChemSec on the SIN List as a Substance of Very High Concern.

The nine new chemicals now listed under the Stockholm Convention are Alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, Beta hexachlorocyclohexane, Hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether, Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether, Chlordecone, Hexabromobiphenyl, Lindane, Pentachlorobenzene, Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride.

Listing a substance as a POP under the Convention begins with a proposal by a Party - a country that has ratified the Convention. The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) decides whether a chemical should continue through the process of adding it to one or more of the Convention's annex documents. If POPRC accepts that the chemical is eligible for consideration, the committee develops and possibly adopts a risk profile and develops a risk management evaluation. To be added to the Convention, the POPRC must first prepare the Annex F evaluation (which proposes risk management plans such as bans) and then make a recommendation to the Conference of the Parties.

ChemSec is actively following the processes within the Stockholm Convention and provides information to other NGOs. In addition, ChemSec is a member of and collaborates with IPEN (International POPs Elimination Network), a network facilitating NGO participation in global decision-making processes.

The Nine New POPs

Listed on Annex A for elimination
1. alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, unintended byproduct of lindane manufacture
2. beta hexachlorocyclohexane, unintended byproduct of lindane manufacture
3. commercial octaBDE (hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether),
used as a flame retardant
4. commercial pentaBDE (tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether),
used as a flame retardant
5. chlordecone, an agricultural pesticide
6. hexabromobiphenyl, a flame retardant
7. lindane, used in creams for treatment head lice; previously used in agriculture
("specific exemption" for pharmaceutical use as to control head lice and scabies)
8. pentachlorobenzene, used as a dyestuff carrier, fungicide, and a flame retardant

Listed on Annex B for restriction
9. PFOS perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride
(with specific exemptions for: photo masks in the semiconductor and liquid crystal
display (LCD) industries, metal plating, electric and electronic parts for some printers
and color copiers, insecticides for certain fire ants and termites, oil production,
carpets, leather and apparel, textiles and upholstery, paper and packaging, coatings
and coating additives, and rubber and plastics; and "acceptable purposes": photo
imaging, photo-resist and anti reflective coatings for semiconductors, etching agents
for compound semiconductor and ceramic filter, aviation hydraulic fluids, metal
plating in closed-loop systems, certain medical devices, fire-fighting foams, insect
bait for control of certain leaf-cutting ants).

The original Stockholm Convention listed following dirty dozen

Listed on Annex A for elimination
Aldrin
Chlordane
Dieldrin
Endrin
Heptachlor
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
Mirex
Toxaphene
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Listed on Annex B for elimination
DDT (with specific exemption for disease vector control, and as a site-limited,
closed system intermediate)

Listed on Annex C to reduce or eliminate releases
Polychlorinated dioxins
Polychlorinated furans
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)