The Stockholm Convention — Eliminating persistent pollutants the global way
In 1995, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) decided to assess the impact of 12 worst substances and preparations classified as Persistent Organic Pollutants, or "POPs" for short. These chemicals have several severe characteristics in common: they remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically and temporarily, accumulate and biomagnify in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife.
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 named The Stockholm Convention, after the city where the final agreement was reached.
The convention has adopted a list of 12 substances/ substance groups that are banned or severely restricted and requires governments to limit, or eliminate the release of POPs into the environment. In March 2006, 151 countries had signed the Stockholm Convention. The actual number of contracting parties to the convention, however, is 119, since 32 countries have yet to ratify it. (See list of signatories/parties) The third meeting of the Conference of the Parties was held in Dakar, Senegal 30 April – 4 May 2007
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, it develops and may adopt a risk profile and develop a risk management evaluation. For the moment 4 substances and one group of substances are under the last step (it means that they are listed in Annex F) in the POPRC evaluation. The substances scheduled for Annex F evaluation include: penta bromo dihenylether (PentaBDE), perflorooctaneslfonate PFOS, Lindane, Chlordecone, and Hexabromobiphenyl. I June 2006, three new proposals was sent by the EU, short chanined chlorinated paraffines (SCCP), octa bromo diphenylether (octaBDE), and penta chloro benzen. 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 COP.
ChemSec’s role
ChemSec follow the processes within the Stockholm Convention and provide information to other NGOs through the ChemSec newsletter and NGO meetings. ChemSec is also a member of and collaborating with IPEN (International POPs Elimination Network), a network facilitating NGO participation in global decision-making processes.
Links
Website of the Stockholm Convention
IPEN: Process of the POPs Review Committee
IPEN's guide to the POPRC Candidates
UNEP: Data about the "Dirty Dozen" substances
Recommended Reports
IPEN links to reports on Candidate POPs
WWF: "New POPs" — A report suggesting additions to the POP list (April 2005) (pdf)
UNEP: Ridding the world of POPs — A Guide to the Stockholm Convention (pdf)