Stockholm Convention Objective

Stockholm Convention

• Objective:

• To protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Listed 21 POPs

• Annex A (Elimination)

• Pesticides: Aldrin, alpha HCH, beta HCH, chlordane, chlordecone, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, lindane, mirex, toxaphene
• Industrial chemicals: hexachlorobenzene, PCBs, hexabromobiphenyl, hexa and hepta BDEs, tetra and penta BDEs, pentachlorobenzene,

• Annex B (Restriction)

• Pesticides: DDT
• Industrial chemicals: Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF)

• Annex C (Unintentional production)

• Dioxins and furans, PCBs, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene

Obligations for listed POPs

• Implement control measures

• If no alternatives, register specific exemptions, acceptable purposes

• Develop and implement Action Plans for unintentional POPs

• Develop inventories of the stockpiles

• Review and update National Implementation Plan

• Conduct monitoring for effectiveness evaluation

Risk management evaluation document for PFOS (2007 and 2008)

General guidance on consideration for identification of alternatives (2009)

Guidance on alternatives to perfluorooctane sulfonate and its derivatives (2010)

Section II. Characteristics of PFOS and its derivatives

Work programme on newly listed persistent organic pollutants (SC-4/19)

Collected information

Recommendations on risk reduction for PFOS, its salts, and PFOSF by the POPs Review Committee (POPRC6)

Short-term recommendations in summary:

What’s next?

For more information:

Annex A with Specific exemptions

• Annex A with Specific exemptions

• Need to register (except for PCBs)
• Exemption open for 5 years from the date of entry into force
• When all registrations have expired, no new registrations possible
• Exemptions may be extended by the COP based on a report by the Party justifying the continuing need for the exemption.

• Annex B with Specific exemptions and Acceptable purposes

• Specific exemptions: same as Annex A
• Acceptable purpose: need to register, no expiration unless otherwise decided by the COP

NOTE: Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC)

• Subsidiary body to the Convention, mandated to review proposals submitted by Parties for listing new chemicals in Annex A, B, or C.

• 31 government-designated members

• Terms of reference, conflict of interest procedure: SC-1/7,SC-1/8, SC-4/20