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Implementing the Stockholm Convention



This section provides information on the important components of implementing the Stockholm Convention. Each of the components is described and access is provided to appropriate reference materials and the documentation required for easy and effective implementation.



GoTo   National Implementation Plans:
GoTo   Framework for Developing National Implementation Plans:
GoTo   Implementing a National Implementation Plan:
GoTo   Environmentally Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants:




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National Implementation Plans:

Parties to the Convention are required to develop National Implementation Plans (NIPs) (Article 7). The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has provided guidelines for enabling activities for the Stockholm Convention that can assist countries in developing their NIPs.

Financial assistance is also available from GEF to help countries to implement the Stockholm Convention.

The framework for NIPs is a five-step process:

  • determination of coordinating mechanisms and organisation of the process;
  • establishment of a POPs inventory and an assessment of national infrastructure and capacity;
  • setting of priorities and determination of objectives;
  • formulation of a National Implementation Plan and specific Action Plans; and
  • endorsement of the National Implementation Plan by stakeholders.

    National Implementation Plans can also be developed on a sub-regional basis.




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    Framework for Developing National Implementation Plans:

    Step 1 Determining Co-ordinating Mechanism and Organising Process

    The Key Activities in Step 1 should take approximately 2 to 3 months and include steps to:

  • Identify and support a Focal Point;
  • Identify and educate main stakeholders to strengthen government commitment;
  • Establish multi-stakeholder national co-ordinating committee;
  • Identify and assign responsibilities for the various aspects of POPs management to government departments and other stakeholders;
  • Obtain a commitment from national stakeholders (for example, by using a Memorandum of Understanding or consultation with public interest NGOs and industry groups);
  • Assess the technical and human resources needs of the Focal Point and develop preliminary budget;
  • Draw-up a workplan and timeframe for country activities; and
  • Organise first workshop with key stakeholders to inform and develop mission statement.

    Existing committees or structures can be used with external consultants providing technical assistance but priority should be given to local and regional consultants. Awareness raising activities need to commence for decision-makers and the public and should be on-going.

    Step 2 Establishing a POPs Inventory (including stockpiles and contaminated sites) and Assessing National Infrastructure and Capacity

    The Key Activities in Step 2 should take approximately 5 to 10 months and include steps to:

  • Prepare a National Profile or at least those sections that relate to POPs (for example, Chapter 3: Priority Concerns Related to Chemical Production, Import, Export and Use);
  • Constitute task teams responsible for inventories and train them in inventory procedures;
  • Complete a preliminary inventory of production, distribution, use, import and export;
  • Complete a preliminary inventory of stocks and contaminated sites and assess opportunities for disposal of obsolete stocks;
  • Complete a preliminary inventory of releases to the environment;
  • Undertake an external independent review of initial national POPs inventories;
  • Assess the capacity of institutions to manage POPs, including regulatory controls and options for strengthening them;
  • Assess enforcement capacity to ensure compliance;
  • Assess social and economic implications of POPs use and reduction including the local commercial infrastructure for distributing alternative technologies/products;
  • Assess monitoring capacity; and
  • Identification of POPs human health and environmental issues of concern.

    More detailed information on these subjects is available in the Stockholm Convention Reference section.

    Step 3 Priority Setting and Determining Objectives

    The Key Activities in Step 3 should take approximately 4 to 6 months and include steps to:

  • Develop a criteria for prioritising action by considering health, environmental and socio-economic impacts of POPs and the availability of alternative solutions;
  • Determine national objectives for priority POPs issues; and
  • Organise a national multi-stakeholder priority setting workshop.

    Priority setting in POPs/issues can use information from the National Profile including any information about stockpiles and contaminated sites and any identified environmental concerns relating to POPs.

    Step 4 Formulating a National Implementation Plan (NIP) and Action Plans on other POPs including unintentional by-products and PCBs, and (if required) DDT

    The Key Activities in Step 4 should take approximately 5 to 9 months and include steps to:

  • Mandate teams to develop proposals for addressing priorities;
  • Identify management and risk reduction options;
  • Consider new technologies through technology transfer or development of indigenous alternatives;
  • Assess costs and benefits of options;
  • Identify targets;
  • Develop full implementation plan, including the action plans for unintentional by-products and PCBs, and if needed DDT;
  • Develop cost estimates of implementation;
  • Review National Implementation Plan;
  • Prepare funding application for implementation;
  • Develop national strategy for public information;
  • Develop national program for awareness raising of the general public in particular what role they can play in addressing POPs problems, eg decrease in back yard burning of plastics; and
  • Ensure participation of local authorities.

    The key factors in formulating a NIP are the availability of data to inform decisions, political commitment, meaningful participation of stakeholders, access to alternative technology and adequate resources; human, financial and technical. It is important that the responsibilities for developing POPs specific action plans are shared amongst stakeholders including government agencies, industry, NGOs and universities.

    Step 5 Endorsement of the National Implementation Plan by Stakeholders

    The Key Activities in Step 5 should include steps to:

  • Prepare a report for stakeholder comments;
  • Liaise with high Government officials; and
  • Organise workshops and circulate information to obtain commitment of stakeholders and decision-makers, including resource commitments.




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    Implementing a National Implementation Plan:

    Implementing a NIP

    The eventual implementation of the NIP would be made up of some of the following activities:

  • Development of a more detailed POPs inventory;
  • Drafting of new legislation/regulation;
  • Strengthening of compliance and enforcement of existing regulation;
  • Identification of specific eco-systems or populations at risk;
  • Evaluation and introduction of POPs alternatives;
  • Implementation of awareness-raising and education activities and establishment of mechanisms to involve local populations in the implementation of the plans;
  • Training and capacity building activities on various issues such as sound management practices of POPs, POPs alternatives, conducting environmental impact assessment, effective legislation and regulation, good storage and management practices, risk assessment and risk management, etc;
  • Technology transfer activities;
  • Development of a national waste management strategy;
  • Monitoring, site auditing and other activities to ensure compliance and enforcement of regulations;
  • Development of safe disposal plans for existing stocks of POPs; and
  • Addressing illegal POPs trade through Waigani and Bamako implementation

    The Global Environment Facility Guidelines for Enabling Activities for the Stockholm Convention and other documentation are available in the Stockholm Convention Reference section.

    Guidelines for the Management of POPs

    Technical Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants by the Basel Convention Secretariat are now available. The guidelines have valuable information on the storage, handling, transport and disposal of POPs. Following is a summary of the main points.




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    Environmentally Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants:

    What does Environmentally Sound Management mean?

    ESM is defined as: "a concept for ensuring that wastes are managed in a manner which will save natural resources and protect human health and the environment against adverse effects which may result from the management of such wastes and materials." (OECD 2001)

    The core performance elements of ESM are those that are applicable to all evaluation, dismantling, refurbishment, pre-treatment, treatment and disposal of wastes.

    They require that each facility should:

  • have adequate regulatory infrastructure and enforcement to ensure compliance with applicable regulations;
  • be appropriately authorized;
  • have waste minimisation/ recovery/ recycling procedures;
  • be appropriately certified under an applicable Environmental Management System;
  • have an appropriate operational monitoring and reporting programme;
  • have an operational inspection and recording programme for all input and output materials;
  • have appropriate in-house record keeping;
  • have an appropriate and verified emergency plan;
  • have an appropriate and operational training programme for its personnel; and
  • have an adequate financial guarantee for emergency situations and closure.

    The above ESM requirements are applicable to countries and facilities involved with POP waste management.

    How Can POPs Pesticides be Managed Properly?

    While it is preferable to not use POPs pesticides at all, there may be rare occasions where they are necessary. The following are some guidelines for the national authority responsible for regulating the use of POPs pesticides:

  • provide training and information programmes on different types of pesticides and their uses;
  • provide training, literature and other information on avoiding the use of pesticides and the substitution of alternatives;
  • provide training on the purchase of pesticides - to avoid surplus product and ensure the correct pesticide is purchased;
  • product containment and disposal options;
  • labelling, storage, handling and safeguarding;
  • control of empty containers; and
  • management of unwanted pesticides.

    How Can POPs be Properly Stored?

    The safe storage of POPs is vitally important, particularly in island communities where people are likely to be in close proximity to these highly poisonous substances. The following are some guidelines for the storage and transport of POPs wastes:

    Storage of containers/ cartons containing POPs wastes:

  • the site for a new shed or warehouse should not be close to communities, hospitals, schools, shops, food markets and public areas; it should be well removed from water courses/ wells;
  • the storage site should have easy access for loading/ unloading and for emergency vehicles from at least three sides of the building;
  • the design capacity of the building should be generous and should avoid unnecessary stacking of the material;
  • the storage site should be always secure and access should be restricted to authorized personnel to reduce exposure. Adequate notices should be posted to keep people informed of the contents and its potential danger;
  • the containers should be stocked away from direct sunlight;
  • the facility should be well ventilated and well laid for easy access;
  • the storage facility should have at least 15 % to 20% free space for movement of fork lifts and other vehicles for stocking and dispensing;
  • compatibility of materials kept in the areas is a key issue and other materials like waste acids/ bases etc. should be not stored along with pesticides and PCBs; liquids (PCBs) and solids (pesticides) should not be kept next to each other to prevent chemical reaction and contamination;
  • stacked containers should be on pallets; corrosion resulting from rising damp or leaking chemicals should be promptly observed and dealt with appropriately.
  • dust, granule and wet table powder formulations should be kept in cartons during storage to avoid caking;
  • liquids should always be kept in bunded areas with floor drain collection system;
  • stacks should be arranged to minimize handling and to avoid damage during handling. Floor spaces should be uncluttered, well marked and containers and cartons should be stacked at safe heights ensuring that they are stable;

    Storage of POP contaminated soils:

  • contaminated soils containing POPs are likely to be received in bulk and would need storing until disposal options have been finalized. Key issues for soil storage include:
  • keep the material secure (restricted access area);
  • store under a roof to avoid direct sunlight and ensure that in case of rains/ washes, the water is collected and sent for treatment and does not contaminate watercourses;
  • keep soils dry and well-ventilated; and
  • post a notice in the area to ensure that people are aware of the contents.

    Handling and transportation

    Recommended procedures for POP wastes handling and transportation include:

  • waste should be transported in dedicated trucks only;
  • open and leaking containers of waste pesticides, PCBs, etc. should not be transported. Contents should be transferred into another container before being transported;
  • all loads should be securely fastened on the truck and all labels must be clearly readable;
  • the truck should have in place appropriate placards and markings to indicate it is a hazardous cargo based on the regulatory requirements of the jurisdiction;
  • the truck driver should be adequately trained to transport hazardous waste cargo and must have certification to prove this (as required by the jurisdictions);
  • if there is an accident, the driver must be able to produce the manifest and emergency management procedures for the cargo to assist police/ fire personnel in dealing with the incident;
  • the trucking company must be adequately insured (based on jurisdictional requirements) to handle any third party and environmental impairment liability claims in case of an accident;
  • the loads should be periodically checked by a central authority (e.g. during rest stops), to assure that the cargo is intact and there is not leakage;
  • proper paper work must accompany the truck and the material should be handed over appropriately at the receivers end; and
  • the waste consignment must be carefully unloaded/ loaded from the truck.

    Disposal of Pesticide Containers

    Recommended procedures for handling and disposal of pesticide containers include:

  • empty containers should always be cleaned;
  • containers that have contained wet table powder formulations should be rinsed with water several times and the rinsings to be added to the spray tank before it is topped up to the required volume. Then the containers can be washed out with a mixture of water, detergent and caustic soda;
  • containers of liquid formulations may be cleaned with kerosene (paraffin) or diesel fuel;
  • the washings (small quantities of about 5 litres) should be collected for disposal in a safe environmentally sound manner at a central location authorized by the national authority;
  • highly contaminated cardboard, paper and jute materials should be collected and sent to the central disposal centres along with other toxic waste; and
  • glass containers should be smashed and steel drums and metal and plastic containers punctured and crushed (do not puncture aerosol containers) before being sent to a central location for disposal by the national authority.

    The Technical Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management of Persistent Organic Pollutants are available in the Stockholm Convention Reference section





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