chemical conventions handbook

Annex B: Chemicals for Restricted Use:

Annex C: Chemicals which are Unintentionally Produced (and where action should be taken to reduce and eventually eliminate releases)

Adding New POP Chemicals -

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) does more than address the original 'dirty dozen' POPs chemicals. It recognizes the need to take global action on all chemicals with POP-like characteristics, such as;

These chemicals pose an unacceptable threat to human health and the environment. The Stockholm Convention established a process for identifying candidate POPs, which applies the precautionary principle by recognising that there does not have to be absolute proof that a chemical is doing harm before action on it is taken. The Stockholm Convention including Article 8 and Annexes D, E, F establishes the rules for identifying and listing additional POPs.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) reviews proposals for new POPs via three main stages. A series of steps are undertaken once a substance is nominated in a written proposal.

1. If the proposal includes the required information, the POPRC consider whether the nominated chemical fulfills the criteria (POP-like characteristics) as outlined in Annex D.
2. If the POPRC find the substance fulfills the criteria, a risk profile based on the information in Annex E is then prepared.
3. If on the basis of the risk profile, the POPRC decides the chemical is likely as a result of its long range transport, to lead to significant adverse human health and/or environmental effects, such that global action is warranted then the POPRC will prepare a risk management evaluation based on information outlined in Annex F.

Throughout the process opportunities for observers, industry and civil society to comment are provided. The POPRC may then recommend to the COP that the chemical be added to the Convention.

The Conference of the Parties (all the countries that have ratified the Convention) makes the final decision on whether to list a chemical as a POP.

Currently, the following twelve additional chemicals and isomers have been nominated for consideration by the POPs Review Committee.

These include;

A fact sheet on candidate POPS, 'POPRC at a Glance' is available for download.

The IPEN POPs Review Committee Information Repository

The POPs Review Committee Information Repository is an initiative of the Community Monitoring Working Group of the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN). It provides information on the review process for the listing of new chemicals on the Stockholm Convention for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

The Repository can be accessed at IPEN POPs Review Committee Repository.

Further information is available at the POP Review Committee website.

Chemical Exemptions -

It is possible for a country to get a 'specific' exemption that is specific to a chemical, a country and a use. In effect, the specific exemptions are a phase-out period to allow countries to eliminate production and use as substitutes are phased in. Specific exemptions will be subject to review.

A Register that identifies Parties that have specific exemptions for chemicals is maintained by the Secretariat and is available to the public.

There are also general exemptions for quantities of a chemical to be used for laboratory-scale research or as a reference standard. Explanatory notes to Annex A and Annex B also exclude unintentional trace contamination of final product where persistent organic pollutants are used as an intermediate product.

DDT -

There are provision for the restricted use of DDT (Annex B) which provides for its ongoing restricted use in disease vector malaria control. Parties that produce and/or use DDT have to do so in accordance with the World Health Organisation recommendations and guidelines, and only when locally safe, effective and affordable alternatives are not available. The Secretariat maintains a Register of countries using DDT.

National Implementation Plans and National Action Plans:

Parties to the Convention are required to develop and endeavor to implement a plan for the implementation of their obligations under the Stockholm Convention (Article 7). Each country needs to submit its implementation plan to the Secretariat.

There are also specific obligations and requirements for the restricted use of DDT (Annex B) and for the release of unintentionally byproducts (Annex C).

DDT Action Plan

Each country using DDT must develop and implement an action plan as part of their national implementation plan, with the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating their use of DDT. The action plan must include the development of regulatory and other mechanisms to ensure that DDT use is restricted to disease vector control. It must cover the implementation of suitable alternative products, methods and strategies as well as measures to strengthen health care and reduce the incidence of the disease. Within their capabilities, Countries need to promote research and development of safe alternative chemical and non-chemical products, methods and strategies.

Every three years, each Party that uses DDT has to provide to the Secretariat and the World Health Organisation information on the amount of DDT used, the conditions of use and its relevance to their disease management strategy.

Dioxin Action Plans

Countries are required to develop a national action plan or a regional / subregional action plan for unintentional by-products such as dioxins, furans, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and PCBs, within two years of their date of entry. There is an obligation on each party to, at a minimum, take a series of measures to reduce the total releases of these byproducts from man made sources. The goal is their continuing minimisation and, where feasible, ultimate elimination.

Countries need to implement best available technology (BAT) and best environmental practices (BEP), while taking into consideration the general guidance on prevention and release reduction measures including the promotion of substitute materials.

Annex C provides the guidance on prevention and release reduction measures, as well as guidelines on BAT and BEP. Part II and lll of Annex C list the specific industries that have comparatively high formation and release of byproducts including dioxins and the diffuse sources that also generate byproducts.

BAT/BEP Guidelines were adopted by the COP3 and an ongoing revision schedule established.

More detailed information and guidance on developing dioxin action plans is available in the Stockholm Convention reference section

Dioxin Toolkit

The Dioxin Toolkit is available to assist countries in assessing their dioxin emissions. There is also a process for the ongoing review and updating of the toolkit, which is open to parties and other stakeholders in order to generate relevant data and information on Annex C chemicals.

Export and Import Obligations:

Parties must ban imports of Annex A and Annex B substances once they have banned all production and use of that substance in their country (that is, once they no longer have a specific exemption for that substance). Parties must ban the export of an Annex A or B substance, once all Parties to the Convention have banned its production and use (that is, once all specific exemptions for that substance had expired).

During the period when country specific exemptions exist for substances, the chemical can be exported by parties and imported by parties with a specific exemption for that substance. The substance can only be exported to Parties to the Stockholm Convention or countries found to be in compliance with its obligations, or for the purpose of environmentally sound disposal. This allows countries with a specific exemption for a POP to import that chemical and therefore, would not need to begin production in order to have access and therefore, is not penalised for joining the Convention.

Thus, POPs existing in countries that are parties to the Stockholm Convention would only go to countries that have agreed to be bound by the restrictions on the use of those POPs during the period of the specific exemptions. Once all exemptions for a POP chemical are eliminated, because effective alternatives exist, trade in that chemical would be prohibited.

Table of Obligations and Recommended Actions:

The Table below summarises the major obligations that all Parties to the Stockholm Convention are required to undertake and recommends specific actions that Parties can take in order to meet those obligations. It is particularly applicable to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

Summary of Major Provisions of the Stockholm POPS Convention and Recommended Actions.