INTRODUCTION
Stockholm Convention
Stockholm Convention
Convention Text |
STOCKHOLM CONVENTION
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001)
(POPs or Stockholm Convention)
The objective of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001) is to protect human health and the environment from POPs. Unlike other chemical treaties that rely primarily on notification requirements or end-of-life management controls, the POPs Convention aims to eliminate the production, use and emissions of POPs. It also aims to ensure the environmentally sound destruction of POPs waste stockpiles, as well as preventing the introduction of new chemicals with POP-like characteristics.
The Convention sets out a series of actions that each party to the Convention should carry out to reduce or where feasible eliminate releases of POPs chemicals, and it offers technical and financial assistance to developing country parties to help implement the POPs Convention.
The Convention currently covers 12 compounds including pesticides, industrial chemicals and by-products. The initial twelve POPs chemicals, known as poisons without passports, pose particular hazards because of their common characteristics; toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation and the ability to travel great distances on wind and water currents.
POPs are now found throughout the world. An international ban on the use and trade in these chemicals will provide considerable benefits to human health and the environment.
The Convention came into force on the 17 May 2004.
For further information contact :
Interim Secretariat for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
11-13 Chemin des Anémones
1219 Châtelaine
Geneva, Switzerland
Tel.: +4122 917 8191
Fax: +4122 797 3460
e-mail: ssc@chemicals.unep.ch
Internet: http://www.pops.int
IPEN Body Burden Community Monitoring Handbook - 2005
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