Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international environmental treaty signed in 2001 and effective from May 2004. Its aim is to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
What are POPs?
POPs are chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife. They pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment around the globe. POPs have harmful impacts including death, disease and birth defects among humans and animals.
How POPs Affect Health and Environment
Many POPs are carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction. They can cause impairment to the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system and endocrine system. Some POPs are also considered possible endocrine disruptors – chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormones and glands. When released into the environment, they can persist for decades and can biomagnify as they move up through the food chain.
Dirty Dozens
The convention listed twelve distinct chemicals in three categories in the beginning and called them “Dirty Dozens”. These includes 8 pesticides (aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex and toxaphene); two industrial chemicals (poly chlorinated biphenyls and hexachlorobenzene) and two unintended byproducts (poly chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo furans, commonly referred to as dioxins and furans).
The convention called to outlaw nine of the dirty dozen chemicals, limit the use of DDT to malaria control, and curtail inadvertent production of dioxins and furans.
How the Convention Works
Countries that have ratified the Convention (currently 184 Parties) have to meet certain obligations such as eliminating use of POPs, ensuring stockpiles and wastes consisting of POPs are appropriately handled, and exchanging information related to reducing or eliminating POP releases. Developing countries and countries with economies in transition may obtain financial and technical assistance to build capacity and implement their obligations.
India and Stockholm Convention
India ratified the Stockholm Convention on January 13, 2006. India released Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Rules in 2018 under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The regulation prohibited the manufacture, trade, use, import and export seven chemicals viz. Chlordecone, Hexabromobiphenyl, Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether (Commercial octa-BDE), Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Commercial penta-BDE), Pentachlorobenzene, Hexabromocyclododecane, and (Hexachlorobutadiene. All these chemiclas were already listed as POPs under Stockholm Convention.
